The Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs In and Out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook

by Elizabeth Mitchell

Overview

With a crystal-clear voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of music history, Elizabeth Mitchell is a somewhat unlikely but completely essential children's music performer. Instead of offering cloying, repetitive nursery rhymes, Mitchell makes records with all the craft, awe, and nuance of the classic artists who inspired her from her early indie days on down the path that led her to her tenure with the Smithsonian Folkways label and collaborations with folk stalwarts like Dan Zanes. Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs in and Out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook is more evidence of Mitchell's unique and meticulous talents, collecting her inventive arrangements of 24 holiday tunes, Christmas carols, and children's songs from Seeger's 1953 songbook American Folk Songs for Christmas. Rather than the typical sleepy or overly serious renditions of well-known Christmas songs, Mitchell's readings come through with bright curiosity, adventurous instrumentation, and the understated sense of playful humor that flows through her whole catalog. Soulful, gospel-tinged tunes like "Baby Born Today" and the raving "January, February (Last Month of the Year)" are paired with somber, snowy string arrangements on "Ain't That A-Rockin' All Night" and the glisteningly eerie harp of "Sing Hallelu." Though over an hour of material, the lengthy running time never drags, but flows through various modes of sound, from icy, Bjoerk-like minimal arrangements to full-on barn rock takes on Christmas tunes a la the Band. Mitchell is joined by her husband and longtime creative partner, Daniel Littleton, on most songs, as well as their daughter Storey, not to mention a host of folk luminaries such as John Sebastian, Amy Helm, Dan Zanes, Natalie Merchant, and even Peggy Seeger. The thoughtful arrangements, production, and choice of material results in a one-of-a-kind Christmas album, its warm and timeless air so strong and carefully assembled that it's easy to forget it's a holiday-themed album at all. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	10/15/2013
Label:	Fol / Smithsonian Folkways Recordings / Smithsonian Records
UPC:	0093074507421
Rank:	42303

Tracks

1. Oh, Mary and the Baby, Sweet Lamb
2. Mary Had a Baby
3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
4. January, February (Last Month of the Year)
5. Joseph and Mary (The Cherry Tree Carol)
6. Shine Like a Star in the Morning
7. Joy to the World
8. Christmas Day in the Morning
9. Mother's Child (Child of God)
10. Sing-a-Lamb
11. Great Big Stars
12. Baby Born Today
13. Ain't That A-Rockin¿¿¿ All Night
14. Cradle Hymn
15. Bright Morning Stars Are Rising
16. Sing Hallelu
17. The First Noel
18. The Blessings of Mary
19. Oh, Watch the Stars
20. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
21. Mary Was the Queen of Galilee
22. Silent Night
23. Singing in the Land
24. Children, Go Where I Send Thee

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Elizabeth Mitchell   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonium
Amy Helm   Vocals
Marco Benevento   Piano
Michael Merenda   Banjo,Vocals
Chris Wood   Bass,Vocals
Larry Campbell   Banjo,Mandolin
Clem Waldmann   Drums,Percussion
Gail Ann Dorsey   Vocals
Warren Defever   Bass,Guitar
Natalie Merchant   Vocals
Jay Ungar   Banjo,Viola,Fiddle,Violin
John Sebastian   Vocals,Harmonica
Anna Padgett   Vocals
Penny Littleton   Vocals
Nancy Chusid   Recorder (Bass)
Simi Stone   Vocals
Sophia Reynolds   Vocals
Elizabeth Jerez-Clarke   Harp
Emily Schaad   Viola
Ken Ejinkonye   Vocals,Handclapping
Ruth Ungar   Fiddle,Vocals
Abby Newton   Cello
Molly Mason   Bass,Dulcimer
Joan Osborne   Vocals
Teresa Williams   Vocals
Daniel Littleton   Bells,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Kalimba,Harmonica,Harmonium,Xylophone,Percussion
Aoife O'Donovan   Vocals
Happy Traum   Guitar,Vocals
Byron Isaacs   Guitar,Bass (Upright)
Jean Cook   Violin
Peggy Seeger   Guitar,Vocals
Dan Zanes   Vocals,Harmonica
Kirsten Jacobson   Flute,Piano
Storey Littleton   Vocals,Handclapping
Lyn Hardy   Vocals
Michael Littleton   Vocals
Suzan-Lori Parks   Vocals,Harmonica,Washboard

Technical Credits

Mary Monseur   Production Manager
Carla Borden   Editorial Assistant
Brian Selznick   Cover Art
Elijah Walker   Mixing,Engineer
Paul Antonell   Engineer
Chris Edwards   Engineer
Warren Defever   Engineer,Producer
Scott Petito   Engineer
Pete Reiniger   Mastering
Elizabeth Mitchell   Arranger,Producer,Annotation,Liner Notes
Jana Leon   Photography
Sonya Cohen Cramer   Design,Art Direction
Daniel Goodwin   Engineer
Adam Armstrong   Engineer
Guthrie Lord   Engineer
Bella Blasco   Engineer
Natalie Merchant   Annotation,Liner Notes
Daniel Littleton   Arranger,Producer,Annotation,Liner Notes
Justin Guip   Mixing,Engineer
D.A. Sonneborn   Executive Producer
Peggy Seeger   Adaptation
Kirsten Jacobson   Arranger
Daniel E. Sheehy   Executive Producer
Michael Littleton   Arranger