Christmas
CHRISTMAS - CD
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“This is a lifetime Christmas gift.”
“Excellent! Music like this just makes me feel good.”
What I Like About This Album...
I love Christmas music. I love how when I listen to Christmas music I get transported back in time to wonderful memories of the Holidays. With this CD, I wanted to create a soundtrack for Christmas memories. For me, the best soundtracks are warm and nostalgic, so I wanted to set that tone and really stay with it.
All of my favorite Christmas carols are here as well as a few new ones. There are several gentle solo piano tracks that I really like. In particular I like the extremely sparse and deconstructed version of “Still, Still, Still” which for me evokes the image of falling snow.
Alice Peacock performs "The Holly and the Ivy" which features my original lyrics to go with the traditional melody. I'm a big fan of hers and she sang beautifully.
My favorite track is probably “Remembering Decembers.” I love the melody and this track captures exactly what I was attempting to accomplish with this project - create music for memories.
- Sam
"The Holly and the Ivy" Lyrics
There’s Christmas in the air now
The snow is at your feet
You can put aside your cares now
Let the feeling be complete
A time for every season
A hope for every dream
Let the wonderland inspire you
May your dreams of Christmas be
The peace of winter evenings
The bells and mistletoe
The carols sung in circles
While the window candles glow
A time for drawing closer
A time for letting go
A time to reach to those we love
And a time to let them know
The children all are listening
Our friends have gathered near
Hang the holly and the ivy
What a wondrous time of year
Original lyrics by Sam Stryke
Musicians
- Sam Stryke
- Piano, Hammond B3
- Alice Peacock
- Vocals on “The Holly and the Ivy”
- Sandy Torano
- Acoustic guitar on “O Tannenbaum,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Carol of the Bells/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
- Fareed Haque
- Classical guitar on “Carol of the Bells/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Good King Wenceslas,” and “Remembering Decembers”
- John Rice
- Fiddle, mandolin, and acoustic guitar on “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”
- Steven Houser
- Cello
- Winston Damon
- Tuba, trombone
- Larry Kohut
- Acoustic bass
- Larry Beers
- Drums
- Jose Rendon
- Percussion
- Thomas Yang
- Strings Contractor
- Violins
- Karl Davies, Teresa Fream, Katherine Hughes, Rika Seko, Jeff Yang, Thomas Yang
- Cellos
- Steven Houser, Margaret Daly, Jill Kaeding, Richard Yeo
About the Artwork
The beautiful and peaceful image used for the CD cover is "Snowscape," a painting by artist, Bill Stone. Please check out more of his amazing work at billstonestudio.com.
Reviews
“Christmas is a fantastic, eclectic blend of new age and jazz, a marriage that is neither boring nor predictable. Stryke is an accomplished pianist whose intensely creative arrangements make these holiday standards vibrantly alive. Excellent!
Music like this just makes me feel good."
Carol Swanson, ChristmasReviews.com
(November 2006)
“From beginning to end, Christmas never strays from its purpose — providing enjoyable, good music that goes well beyond what we shall hear at the malls this holiday.
Talk about a holiday stress reliever—I would recommend snagging a few extra copies for family and friends as musical therapy through the upcoming hectic days.”
Joanne N. Bailey, On-The-Town
(November 2006)
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