Comfort Food for the Ears
Suddenly Christmas is here again! This year has been challenging for everyone and I’m ready for some holiday cheer! My tree is up, the lights are on the house, and I’m starting to bake gifts for family and friends.
As a musician, the soundtrack to the season is very important, and I’ve always loved Christmas music. My all-time favorite holiday album is by The Carpenters, but there are many others that I love to dust off each year and listen during the season.
A particular favorite from my childhood is “Christmas With Conniff” featuring the Ray Conniff Singers. Ray Conniff was a very talented arranger who worked with many big names in the 1950’s, starting his own group of singers in 1959. The Ray Conniff Singers were 12 women and 13 men and their stylized versions of songs were very popular. As a young child in the 60’s, I loved hearing these very talented singers perform these creative arrangements of popular songs. “Christmas With Conniff” was the first of four very popular Christmas albums by the group, and I listened to it on repeat as a child growing up.
To someone who did not grow up in this era, I’m sure the music may seem a bit corny, but hearing it wraps me in warm feelings and smiles. It’s comfort food for the ears! Do yourself a favor and ask your smart speaker to play “God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” by the Ray Conniff Singers and get ready to swing out with an unexpected 60’s groove. Relax and allow yourself to enjoy it. The singers are magnificent, the arrangements are clever, and as an instructor I appreciate how amazingly well they are rehearsed! It always returns me to a place of childhood joy.
Whatever your holiday soundtrack, allow yourself to slow down and soak it up. After this difficult year, we all deserve some comfort food, including the musical kind! Happy Holidays!
Tim Hinton
December 7, 2021
