• Genre: Christmas, Island-style.

• Distinguishing notes: The potluck concept is alive and well as some popular Island performers bring a song to the buffet for a satisfying and festive feast. Among the 17 servings: Robi Kahakalau's country-flavored "Blue Christmas"; Justin's mystical "The First Noel"; Ho'onu'a's whimsy-filled "Where's the Snow?"; Norm's marvelously-arranged "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"; Sean Na'auao's multi-tongued (Hawaiian and English) "Mele Kalikimaka Ia 'Oe"; Quentinn Holi's spirited "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"; Bruddah Walta's reggae-fied and soulful "White Christmas"; and Aloha Dalire's "Christmas Island Medley."

• The outlook: This brings out the mele in Mele Kalikimaka.

• Our take: Easily this season's best bet.

• Genre: Christmas, Island-style.

• Distinguishing notes: Standards are what most folks expect, but those who offer fresh takes on the holiday could be creating a future seasonal hit. With this in mind, applause is merited for both camps. Ten Feet puts a solid soul stamp onto "Please Come Home for Christmas," Na Kama gives "Mary's Little Boy Child" a folksy rendering; Pi'ilani Arias & Love serve up a wistful and tender "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas;" the 'Opihi Pickers instrumentally (via the 'ukulele) pluck out "Carol of the Bells;" Weldon Kekauoha revisits "Christmas Island" with aplomb; and Kimo Villarimo & Hawai'i Youth Opera Chorus-Cantilena Ensemble are banking on re-establishing Ed Kenney's (and yes, the Hono-

lulu Boy Choir's) "Numbah One Day of Christmas," tweaking the song for a new generation of listeners. Tiana's "Dear Santa" and Vaihi's "Christmas At My Tutu's Home" shed new light on visions of the season.

• The outlook: Good, fun listening, for the most part, particularly "Tutu's Home." Further, this CD is a fund-raiser for Hawaii Foodbank to raise donations to feed the hungry.

• Our take: Something for everyone here, and for a worthy cause.

• Genre: Globalinstrumentals.

• Distinguishing notes: Arranged and performed by Claire Rivero, this is an unusual entity inspired by childhood, when Rivero played with her dad on piano. Here, she is master of her synthesizer universe; the tunes are digitally downloadable at such sites as American Online, MSN, MyCokeMusic.com, Virgin Digital, Trans World Entertainment, Cdigix, AT&T Mobile Wireless Music and Synacor; the music also is available on iTunes. For traditional hard-copy CDs, inquire at Tower Records or CD-Baby. Further, a portion of the proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Borders, which works in war-torn regions of the world. The contents include "Good King Wenceslas," "Deck the Halls," "Carol of the Bells," "We Three Kings," and "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel," and lesser-known items such as "Patapan," "Lo How a Rose," and "Joseph Est Bien Marie."

• The outlook: Bouquets to Rivero for thinking outside of the box.

• Our take: A labor of love, a mission worth supporting.

• Genre: Christmas.

• Distinguishing notes: Though this is a national release, the artist, Jesse Colin Young, is a noted folk-rock advocate and a Kona coffee farmer. He engaged Big Island musicians to accompany him (there are slack-key riffs along the way), embracing a dozen traditional favorites, each performed with Young's current Island vision and his folkish past. Clearly, his storyteller posture adds resonance to his interpretations of "Away in a Manger," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," and "Some Children See Him." And his "O Holy Night" eloquently underlines the sentiment of the season. The Island flavors dominate "White Christmas," despite our green Christmases here.

• The outlook: Young's listener-friendly style accommodates fans of country, folk, jazz, and the pop idiom.

• Our take: Just the tonic to ease away the holiday blues.