Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas is at once familiar yet progressive, traditional, prayerful, heartfelt, fun, and sexy. Neville lends his angelic voice to timeless holiday standards, resulting in one of the more compelling American holiday albums of the 1990s. Neville's treatment of classics such as "O Holy Night," "Silent Night," and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is absolutely stirring, and he infuses these lullabies with so much warmth and sincerity that they can even touch the hardest, most cynical audiences. Neville also covers more contemporary tunes, such as "Please Come Home for Christmas," and augments his warm renditions of "The Christmas Song" and "White Christmas" with classic pop arrangements, filled with lush strings, piano, and even saxophone.

This charming collection of duets features the bass of Rob Wasserman in a variety of different roles, from supportive to lead to orchestral. With the exception of Stephane Grappelli's violin, Lou Reed's guitar and Rickie Lee Jones' guitar and bells/percussion, every sound on this album is bass and voice, demonstrating that these two musical forces can be everything by themselves.

New Orleans' favorite sons, the Neville Brothers, pool their talents again on this CD. Family Groove is a clever reference not only to the musical abilities of the four brothers, but to the shared interests and concerns of the brothers and their families. All the usual Neville elements are here: Charles Neville on the saxophone, Cyril Neville on the drums, Art Neville on piano, and the inimitable voice of Aaron Neville. Their message is the Neville gospel of social and political justice, as well as the importance of love and family. Hence, the family groove. In "Line of Fire," brother Art Neville speaks to the growing problem of drugs and guns claiming the lives of many young black men in the cities. Aaron's son, Jason Neville, makes an appearance with a rap tune lamenting the tragic plight of the homeless in the richest country in the world and the complacent America that looks the other way. The one-world outlook of the Nevilles is exemplified on the beautiful harmonies of "Let My People Go," as well as in their closing number, a traditional "Maori Chant."