Glad Tidings and Great Joy – Reid Jamieson’s Christmas Miracle

Holiday music reviews by Douglas Heselgrave

Songs For A Winter’s Night – Reid Jamieson

I don’t know how I missed it, but somewhere between the release of his debut CD, ‘Staring Contest’ and what could be mistaken for a simple holiday album ‘Songs For A Winter’s Night,’ Reid Jamieson has become the greatest Canadian pop singer ever.  Forget about Celine Dion and Michael Buble or Paul Anka and Anne Murray in their primes.  When it comes to bring you down to your knees, this must be the voice of an angel singing from the spheres, the only performance that comes anywhere close to matching the purity of Reid Jamieson’s voice was kd lang’s performance of ‘Hallelujah’ at the 2010 Olympics. It’s tempting to jump into hyperbole to convince you of the beauty of the performances on this record, but Reid’s voice doesn’t need any help from me or anyone else.

The only thing surprising about ‘Songs For A Winter’s Night’ is that Reid Jamieson is still operating under the radar of most Canadians.  Regular tours as part of CBC’s ‘The Vinyl Café’ and a collaboration with the Cowboy Junkies on their challenging ‘Kennedy Suites’ project have earned him a dedicated following, but one listen to Jamieson’s voice as he channels Roy Orbison and Stevie Wonder should be enough to convince anyone that he is poised for bigger things.  An immense part of Jamieson’s appeal is the ease and naturalness with which he sings.  The only other singer who comes close is Willie Nelson, whose song ‘Pretty Paper’ is covered here.  Like Nelson, he is able to get right to the heart of a song as he does when he loosens up the cramped phrasing of Bruce Cockburn’s ‘The Coldest Night Of The Year’ to reveal the diamond lurking beneath its over-earnest surface. Versions of old Canadian chestnuts like ‘Snowbird’ and ‘Song For A Winters Night’ rest comfortably alongside newer winter songs like Steve Miller’s ‘Wintertime’ and a beautiful reading of Nick Lowe’s ‘Freezing.’  As if to prove he’s no slouch in the songwriting department, ‘Sentimental Song’ and ‘This Could Be The Year’ the two originals from Jamieson and his partner Carolyn Victoria Mill’s are in many ways the equal of every other track on the record.

‘Songs For A Winter’s Night’ may just be the biggest musical surprise of 2013.  I’m pretty crusty and it takes a lot to melt my stubborn heart, but I’m in puddles over this record.  It’s a holiday record that will last and take its place alongside favourites from Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson and Nat King Cole.  I can’t think of a better antidote for holiday ennui.  As soon as I finish this, I’m going to find Reid and shake a few more of these records out of him to give to all the Scrooges on my Christmas list.  It doesn’t matter how you feel about the holiday, you owe it to yourself to hear this album.

You can order ‘ Songs For A Winter Night’ from www.reidjamieson.com

Briefly –

John Fahey – Christmas Soli

This new compilation of guitarist John Fahey’s Christmas records offers a fantastic distillation of his style and technique filtered through the prism of holiday music.  Complex and emotionally moving, Fahey’s versions of ‘Oh Holy Night’, ‘The Christmas Song’ and other holiday favourites will never get old.

Madmen Christmas – Various Artists

I groaned when this came through the mailbox, but I have been thoroughly enjoying this Christmas compilation.  While I could have done without the Madmen theme that introduces the record, who’s going to argue with the chance to listen to Dean Martin, Mel Torme, Otis Redding and Vince Guaraldi over and over again.

This posting originally appeared at www.restlessandreal.blogspot.com

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