Smashed For the Holidays, Jacqui Naylor (Rubystar)

Don't worry, Jacqui's not ankles-up in the eggnog; the "smashed" in the title refers to her musical trademark of smashing together jazz and rock by setting rock songs to jazz arrangements and vice versa. Actually, she doesn't do quite so much of this on her first holiday album, just out for 2007, which is a shame, given what she came up with. "Silver Bells" is sung over "Every Breath You Take," "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is set to the arrangement of "Sweet Home Alabama," "We Three Kings" is layered over Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks" and, the killer cut from this album, "Santa Baby" meets Zep's "D'yer Maker." Unfortunately, the rest of the disc wavers among adult contemporary and jazz, as in her "relaxed" versions of The Kinks' "Father Christmas" and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." She brings four originals to the table, "Thank You Baby," the ballads "Celebrate Early and Often" and "Winter" and the syncopated "Christmas Ain't What It Used to Be." Good talent, but next time around keep the "smash-ups" coming.