As surely as this disc sets a holiday mood, it can also be played any time of the year; as bluegrass goes, this is the real thing, played by ace musicians. The "King of the Smoky Mountain Banjo Players" Raymond Fairchild gets to shred on "Jingle Bells," while mandolinist Cody Shuler and fiddler Arvil Freeman trade solos on "White Christmas." Among the 18 selections here are "Joy to the World," "Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Deck the Halls," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Performed at a sprightly clip, here too are such ballads as "Silent Night," "Away in the Manger," and "Auld Lang Syne."