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Four years ago, I reviewed Sleepy Little Town, one of my favorite holiday albums ever (reviewed here). Now here comes remarkable Cori Connors with a brand new Christmas album entitled One Small Boy. Fantastic!

In order to embrace One Small Boy or Sleepy Little Town, you have to have a taste for newly-minted holiday tunes. After all, Christmas is all about nostalgia, and we love hugging the imprint of favorite melodies from long ago. Listening to age-old carols is like time travel; you move comfortably from year to year, almost like Scrooge in the company of the Ghost of Christmas Past. It takes a real artist to drag us to Christmas Present and Future with original music. Cori Connors is such an artist; her gentle, buoyant, and expertly-written folk music makes us believe in the magic of Christmas all over again.

Connors has put together some dandies for One Small Boy, and the extensive liner notes contain all the lyrics. The opening cut is the title track, and its message is simple, direct, and beautiful. Daughter Kate provides the backing vocals on this one, and the harmonies are fluid and emotive. The lyrics are priceless ("A perfect life; a noble death/No greater love; no truer friend/In my heart He's born again/One Small Boy"), and the melody wraps itself around the message like the softest, most supportive blanket.

For me, great music is all about "the voice," and Connors has the clarity and texture to make each piece speak personally to the listener. I love this kind of music, which presents itself rarely and provokes true emotion without being overindulgent.

Happily, Connors does not confine herself to her terrific original numbers (like the charming Hannaleh!). In fact, she presents more traditional carols here than on Sleepy Little Town. Her heartbreakingly beautiful, minimalist approach to In the Bleak Midwinter makes it one of the best renditions I have ever heard. By the time the violin kicked in, I was almost in tears. Connors' treatment of the ubiquitous Silent Night similarly impresses; I really like her inclusion of extra bars, providing pauses between the phrasing of "Silent Night" and "Holy Night," etc. Her Noel creatively springs from the foundation of The First Noel; this sweet transformation makes you see the well-loved carol in a whole new light.

I have never cared much (relatively speaking) for Auld Lang Syne, but Connors gives the traditional Scottish tune an uplifting turn. This is what I appreciate most about Cori Connors; she transforms tired retreads into fresh discoveries and effortlessly crafts new friends that feel familiar the first time through.

Never heard of Cori Connors? Shame on you! Connors is amazing, and One Small Boy is a worthy successor to Sleepy Little Town.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2009)

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From the liner notes:

It is not my intent to replace my first Christmas Album, Sleepy Little Town, with a new project. Rather, I like to think of it as a little brother born to something already dear to me.

Lead Vocals: Cori Connors
Harmony Vocals: Kate Connors; Carla Eskelsen; Mark Robinette; Annie Connors Merrill
Guitars: Michael Dowdle; Cori Connors; David Eskelsen; Rich Dixon; Steve Witt; Mark Robinette
Upright Bass: Mark Robinette
Mandolin: Michael Dowdle; Clive Romney
Walkabout Dulcimer: Carla Eskelsen
Piano: Mark Stephenson; Michael Huff
Accordion: Clive Romney
String arrangements: Theresa Ellis; Michael Dowdle (Silent Night)

String Ensemble:
Violins: Theresa Ellis; Aaron Ashton
Viola: Jaren Angerbauer
Cello: Warren Meuller

Irish Whistle: Bob Pegritz
Percussive Elements: Michael Dowdle; Mark Robinette; Eric Robinette

Recorded at MAS Studios by Mark Stephenson.



From the artist's Website:

From small but renowned venues such as the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to Britain's famous Liverpool Cathedral, Cori Connors carries her fresh voice to audiences worldwide. She has established herself as both a performer and a writer, joining the cluster of singer/songwriters who record their own material but whose works have also been recorded by major artists. International superstars such as Linda Ronstadt and Chris LeDoux have recorded songs written by Cori. Her name also appears in song writing credits on dozens of regional and local artist albums, and various artists have performed her songs in concert and on radio and television.

Cori Connors

One Small Boy

Artist link

Track List