Navidad

Sergio Lara and Joe Reyes specialize in flamenco-style guitar, and fans that know the San Antonio-based players will immediately enjoy these standard hymns and carols, all played with spirited hands and convincing emotion. Lara and Reyes offer 18 tracks of holiday fare perfect for putting you in the mood or for entertaining friends and family. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" hints at a tango, while "Let It Snow," like many of the cuts here, finds the duo improvising and engaging listeners with little side trips and some additional Christmas whimsy and reverence. As for their playing, their fluid figures dip occasionally into what almost sounds like bluegrass, crossed at times with Latin phrasing and accents. Closing with "Auld Lang Syne," Navidad lives up to its billing as a colorful and contemplative holiday album. --Martin Keller