2008 Press Archives

RSAC XMAS EDITION

From Skopemag.com, December 1, 2008

Eric Saeger

For many, ahead lie the best of times and the worst of times.

For the past few weeks – as the economy began seriously crumbling, putting families with children on the street while banks received bailouts – I’d been eyeballing our spare room. Larger than most hotel rooms, it’s a mute reminder that fake wood paneling should never have been invented, but man, it’s the warmest room in the house. What we should do, I thought, is put an ad on Craigslist and let some poor devastated couple crash there til they’re back on their feet.

After my wife – who’ll agree to anything just to shut me up – mumbled that she’d be willing to roll with it, it immediately struck me that it was a dumb idea. Everything’ll be fine. Just shut up.

Then a week or so ago came the story about the lady in Littleton, CO who advertised on Craigslist that she wanted to share her Thanksgiving dinner with any downtrodden soul who wanted it. Free.

Music – from old carols to new originals by recently hatched stars – has always been an essential part of the holiday season. Even for those going through impossible adversity, a snatch of “O Tannenbaum” could provide a lift.

This year, music could use a little help if you have something to give. Giving is never stupid, though sometimes misunderstood or outwardly unappreciated. And so the list of recent holiday-related releases below, in best-to-worst order, is led off by a prime example of the type of spirit that could fill you if you’re willing to let it.

Princeton Choirs, A Princeton Christmas: For The Children Of Africa Vol. 2 (CreateSpace Records)

An amazing-sounding battery of hymns and non-pop carols mostly sung without instrumentation by various choral groups around the Princeton, NJ area. This is your ticket if you enjoy the full, rich, wide type of chorus-concerts presented to the Pope each year but you wouldn’t mind going without the pipe-organ clamor. The Princeton University Chapel Choir makes gorgeous fractals out of “A Welsh Lullaby”; The American Boychoir enchants angelically in “Hodie Christus Natus Est.” All proceeds benefit the UN World Food Program. Amazon ID for the 18-song disk is B001JP623Y.

Grade: A+ [Release date: 11/2/08]

For more information, visit Friends of the World Food Program (http:/ www.friendsofwfp.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to building support for the WFP (http://www.wfp.org).

Contact:
Tom Meagher (A Princeton Christmas) / 908-907-3377
Maria Reppas / mreppas@friendsofwfp.org / 202- 530-1694 x 111