12 Days of Christmas: three hot new holiday tracks from Eastern Canada
The moose received so much great holiday music in the mail this season he decided to do a whole separate installment for Eastern Canadians. Here’s what he discovered.
Lennie Gallant w/ Black Umfolosi – “Christmas Day on Planet Earth”
Photo by Dave Brosha.
“How does PEI-based songwriting icon Lennie Gallant end up recording a song with Zimbabwean vocal group Black Umfolosi?” you ask. Well, it helps if you’re buddies with their agent. Turns out Umfalosi’s Canadian agent, Bob Jensen, needed a place for his clients to stay for a couple of days, so he asked Lennie if he’d mind hosting – and suggested that maybe they could sing on a record to repay him. I’m not sure what kind of house guests Umfolosi are, but I’m going to guess that Lennie came out pretty good in this deal. What a gorgeous sounding song! Which, incidentally, juxtaposes the Christmas story against the current refugee crisis. I sure hope these folks exchanged phone numbers. It would be nice to hear a whole album like this.
Sherman Downey – “Secret Santa”
Just when you thought that every possible Christmas topic had been thoroughly canvassed in song, along comes Sherman Downey to prove you wrong – with a tune inspired by those awkward Secret Santa exchanges at the office. Sing it, Sherman!
Cassie and Maggie – “The Angel Gabriel”
Nova Scotia’s Juno-nominated, world-touring MacDonald sisters have put their signature Celtic stamp on this holiday classic, with fierce fiddling, pitch-perfect harmonies and a frosty modern edge. Very dramatic!
