Inner Voices Offers Satisfying Blend of Holiday Songs

One of the great pleasures of the holiday season is the opportunity to hear Inner Voices perform its annual Christmas program. The a cappella vocal ensemble, organized by singer Morgan Ames, represents--both individually and collectively--a showcase for the remarkable craft and creativity that characterize the work of L.A.’s fine but too rarely acknowledged studio singers.

Sunday afternoon, before a full house at the Jazz Bakery, the primary group of Ames, Donna McAfee, Melissa Mackay, Michael Mishaw, Julie Delgado and Mimi Manners--with the aid of a rotating group of added singers (Jim Gilstrap, Ian Freebairn-Smith and Terry Harriton)--applied their far-reaching skills to an eclectic collection of holiday music. Many of the selections were from the group’s “Christmas in My Dreams” (Laurel Records), an album that mixes holiday perennials with offbeat selections and a few originals.

Although it started a bit shakily, when some of the words to “Christmas Night in Harlem” (a song revived from a Louis Armstrong recording) were momentarily forgotten, the group quickly kicked into high gear, its compatible voices finding a smoothly consistent blend.

Despite the fact that they were singing music that is performed only once a year, they wove their way through the songs with an ease that belied the complex inner harmonies of Ames’ arrangements. Part of the great enjoyment of hearing Inner Voices, in fact, was the experience of hearing the manner in which these fine artists met the challenge of music that reached well beyond the fundamental four-part harmony of most seasonal numbers.

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Most of the solo passages were handled by the sopranos--McAfee, Delgado and Manners, each of whom brought a contrasting style and texture to the music: Manners with a pure classical coloratura; Delgado with an ability to move easily from gospel soloing to ensemble blending; and McAfee with her gorgeous sound, stratospheric high notes and superb musicality.

Among the many fine moments, McAfee found the real meaning of “White Christmas,” Delgado uncovered some seasonal humor with “Liz and Ralph and Calvin,” Ames offered her own Hanukkah-oriented “My Father” and the calypso-tinged “De King Is Born Today,” and the ensemble combined for lovely renderings of the Spanish carol “Alegria” and, appropriately, Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”

It’s worth noting, however, that--although their contributions generally consisted of singing difficult harmony lines rather than upfront solo passages--Ames, Mackay and Mishaw, in their understated fashion, were the musical glue that held the proceedings together. Superb singers all, they were the true heart and soul of Inner Voices.