Chip Davis, who is the leader, drummer — and heart and soul — of Mannheim Steamroller, wanted to do something special this year. And the result is a sort-of greatest-hits album.

"It's been 20 years since the first Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album," Davis said by phone from his home in Omaha, Neb. "Yes, it's been 20 years since 'A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas' was released. So I decided to celebrate."

By "celebrate," Davis means he went to work. "I went back to all the original multi-track songs and remastered them and chose the favorites and put together a compilation album."

The album emerged as "Christmas Celebration," and it features such classic Steamroller works as "Deck the Halls," "Christmas Lullaby," "Veni Veni," "Away in a Manger" and "Good King Wenceslas."

"We mastered them in 5.1 surround sound so they will play in DVD players," said Davis. "It was a bonus for our fans. Because in 20 years, the technology has changed so much, and this is a state-of-the-art treat for the fans."

While he was remastering, Davis was also planning his new Christmas concert tour, as well as dabbling in other holidays.

Last year, the group recorded a Halloween album — "Halloween Monster Mix," as well as another titled "Romantic Melodies," aimed at Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Davis also worked with Bill Fries, who owns the stage name C.W. McCall, for a Fourth of July album titled "American Spirit."

"I've also written a book called 'Halloween: the World Between,' " Davis said, "which was like the Christmas book I wrote, 'A Night Like No Other.' The idea was — and this is my school-teacher part of me coming out — to inform people of why we bring a tree into the home and decorate it. Or why we cut up a pumpkin and put a candle in it.

"There are so many people who do these things, but they don't really know why. That's what these books were about."

Although Davis loves the other holidays, he always returns to Christmas. "There is just something about this holiday that is more than music. It's so deep in tradition. We bring all those old Christmas-carol records out, but having three kids of my own, we have found our own tradition. And that involves all the senses. The sights, the sounds, the smells and the tastes."

That explains why Davis' Mannheim Steamroller catalog not only features music, but also snacks and videos.

If you go...

What: Mannheim Steamroller

Where: E Center

When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

How much: $25.50-$62.50

Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499

Web: www.smithstix.com

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Christmas CDs

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com