Patti LaBelle's Miss Patti's Christmas is a pleasant surprise, but it shouldn't be.

The vocal chops of Miss Patti are never in question, but the fear that this would be another typical Christmas song collection was.

Fear not! Miss Patti's Christmas is an unusually surprising good mix of both the secular and sacred.

Dynamic duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who've had a great 2007 with plenty of work, guide this project as the executive producers.

Clearly, there was a careful process to select just the right mix of songs for Miss Patti's Christmas. The contemporary songs are great, the traditional songs are wonderful, and the 2 gospel songs sparkle with praise.

You won't find all of the usual suspects on Miss Patti's Christmas.

She imprints her legendary personality on traditional holiday favorites: "It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," "Do You Hear What I Hear," and "Away In The Manger."

We get a different arrangement and a slightly faster tempo on "Away In The Manger," a Christmas song Patti has previously recorded at a slower tempo.

"What Do The Lonely Do at Christmas," made famous by The Emotions, gets a nice update by LaBelle.

It's hard to imagine a version of Luther Vandross' "Every Year, Every Christmas" as good as the original, but once again, LaBelle rises to the occasion. This is one of the best tracks on the collection.

You'll like the contemporary "Christmas Jam," a rhythmic rouser that opens the album.

As a package, there's a good balance between uptempo and slower selections. Her voice is right in the pocket on the following 10 tracks...

1. "Christmas Jam"
2. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
3. "What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas"
4. "Holidays Mean More To Me"
5. "It's Going To Be A Merry Christmas"
6. "Do You Hear What I Hear""
7. "Nativity"
8. "Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child" featuring The Soul Seekers
9. "Every Year, Every Christmas"
10. "Away In A Manger"

Deck the Halls! Miss Patti's Christmas is excellent, and highly recommended.

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