Christmas in Carolina

About the Artist
Bill Leslie plays guitar, Celtic whistle, keyboard and also sings. He is a prolific writer of what some have called Appalachian Celtic music. Most of his songs to date have been instrumental but lately he has written more vocal pieces. He currently plays with a band called Lorica and previously played with Bragh Adair.

Product Description
Beautiful blend of traditional and original Christmas tunes by Bill Leslie whose previous release "Peaceful Journey" ranked number one on the world music charts in December, 2004. Acoustic instrumentation is a rich combination of guitar, grand piano, cello, violin, flute, Celtic whistle and hammered dulcimer. Music critic R.J. Lannan has described Leslie's music as "glorious" and one of "incredible composition." Bill sings three vocals on this album including the haunting original "Road to Bethlehem."

Christmas in Carolina,Bill Leslie,Capitol Broadcasting Company,Beautiful, lush and soothing Carolina Celtic Christmas album from artist who previous release was number one on the world music charts.,Folk,New Age

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Average customer rating: "Christmas in Carolina" Just 'Round the Bend Inspiring beyond Christmas

Christmas in Carolina Bill Leslie Manufacturer: Capitol Broadcasting Company ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Peaceful Journey: A Celebration of North Carolina I AM A RIVER Pride & Prejudice ASIN: B000BO1JKA Release Date: 2005-10-10

Tracks:

1. Christmas in Carolina
2. Moravian Gift
3. In the Bleak Midwinter
4. Road to Bethlehem
5. Away in a Manger
6. Appalachian Winter
7. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
8. Waiting for William
9. Ring of Evergreen
10. The First Noel
11. Swannanoa Snow
12. Cradle of Hope
13. Silent Night
14. Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Product Description

Beautiful blend of traditional and original Christmas tunes by Bill Leslie whose previous release "Peaceful Journey" ranked number one on the world music charts in December, 2004. Acoustic instrumentation is a rich combination of guitar, grand piano, cello, violin, flute, Celtic whistle and hammered dulcimer. Music critic R.J. Lannan has described Leslie's music as "glorious" and one of "incredible composition." Bill sings three vocals on this album including the haunting original "Road to Bethlehem."

Customer Reviews:

"Christmas in Carolina" Just 'Round the Bend.......2005-11-30

When you listen to Bill Leslie's "Christmas in Carolina" CD, you can't help but wonder if the miraculous Christian heritage events surrounding the birth of Jesus might have occurred just around the bend or down the road a piece. That's because Leslie and his harmonious entourage of instrumentalists and vocalists have succeeded in crafting a truly remarkable portrait of the very legacy of Christmas as it affects the individual believer, casting reflections from the wonderous story's setting in ancient Bethlehem to the wintry sunrises and sunsets of the New World.

With a brilliant ensemble combining strings, winds, piano and guitars, the singer-songwriter and Raleigh, N.C., television broadcast journalist adds a good measure of home-cooking to this remarkable musical journey. In "Christmas in Carolina," Bill Leslie and his supporting cast offer us a stirring sequence of songs and instrumentals connecting the threads of personal experiences from the Christmastime season with a sprinkling of distinctive interpretations of traditional seasonal favorites along the way.

Cellist Clark Wang and violinists Sherry Buchheit and Jennifer Curtis bring the life-breath of string sounds to the orchestration, flavored as well by skyward flute passages by Linda Metz, a nifty guest guitar solo on the title song, "Christmas in Carolina," by Brent Cotten, percussion touches by Will Leslie, additonal vocals by Marty Suttle and augmented most distinctively by the piano interpretations of traditional favorites by Bill Covington. Add a sparkling array of Leslie's Celtic whistles to this platform, highlighted by an awakening, Lightfoot-gone-South, if you will, vocal reach of the singer-songwriter, and you'll no doubt be wanting to take this CD out for a test drive via sled or horseback at the first opportunity.

If you didn't know that Leslie himself is providing the lilting Celtic whistle passages heard around the bends of this naturalist and spiritual Appalachian and Blue Ridge excursion, you might think that these songs were composed way across the seas in one of those Scottish coves or in an Irish coastal hamlet from which many a journey to America has emanated through the centuries. But when you add to this glow and mystique from distant musical homelands the unmistakably Southern regional flavoring of the fine guitar figures Leslie adds to these blends of voices and instruments, then you realize that "Christmas in Carolina" is offering us a rare chance to hear the wonder of the great Christian harkening toward the very coming of Jesus from that landscape of the Israel of old yet soothingly brushed with a back-country touch from all the neighborhoods back home. Thus is given to this miracle from afar a relevance known to all who have experienced that familiar crossing from the next ridge over, yielding a marvelous meandering through the Carolina country, adaptable quite naturally to all the hills and plains across the land, with the compelling artistic imprint of the Christmas experience enchantingly evident at every stop along the way.

Inspiring beyond Christmas.......2005-11-30

christmas in carolina - bill leslie
a review


Bill acceded to my wishes by including more vocals on this CD, including a definitive Sweet Little Jesus Boy that communicates with understated voice and guitar the deep and poignant message of this song. The other vocals are drawn from songs Bill wrote for his home church for the lighting of the Advent candles.
They too have a profundity that requires listening to the words attentively - and musically they're graced by the angelic harmonies of Marty Suttle. Road to Bethlehem will lift you to new heights.
Bill's lifelong friend, pianist Bill Covington's uniquely fresh arrangements of Silent Night, Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, and The First Noel will delight anyone who is looking for "Christmassy" music.
The rest of the varied collection might better be labeled as a spiritual offering from the heart of Bill. As always, the songs evoke images of his beloved home state of North Carolina, with echoes of his Celtic ancestry.. delicately intertwining guitar, Celtic whistle, violin - occasionally hammered dulcimer and synthesizer. Bill has a remarkable gift for melody and how to reweave it.
His music is soothing to the soul. But turn it up now and then to hear marvelous touches you missed the first several times you listened.
This CD will have a long shelf life. I'm thinking I'll be pulling it out at Easter, Pentecost, All Saints Day, and surely next year at Advent.
If you seek to draw closer to God at Christmas, Bill is near to God's heart and you can hear it, inspiringly!


Rev. Bob Inskeep is associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Raleigh NC.

Average customer rating:

American Eclectic: An American Journey; Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Direct-to-Tape ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beach | Beach, Amy Marcy Cheney | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Copland | Copland, Aaron | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by George Crumb | Crumb, George | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Griffes | Griffes, Charles T. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Harris | Harris, Roy | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CNETBG Release Date: 2005-09-01

Tracks:

1. Ballad, Op. 6 (1894) (Amy Cheney-Beach)
2. The Fountain of the Acqua Paola Op. 7, No. 3 (Charles Griffes)
3. Clouds Op. 7, No. 4 (Charles Griffes)
4. Numb Fumblin (Thomas "Fats" Waller)
5. Carolina Shout (James P. Johnson)
6. -9. Four Piano Blues (Aaron Copland)
7. Toccata (Roy Harris)
8. A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 (George Crumb)
9. -16. Suite for Piano (Daniel Barta)

Product Description

Clipper Erickson explores the almost incredible variety of American piano styles from the rich 19th century romanticism of Amy Beach to the bold and fresh music of Daniel Barta. Along the way is heard the unique impressionism of Charles Griffes and the frenetic stride music of Johnson and Waller from the 1920’s. America’s coming of age during the depression and World War II is reflected in the striving and yearning of Aaron Copland’s “Four Piano Blues”. Roy Harris captures the strength and confidence of the post-war period in his brilliant “Toccata”. A new unconventional spirituality and colorful mysticism growing out of the 1960’s is the essence of George Crumb’s fantastic piano writing. Daniel Barta shows that wonderful new music continues to be written in our new century; his music combines many different feelings and styles in a quintessentially American eclecticism.

Average customer rating:

Christmas Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000EHUP5O

Product Description

1.joy to the world.2.you make it feel like christmas.3.christmas through your eyes.4.angels in the snow.5.carolina christmas.6.o'come all ye faithful.7.feels like christmas.8.the christmas song.9.little saint nick.10.silent night

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