As the thirteen-track collection opens, we picture McComb sitting at an old, upright piano while belting out requests from the family and friends who have gathered around her. There's the scent of candied yams and hot rolls emanating from the kitchen. The party kicks off with a bouncy, Maple Leaf Rag-flavored piano arrangement of "When Was Jesus Born," a song associated with Odetta, complete with tambourine, handclaps and McComb s ferocious call and response vocals while also accompanying herself on the tight background vocals.

Yuletide standards such as "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" receive peppy work-outs while McComb stretches out and gives a Sunday morning Baptist church reading to "Silent Night," "Walk in the Light" and "Oh, What A Pretty Little Baby."

Over a lightly-classical, acoustic piano arrangement, McComb delivers "O Holy Night" with a breathy, intimate understanding. "I had to sing that song every year for my mother," she remembers. "She loved that song so much that it wouldn't be Christmas without it."

The acoustic guitar strumming of Jean Wellers provides the backdrop for a handful of songs. It starts with a tender cover of "The Christmas Song" which was written by the Velvet Fog, Mel Torme; but popularized most famously by Nat King Cole. "I'm a music lover," McComb adds. "People think I only know about traditional gospel music but I'm very well versed in all kinds of music and I grew up listening to Jazz. I loved Mel Torme and his music."

Another chanson featuring guitar is the joyous, Appalachian-Pentecostal mashup of "Joy to the World" which yodels a festive rhythm that would make the meanest grinch smile. There s also the hearty cover of Jose Feliciano s 1970 gem,"Feliz Navidad" which concludes with some fervent and raspy well wishes from McComb.

As usual, McComb is an excellent bandleader and has assembled a closely-knit ensemble that features Jean Wellers on guitar and contrabass, Larry Crockett and Kenny Elliot sharing drumming duties, Philippe Makaia providing percussion and Cyril Duflot Verez playing on more than half of the songs. Harold Johnson tickles and taunts the keys on "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and "Oh, What A Pretty Little Baby." He handles piano and organ on the smoky gospel-blues of "Walk in the Light." McComb only plays on two cuts, the first and the last, including the rousing, "When Was Jesus Born?"

"Little Drummer Boy" is given a stark, tribal beat that enhances the eerie uniqueness of the song. "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" kicks off with a rockabilly swagger before evolving into a rousing Holiness church rocker. The set closes with a caressing touch on "Il Est N, Le Divin Enfant," which is delivered in a tender arrangement. "It spoke to my heart," McComb says of the 1862 French Christmas carol.

"I ve been wanting to do a Christmas album forever," McComb says of the project that was all recorded in a month's time at various Paris recording studios in June 2017 with her as the producer and her longtime manager, Gerard Vacher, supervising the enterprise. "I like doing stuff nobody else does. When so-called producers leave me alone, I can create unique things," McComb laughs. "I listen to the Spirit and let Him [God] guide me. When I try to compromise, things go wrong." Nothing went wrong on these sessions and there was no compromise. This is Liz McComb at her very best. Merry Christmas!