Christmas '23

My first official album, created as a gift for Christmas '23. It contains eight (well, ten, counting bonus tracks) of improvisations I made during the Christmas season. There's no editing, just me sitting down and letting the music come out. Enjoy the Spirit of the Season!

CLIPS

SONG SYNOPSIS

1. A VOICE CRIES OUT (6:37): My favorite Advent song. It's driving, passionate, and lyrical.
2. LULLABY OF BIRDLAND (6:06): Not a Christmas song, but it's very sonorous and sweet, especially for a jazz song. I like it a lot; that justified the inclusion.
3. LET THE KING OF GLORY COME (3:55): Another great Advent song, upbeat, as excited as it is expectant.
4. ROSE OF WINTER (1:40): One of my compositions, based on the hymn Lo, A Rose E're Blooming. It went with a poem I wrote for a writing contest (see below synopsis).
5. (WALKING IN A) WINTER WONDERLAND (4:52): Cheerful and lilting; I tried to emulate a walk through winter snow.
6. CUIUS PUER EST (6:38): A medley between What Child is This and Child of the Poor, a hymn designed to be sung with the former.
7. ETUDE 2 (CHEER) (1:26): My first composition to get any significant public performance. The subtitle says it all: clean and simple cheer.
8. OVER THE RAINBOW (4:51): I like this song, and it serves as a gateway to jazz. I had heard it on the Bocelli A Family Christmas album, so I thought I could do the same.

BONUS TRACKS

1. NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP (4:57): Like a little whimsy with your Christmas? I love playing this song, cleverly disguised, in public venues.
2. A VOICE CRIES OUT (ALT TAKE) (6:02): Another version of A Voice Cries Out, which I liked too much to get rid of.

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LYRICS TO "ROSE OF WINTER"

Verse 1

Lo, in winter blooming,

A brilliant rose has come.

From a cave-side it blooms

As stars upon it glow.

Bridge

They will come,

Pick that flower bright,

Cast petals to wind,

Annihilate its light;

Cast it on the breeze

Till from garden cave it grows.

Verse 2

Lo, in cave-side blooming,

Showing what will come.

Still, it blooms in splendor,

As stars light God’s new home.

Ending (hymn only)

(Amen. Alleluia.)