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What a find! Actually, my extraordinary colleague Richard Banks (founder of ChristmasReviews.com, Webmaster, and co-reviewer) originally discovered the amazing Gregg Miner eight years ago, having reviewed Miner's Christmas Collection Volume One and Volume Two in 1999. Of course, Richard loved both albums, which feature 27 tracks of holiday favorites performed on more than 100 unusual stringed instruments that Miner himself restored.

So why are we revisiting this history? Because in 2006, Miner re-released his two earlier CDs as one "keepsake edition" complete with new cover graphics and a sweet price. I love it! This is no novelty fluff. Miner is the real deal; he is an accomplished musician on any and all stringed instruments, and his talent and heart permeate every bar. From acoustic guitar to zither, from sitar to harp, and everything in-between, these instruments are all part of the Miner Museum of Vintage, Exotic and Just Plain Unusual Musical Instruments, and performer/curator Miner takes us on a magical mystery tour of each. His substantial color pamphlets lovingly detail each instrument, providing humorous, yet valuable, "back stories" for the museum pieces.

A Christmas Collection has a bit of everything. Each exotic stringed instrument appears on only one of the 27 holiday tracks, and through computer magic, Miner can play the instruments either solo or as part of an ensemble. The interplay and harmonies are fabulous, and the diverse textures and styles are winning. The song selection covers the gamut--from the silly (The Chipmunk Song) to the sublime (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring).

Any lover of acoustic instrumentals who does NOT embrace this holiday compendium is crazy, brain dead, or possibly both. It's that perfect blend of excellent artistry, intense imagination, and fanciful variety. What a blast!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)

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From the liner notes:

Produced, arranged & performed by Gregg Miner

100 Instruments
27 Holiday Tunes
100 pages of full-color photos and text

Highlights:
Traditional--Ukranian Bell Carol on Banduras & Balalaikas
Contemporary--Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella on solo Harp-Guitar
Unusual/Original--Jingle Bell Rock on Tenor Guitars, Resonator Mandolins, Tiple & Octofone
Bluegrass/Jazz--The Christmas Song on rare Gibson Instruments
"New Age"/Original--The Holly & the Ivy on American "Zithers"
"World Music"--We Three Kings of Orient Are on Oud, Saz, & Middle East Drums


From the Website:

There are countless collectors and collections of musical instruments out there, but only the tiniest fraction of these ever come to light. Not only do the vast majority of these private collections remain unseen but, even to their owners, often remain unheard. I was one of these people until one day I had a revelation . . .

I have to admit that the Miner Museum book and recording project (pictured above) was extremely cathartic for me personally. Like Everest needing to be climbed, these instruments - hanging by the dozens untouched on the walls - needed to be played. So, one by one, with what my friends called a pathological single-mindedness, I systematically took each instrument down, had it restored, researched it, re-strung it, and immersed myself in it until I felt I could produce valid music on it. Then I arranged and recorded as fast as I could and on to the next one.

My choice of a Christmas theme proved ideal, as the tunes were not only already written, but served as wonderful, emotional inspiration to create real pieces of music, not just strange sonic experiments with the instruments. Ironically, with the array of instruments, the arrangements were somewhat experimental. If the sounds and arrangements are unusual and unique to the public, they were equally so to me!

Ultimately, a hundred instruments from the collection made it onto the recordings, encompassing two volumes and 27 holiday arrangements. I had planned all along to include photographs of each instrument and my admittedly personal thoughts on them, and ended up with a 52-page booklet for each volume. All this only took five years!

The only thing I hadn't prepared for was the warm response from not only musical instrument enthusiasts, but people of all interests. However, the most gratifying aspect of all was that, while I intended to happily share the collection with the public, they were touched more by the music. Thanks to all of you who have listened and enjoyed!

Gregg Miner

A Christmas Collection

Artist link

Track List