Dec 06 2012
Music for the holidays
It’s not a secret. I am a singer. I have a Master’s Degree in applied voice and began teaching singing in graduate school, which was far too long ago (but it’s given me at least 10,000 hours doing it!!) I have taken what I learned as a performer and vocalist, and applied it to my work with speakers. It’s a little different approach from others who do this kind of work and it has been highly effective as well as very interesting for me!
My professional singing career has spanned from classical to jazz, and I have several recordings. This holiday season, I am pleased to point you to my Holiday CD, a digital download (mp3). The name of the album is Christmas Caravan. Here is the title song (and the album cover):
It’s an eclectic mix…hence the name. One reviewer said:
“Describing the ultimate product is a challenge. Several pieces are classic jazz (including the opening “Carol of the Bells,” “We Three Kings,” and a very funky “Little Drummer Boy”); other tunes have a strong new age aura, using ethereal synthesized sounds and vocal tones (“Shalom” and “A Thousand Candles”). One song is cleanly Celtic (“Gathering”) with some great fiddlin’; another sways with Caribbean influences (“Mary’s Little Boy Child”). Kate Peters demonstrates her Broadway musical singing chops on “Candle in the Snow.”
My favorite cut among the 12 tracks is the dramatic “Coventry Carol,” which has an orchestrated flavor similar to Mannheim Steamroller and carries through with excellent vocals. It’s a wonderful piece.
“Christmas Caravan” deserves high marks for creativity, dynamic multiculturalism, and musical virtuosity. It’s an impressive package.”
The producer was Doug Simao, and the other artists include Baba Elefante, bass, Ron Kobayashi, keyboards, and Steve Dixon on drums, with Rusty Gillette on percussion and Richard Cook on bagpipes. Please check it out and let me know what you think.
