The last few songs on this 1963 recording feature The Worst Children’s Choir Ever, but no Christmas is complete without his classic version of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and the rousing “Kay Thompson’s Jungle Bells.”
Their album was a Christmas gift from Caleb to Mary, and it is a delight through and through. I especially love “Carol of the Bells” and actually think their version of “Little Saint Nick” is a lot better than the original Beach Boys’ recording.
This is my favorite Christmas album by far. The album takes us through the desperation in the Old Testament as the saints awaited the coming of their Savior. A wonderful — in the real sense of the word — album that captures the true spirit of the advent of Jesus. Highly recommended.
I evidently recorded the song back in March 2006. I say “evidently” because I don’t remember recording it at all. And I don’t have a clue why I originally chose an accordion sample as the solo instrument. Odd.
But the song was recorded using GarageBand software on my eMac and my trusty Yamaha digital piano.
Keep in touch
If you like the song, please consider signing up for my email update list, so you’ll receive notifications when new music or concerts are coming up. The email form is also on the free page.
Also, be sure to tell your friends about it, either by forwarding a link or using the form you can find, yes, on the free page.
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Update: You can listen to the song now! Download later!
Once I iron out a few technical issues, such as a tweak to php.ini and better comprehension of a new WordPress plugin, I’ll be able to offer an early Christmas present!
The free Christmas song is an instrumental of “Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor,” perhaps my favorite Christmas carol. It’s based on a 17th century French tune.
It’s been a while since I talked about my instrumental album, “Wordlessly,” and even longer since I’ve posted some audio from it to this site.
You can listen to five songs from the album here:
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After I reformatted my Web site, I misplaced this recording of my song “River.”
I recording the piano in my dining room, using my Yamaha digital piano and an Apple GarageBand Steinway sample. The vocals were recorded at my friend Tim Bushong’s studio.
If you’ve never seen this style of audio player before, just click the arrow below to listen.
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Here it is! It’s a video recording of my concert in Angola earlier this year. Once I figure out how to copy it and pop it into iMovie, I’ll get at least a snippet online.
On Saturday, April 5, I’ll be performing at Cahoots Coffee Cafe in Angola, Indiana — and being videorecorded for posterity!
So, if you’re interested in being in the audience for a shortish, 30-minute concert that may be available online or on DVD in the future, take down this information:
Jon Swerens
Cahoots Coffee Cafe
218 W. Maumee St., Angola, Ind. (Google map)
Saturday, April 5, maybe starting at 6 p.m. or so.
Hope you can make it, but if not, you may be able to see the concert sometime in the future anyway.
I recording the piano in my dining room, using my Yamaha digital piano and an Apple GarageBand Steinway sample. The vocals were recorded at my friend Tim Bushong’s studio.
Addendum: Maybe you’ve never seen this style of audio player before. Just click the arrow below to listen.
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Hi there! Well, I’ve been busy over at my other blog, The Good City, because people actually read that one.
But I have set a goal for my music for 2008: Record a CD.
I took the first steps toward that with the professional recording of some vocals at Tim Bushong’s studio up in Syracuse. And once I figure out how and where to post it, you’ll get to hear and hopefully download the fruits of our labor: The first draft recording of “River.”
Hey there! Come to The Anchor Room here in Fort Wayne on Friday, and you’ll get to listen to me performing my songs, including my newest, “Come To Me.”
I’ll start at 7:30 p.m. and play until 9:30 p.m., with a little break in the middle.
I hope you can come out and enjoy a great iced mocha with us.
Here’s a new song I’ll be playing at The Anchor Room (here’s a map) on Friday. It’s loosely based on something our pastor said near the end of a sermon.
Come To Me
If you are searching for the strength to survive
Afraid to just face the truth that you’re less than alive
If you’ve no feeling in the depths of your soul
Then cling to the Shepherd who makes broken things whole
Chorus:
The Savior says, Come to me
Bring your burdens and come to me
Whatever your sin or the darkness you’re in
You should come to me
The Savior says, Come to me
If you’re weary, then come to me
The times that you fall, they don’t matter at all
If you come to me
If you are doubtful that you really belong
Then heed to the Spirit’s call and prove yourself wrong
‘Cause He’s not conniving for a way to revoke
All the love He has shown us and the promise He spoke
Chorus
You have no need to fear because He invites you here
He opened the blood-stained door with plenty of room for more
He’s not the God of the big stick, no, He placed His own back under it
He suffered the blows and settled the scores
And died on the cross that should have been yours
Chorus
Whatever your sin or the darkness you’re in
You should come to me
Andrew Osenga is one of the newer members of excellent Christian band Caedmon’s Call, but he’s been putting out music on his own for quite a while.
Now, on his web site, he offers a six-song fan-inspired EP for download:
This is an acoustic EP I recorded in the early Summer of 2007. All the songs are written from ideas submitted by fans and supporters of my music. The download contains the six MP3
When you’re a judge for a talent contest, and you ask someone why he’s there, and he responds, “To sing opera,” that is not normally a good sign.
Here is Paul Potts, a cell phone salesman, in “Britain’s Got Talent.” Especially watch the face of Simon Cowell, most well known in the U.S. for his role on “American Idol.”
It’s been a while since I talked about my instrumental album, “Wordlessly,” and even longer since I’ve posted some audio from it to this site.
