Our Review
Jody Marshall's Carol of the Bells is a Celtic delight, featuring Ms. Marshall on hammered dulcimer, piano, bells, chimes, and percussion. The effort has a completely medieval flavor and put me in mind of Renaissance Festivals, and wenches, and peasant dresses, and a couple of pints of ale.
My favorite by far is the Nutcracker Mini-Suite, a medley featuring two of the favorite Nutcracker themes. On this one, Ms. Marshall's hammered dulcimer reminded me more of a harpsichord. I also liked the slow sweetness of Still, Still, Still, which featured the soothing accompaniment of Andrea Hoag on fiddle (though it could accurately be called violin on this piece).
If traditional Celtic music is your thing, Jody Marshall's Carol of the Bells may quickly become your favorite such CD to come out in 2006.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2007)
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From the promotional materials:
Jody Marshall's music spans the range from traditional Celtic to classical to contemporary and original compositions. Presenting lively performances on both hammered dulcimer and piano, Jody is known for her rich arrangements that draw on a variety of musical idioms and textures.
Carol of the Bells includes delightful performances of seasonal favorites and new compositions, spanning the centuries with haunting medieval melodies, lyrical Renaissance dances, playful Celtic jigs, classics by Tchaikovsky and other composers, and decidedly contemporary takes on familiar carols. Creative arrangements feature hammered dulcimer, Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle, recorders, and more--including ararely heard instruments such as mandocello, mandobass, and cornamuse.
From the liner notes:
Jody Marshall: hammered dulcimer, piano, chimes, bells, bar chime, finger cymbals
John Guillory: recorders, tambourine, cornamuse, drum
Paul Oorts: guitar, cittern, classical guitar, mandobass, mandocello
Jon Nazdin: bass
Chris Murphy: cymbol, jingle bells
Andrea Hoag: fiddle
Ellen James: Celtic Harp, finger cymbals
Dave Abe: fiddle
Myrom Bretholz: bodhran, bones, finger cymbals
Barbara Heitz: flute, pennywhistle
Grace Griffith: vocal
Zan McLeod: guitar
Paul Nahay: piano
Jody Marshall
Carol of the Bells
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Label: Jody Marshall
Length: 57 minutes
Genre: Celtic
Release: 2006
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Star Of Wonder |
| Gower Wassail / Gloucestershire Wassail |
| Nutcracker Mini-Suite |
| Sankt Staffan Han Rider / Carol Of The Bells |
| Sleigh RIde Set: Winter's Run / Troika |
| Gesu Bambino |
| Hark, Hark What News / Dublin Bells |
| Frosty's Favorite / Housetop Hornpipe / The Blazing Yule |
| It Came Upon The Midnight Clear |
| Noel Nouvelet! / Patapan |
| Courante |
| Merry Greet The Day / Christmas Day In The Morning / I Saw Three Ships / As I Sat On A Sunny Bank / I Saw Three Ships (reprise) |
| Still, Still, Still |
| Verbum Caro Factum Est / Angelus ad Virginem |
| Ding Dong Swing |
| The Four Seasons: Winter, 2nd Movement / Joy To The World |
| Star Of Wonder |