Big Snipes is back with a Christmas-themed CD, his third albumBy Sara WestheadLocal R&B aficionados will be grooving this Christmas as Bermudian Christian artist, Big Snipes, launches his first Christmas album, ‘The Greatest Gift’.“After the success of my first two albums, the response has been phenomenal,” he explained. “My wife and I wanted a project that would be continuous and seasonal, and the idea of doing a Christmas album was born.“I personally wanted to do a Christmas album because I’m always looking to develop new music.“Christmas carols are staples and have remained popular for many years. Even some of the newer Christmas music is becoming a mainstay in the season.“For this reason, I decided to create an album that people can listen to for years to come.”The new album is greatly inspired by Big Snipes personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but some of the music on the album also stems from a Christmas programme Big Snipes wrote while serving as the Minister of Music at Glory Temple New Testament Church of God.“Pastor Blanche Burchall issued a recommendation to me that she would like to have a Christmas programme that year. She had a title — Come Worship the King — and left the rest with me to develop.“While I was on our family vacation, I not only wrote the script, but also the theme song with the same name for the event.“Needless to say, the two-night production was a resounding success, and the song became a part of our repertoire.“I believe that was where the vision began for a Christmas album.“One song from the album, ‘J-E-S-U-S — The Reason,’ was one of my first Christmas songs that I wrote for a Sunday School programme back in the 90s, while ‘Unto Us A Child is Born,’ was adapted in 2010 from the scripture, Isaiah 9:6.”The project was developed in cooperation with Shondell Easton at Just Platinum studios, and you will notice that there are a number of others who collaborated on the project.Rev George Smith narrates the introductory verses on the album, while Neville Caines is featured in a saxophone solo and Torrey Tacklyn is playing the bass.Members of the Faith Deliverance Praise Team perform on two tracks, as well as the little Miss Shia Bean on “xxx”, and Whopper Benz and Double J on “xxx”, the only rap song on the album.“From the packaging to the delivery of the songs, I wanted to get back to the basics — that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ,” Big Snipes said. “We do a number of good things around this season but as commercialism that has taken over, we need to step back and refocus.“It was God’s love for us that lead to His birth and his death was completed the total ransom for our sin.“The Greatest Gift is designed to highlight the gift of Jesus and eternal life for His people.”For fans wishing to hear more of Big Snipes, he is planning a busy Christmas season.He will be performing at the “Christmas in Bermuda ... The Spirit of Giving” Christmas party today with Gina Spence Productions in Christ at the Bermuda Broadcasting Company at 1.30pm.Big Snipes will also perform at Evening Light Pentecostal annual candlelight service tomorrow at 6pm, the Charity House Christmas Tree lighting on December 6 and the Stand Up Stand Out after school programme’s Glow Party on December 8, as well as at several schools and other Christmas parties.The highlight will be a Christmas Concert on December 21.“I would like to say special thanks to my wife, Samantha, for blazing an amazing trail for me to carry this ministry,” Big Snipes shared. “Thanks also to Shondell and Steve Easton for their amazing work in producing, mixing and mastering the songs, and to everyone who supported us, sacrificed time and encouraged us throughout the process and most of all to the fans who buy our music, we appreciate you.”The album will be available from today at the Heritage Bookstore, the Music Box and at Sound Stage, as well as online for download at iTunes, Amazon.com and CD Baby.