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Kitchen Table Kibitzing 12/20/2022: Songs of the Season, Vol. 8 [1]
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Date: 2022-12-20
This year, I’d like to post a few tracks from some of John Fahey’s several Christmas albums. I know there are at least a few of his fans in here! If you are not familiar, his Wikipedia page helps follow his volatile life and career. He created a unique guitar style, and helped launch several other careers, most notably that of Leo Kottke, but also including George Winston.
The first of his Christmas albums was The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album, which has been continuously in print since its issue in 1968. There’s a playlist on YouTube here of its full contents.
This piece starts with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and then goes to places of Fahey’s devising. [2:50]
This YouTube, of Russian Christmas Overture, confusingly displays the album cover of The New Possibility, but in fact the piece is from the second Christmas album, Christmas with John Fahey Vol. II. It incorporates the same section of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite heard in Greg Lake’s 1975 song I Believe in Father Christmas. [6:46]
In 1983, Fahey and his friend and producer Terry Robb released Popular Songs of Christmas & New Year's on the Rounder label. It includes this medley of Deck the Halls/We Wish You a Merry Christmas. [3:19]
The John Fahey Christmas Album appeared in 1991, originally on Burnside Records of Portland, Oregon. It also has a YouTube playlist. This extensive medley wraps up side 2. [14:22]
In 1983, in support of their Popular Songs of Christmas & New Year's, Fahey and Robb made an appearance on Canadian TV, here playing Winter Wonderland. It’s not the best quality recording, and starts rather abruptly, but it’s interesting to watch them play. [2:39]
This is a guitar lesson on playing his Auld Lang Syne that Fahey recorded fairly late in his life. There’s a whole collection of him teaching his holiday arrangements, for sale at the link given on the YouTube page. He plays through the arrangement first, gives details about his tuning and chords, and then plays through slowly with a split screen showing both his hands at once. [5:22]
This is not a Christmas piece, but I thought it had relevance here. It’s Leo Kottke, appearing at The Lensic in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2017, talking about his relationship with John Fahey and performing a Fahey song, Last Steam Engine Train. (Other video: John Fahey plays the song himself — younger Leo Kottke plays it with Chet Atkins and Doc Watson) [3:30]
I could say I’m adding I Believe in Father Christmas because of the Prokofiev thing, but really, I just like it, and I know my friend nomandates does too. This is not the “official” video with the handsome young Greg Lake, though (that’s here). This is mature Greg Lake’s 2011 performance during a Christmas-season service in St. Bride’s Church, London, featuring Ian Anderson playing the Prokofiev on his flute. (The church is fascinating all by itself — another diary, perhaps.) [4:45]
Finally, since it is Hanukkah, it seemed like I should counterbalance all this Christmas. I like this a cappella group, Shir Soul, singing a Hanukkah medley and swapping the voice parts around with the help of different-colored dreidels. Lots of info about them and their song on the YouTube page. [3:56]
If you’re in the path of that oncoming big storm and/or bone-chilling cold air from Siberia, may you stay warm and safe! (Also, even if you’re not!)
Happy Hanukkah!
Late addition: The fact that this is Jonathan Frakes’ account is just :chef’s kiss:
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