WKSU OFFERS NEW SERVING OF SEASONAL GOODIES WITH "ORNAMENTS & ICING: SONGS AND STORIES OF THE HOLIDAYS-2006"

Tuesday December 12, 2006

For immediate release
Contact: Robert J. Burford
(330) 672-3114
burford@wksu.org

After a five-year hiatus, WKSU folk music host Jim Blum and Production Coordinator Joe Gunderman return with an all-new hour of "Ornaments & Icing: Songs and Stories of the Holidays." The production combines previously unreleased seasonal songs with a spoken-word Christmas scene and a group reading of Clement Moore's "The Night Before Christmas." Primarily, the songs included were recorded specifically for "Ornaments & Icing-2006," which also boasts an interview with Peter Schickele (aka PDQ Bach) who introduces a classic track from Joan Baez featuring his arrangement of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria."

"Ornaments & Icing: Songs and Stories of the Holidays-2006" airs as part of WKSU's holiday program schedule on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 23 at 8 p.m. with a rebroadcast later that evening at midnight. Previous "Ornaments & Icing" productions from 1999, 2000 and 2001 will also air during the 2006 holiday season. The program is distributed nation-wide by National Public Radio (NPR) and available as part of the FolkAlley.com online holiday music stream. Information on artists and more can be found on the web at www.OrnamentsAndIcing.com.

This season's line-up of music includes an original song (written for the program) by local artists Rio Neon; visits from music veterans Chad & Jeremy and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary); performances by established folk artists Roger McGuinn (formerly of The Byrds), Nanci Griffith and Raul Malo (formerly of The Mavericks); and seasonal tunes from up-and-comers Andrienne Young, The Wailin' Jennys, Boulder Acoustic Society and Corrine West. "Ornaments & Icing-2006" concludes with "The Night Before Christmas" and a performance of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" by rising artist Vienna Teng. The program's theme music is by Bob Bellamy and Wendy Barlow.

"Ornaments & Icing: Songs and Stories of the Holidays-2006" Line-up:

"The North Pole Jamboree" – Rio Neon
"Just Like Christmas" – Adrienne Young with Tim O'Brien
"Mary Had a Baby" – Roger McGuinn
"Silver Bells/Santa Claus is Coming to Town" – Boulder Acoustic Society
"Ave Maria" – Joan Baez
"Scarlet Ribbons for Christmas" – Christmas scene with Joe Gunderman, Erik Urycki, Craig Adams and Evan Lewis
"We Three Kings" – Chad & Jeremy
"Marshmallow World" – Raul Malo
"Brave Companion of the Road" – Nanci Griffith
"A Home in that Rock" – Peter Yarrow
"Coventry Carol" – The Wailin Jennys
"Turn the Wheel" – Corinne West
"The Night Before Christmas" – A recitation of the Children's story by the artists
"The Christmas Song" – Vienna Teng
"A Round About Christmas" – The "Ornaments & Icing" theme performed by Bob Bellamy and Wendy Barlow

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR06.27           ###            12/12/06
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