Review and More

Our Review

New England Yuletide is an exciting holiday offering with a superb pedigree! I have been loving and collecting seasonal CDs for over 20 years, and New England Christmastide, the predecessor of this CD, instantly became one of my favorite albums when it issued in 1985. Now, the same core group of musicians who made that original release such a fantastic success has reunited (with a few new friends) for New England Yuletide, and I am very grateful that they did!

So it is certainly fair to say that I was strongly predisposed to love this CD from the moment I realized its history. Still, I honestly believe that I would have embraced this music just as strongly had I been hearing it "blind" (if you get my meaning). Even without knowing the connection, there is just so much about this album that makes it the perfect choice for Christmas listening.

New England Yuletide is festive fun on so many levels. First, it is an instrumental album played on a fascinating assortment of vintage folk instruments (from the relatively routine mandolins and harps to the more obscure hurdy-gurdy and washboard). The flawless playing conveys an immediate sense of warmth and comfortable well-being. Some songs are intimate solo affairs (like Ed Sweeney's gorgeous banjo turn in "Simple Gifts"); most often, the selections feature an ensemble of four players. The sound is balanced, clean, and charming in a fundamental way that plucks the heartstrings.

In addition, the song selection here is vast and thoughtful. The 23 tracks present mostly well-known classics, but also reflect a few relatively obscure gems like "Gloucestershire Wassail" and "Jesus Sleeps Sweetly." In general, the songs are fairly short (under three minutes each), but the flow is seamless, and the mood is consistently upbeat and winning.

From start to finish, New England Yuletide is a top notch recording. It bookends "White Christmas" on both ends, beginning with a fetching harmonica solo on "White Christmas Prelude" and ending with some impressive mandolin work on "White Christmas Encore." And everything in-between is a joy!

Think I'll spend quite a bit of time in New England this Yuletide. Care to join me?

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2004)

More

From the liner notes:

Executive Producer: Jon Campbell
Produced by Jon Campbell and Steve Rizzo
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Sable Sound Studio, Portsmouth RI, Steve Rizzo engineer.
Arrangements are by the participants on each selection (unless otherwise noted on the track list)

Musicians and instrumentation indicated on the track list (above), except bells, chimes, triangles, drums & percussion: Priscilla Malone, Jon Campbell and Dave Peloquin.

In 1985, as a starry-eyed entrepreneur, I decided to start a record label (what was I thinking?. While gearing up for my first release, I was approached by my good friend Otis Read with an idea to produce a collection of Christmas classics with a wildly diverse bunch of his musical associates. As a favor to Otis, I agreed and the project began. In the heat of that New England summer the musicians began arriving to play Christmas music on a wide variety instruments from the conventional to the unpronounceable--guitar, fiddle, cello, mandolin, flute, banjo, harmonica and more. But also hurdy-gurdy, vielle, harmonium, cornetto, bouzouki and even a cornemuse (sounds like a "duck call"). I allocated a modest budget to the recording, with expectations of selling no more than 1,000 copies.

The result was New England Christmastide, and it went on to become the biggest selling recording the history of North Star Music (shows you what I know!). It became an instant classic, garnering overwhelming popular and critical acclaim.

The record struck a nerve with people across the country. I think it had something to do with the pure and simple sound of the recording--almost like hearing Christmas music the way it might have sounded 100 years ago. It brought people back to a simpler time when things moved a lot slower, and the true spirit of the holidays was not lost in the marketing frenzy and crowded super-malls of the modern era.

Now 18 years after that historic recording, the core group has reassembled, along with some fresh faces, to reaffirm the true meaning of the holidays. With an equally eclectic collection of authentic instruments (although I think the cornemuse is gone) and the same richly pure and simple creative approach, New England Yuletide invites you to enjoy Christmas in old New England, the way it used to be, and maybe the way it ought to be.
--Richard Waterman, President, North Star Music

From the Website:

Music for Living. Wherever life may lead, North Star Music is designed to enhance the journey. With a diversity of quality recordings and distinctive artists to suit the changing rhythms of your day. We invite you to explore our carefully selected repertoire.

Much like our huge hit from 1985, New England Christmastide, we've brought the core group of New England Christmastide Musicians back together to reaffirm the true meaning of the holidays. With the same rich assortment of vintage folk instruments and pure and simple music, we proudly present New England Yuletide. We invite you to rejoice in the essence of Christmas the way it ought to be - the way it used to be - before the marketing frenzy and crowded super malls of today.

The New England Christmastide Musicians

New England Yuletide

Artist link

Track List