Embellishing the Palette of ‘Christmas’

The many moods of the holiday season were given their due over the course of Friday night’s generous, 2 1/2-hour “Colors of Christmas” program at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Yet in the opener of a sold-out, four-night stand, the presiding vocal stylists also generated some stirring moments with their own pop, soul and R & B hits.

During their most enduring numbers, Peabo Bryson, Sheena Easton, Patti Austin and James Ingram--working alone and in various combinations--let the pure power of their voices take hold. As if to prove that there’s still room in today’s youth-oriented pop scene for more accomplished, classy artists, the foursome sang with admirable determination and grace.

The first set, which leaned heavily on yuletide favorites, was far-reaching in scope and personality. The selections ranged from the celebratory (“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “O Come All Ye Faithful”) to the more introspective and soulful (“Silent Night,” with Bryson and the Crenshaw High School Elite Choir).

Two selections extended a more direct, personal touch. A comment on the blissful state of her recent matrimony, Easton’s “No More Blue Christmas” unfolded a welcome sense of the specific. In spite of her unexpectedly coarse voice, the Scottish-born, L.A.-based singer convincingly shared her in-the-moment feelings of newfound joy.

The second, Austin’s reinvention of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” added a wonderfully silly edge to the festivities. Unveiling a slew of new lyrical ingredients--including a topless bar, eviction notice, co-op board and goose omelets--this wacky, truly customized version ended with our narrator living alone in a pear tree.

The program’s second half, more of a showcase for the singers’ hit songs, tapped into some smooth soul and R & B balladry before closing with the transcendent, gospel-driven “Oh, How Precious.”

A commanding figure in his solo turns, Bryson demonstrated why his “Can You Stop the Rain” climbed to No. 1 on the R & B charts in 1991. In wrapping himself around a lyric of loneliness and heartache, his gut-wrenching delivery packed an emotional punch.

The most memorable duet belonged to Bryson and Ingram on “Yah Mo Be There.” With Ingram’s smoky baritone blending well with Bryson’s more polished voice, this anthem-like, rockin’ number infused the show with a timely blast of energy.

Of the individual personalities, Bryson exuded the most charm. Confident, gracious and relaxed, he chatted and roamed through the audience to shake hands and offer spirited hugs. At one point, he even slow-danced with one obviously tickled woman.

A handful of the evening’s songs just never took off. Among the disappointments were film-song hits (“For Your Eyes Only,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World”) that fell flat and sounded out of place in this setting. Plus, a couple of inferior ballads--Ingram’s troubled “I Don’t Have the Heart” and the drippy Easton-Bryson duet “We’ve Got Tonight”--were unfortunately repeated from past “Colors of Christmas” shows.

Nonetheless, this year’s presentation had enough good cheer to rejoice in.

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* “The Colors of Christmas” concludes tonight at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Centre Court Drive. 8 p.m. (562) 916-8500. SOLD OUT.