There is a vibe on Alicia Keys' Santa Baby I've never heard, at least to this extent on any other Christmas/Holiday recording. It's a "New York" feeling, a New York state of mind if you don't my borrowing that. In addition to Keys' smoky vocals, its her producing and arranging herself that sets this album apart. Her cover of The Sound of Music's "Favorite Things" epitomizes this ambiance.
I love both Keys' choices in Christmas classics to cover and her originals. Setting her apart from many competitors is Keys' songwriting. She perfectly expresses holiday emotions on tracks such as "You Don't Have to Be Alone," without depressing me as Norah Jones' Christmas album did. I did not expect "Ave Maria" from multiple-Grammy winner Keys, but as a smooth, beautiful finale, it really succeeds. Her unique combination of Classical and R&B, as well as her new musical independence, work to perfection here.
No matter what musical genre you usually like at Christmas, get this and put it in heavy rotation.