Rankin’s CD captures holiday mood
Several musical collections can help fill Christmas stockings
This close to Christmas it seems only fitting that I discuss a new CD I just got my hands on — Heather Rankin’s “Imagine.”
It’s her first Christmas album since a seasonal project with her sisters in 1997.
“Imagine” contains a number of traditional songs including the classic version of “Once In Royal David’s City.” You’ll also find “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” both with interesting new arrangements.
The remainder of the CD contains mostly new material, written mainly by Rankin in collaboration with others such as Jamie Robinson, D. Tyson, Alex Cuba and Steven MacKinnon (who did some of the engineering on this project, as well as playing several instruments).
The exception is the title cut, John Lennon’s “Imagine,” which is not usually considered a seasonal song but one that certainly fits because of its plea for peace, something that everyone wants at this time of year.
“Imagine” is very relaxed, yet subtly emotional. A warm fireplace and a glass of your favourite beverage comes to mind as I listen to it. It’s a CD to be enjoyed, something to be shared and something perfect for the season.
I have other CDs to recommend as excellent gifts for music fans:
“The Family Album,” the second CD from Ingonish residents Adrianne and Mike Gorey;
“Cape Breton Guitar” by Cheticamp’s Maxim and Gervais Cormier; “Shuffle,” the first solo recording from Sydney Mines native Ryan MacNeil; and “True North: The Canadian Songbook,” Eleanor McCain’s 32-cut double CD of Canadian songs that includes numerous Cape Breton connections.
I’ll give you the details on the CDs in the future but how’s that for last minute gift ideas?
I recently caught a couple of seasonal shows that put me in the Christmas mood.
On Dec. 5, I was at the Savoy for the Celtic Serenade Christmas Ceilidh, a fundraiser for The Coast Radio that included Donnie Campbell & Jinks
O’Neill, Buddy MacDonald, Robert Bouchard, Drea Shepherd, Cruz Wilson, Kyle and Colin MacDonald, Evans and Doherty and a special appearance by Santa himself.
There were lots of vocals (Christmas and otherwise) including Gaelic numbers from Shepherd and the MacDonald brothers, with fiddle tunes and dancing as well. All around, it was an entertaining evening.
Last Saturday I made it to the Louisbourg Playhouse to see Lyrics & Laughter’s Christmas, a nice mix of music and comedy that included some new material, new arrangements of older material and many standards as well.
This was the final show of
three and the first one that didn’t have power issues. The cast (Adam Young, Colin Grant, Michelle Hollohan, Eric Angus Whyte and Jason MacDonald) was really cooking and that amounted to a wonderful evening of entertainment.
According to Young, Lyrics & Laughter has done more than 370 performances of 28 different productions in 16 years. That’s impressive be any standard, but particularly when you realize that this is just a part-time thing for all of them. Hopefully they will continue in the years ahead.
A very Merry Christmas to one and all!