The Gryphon Carolers
featuring
Ed Johnson &
Carol McComb
Carol McComb
The Gryphon Carolers Holiday Concert
For 28 years the Gryphon Carolers have enchanted Bay Area audiences with their unique mix of musical innovation, wit, and pure heart. The Gryphon Carolers invite you to set aside a special night to bask in the warmth of a joyous celebration of peace, love, and community. You'll smile, laugh, and clap along to some of the most infectious and inspiring holiday music you've ever experienced.
In addition to striking re-interpretations of your holiday favorites, the show also features the compositions of Bay Area luminaries Ed Johnson and Carol McComb.
Among the pieces on this year's program is Ed Johnson's unique version of "Sleigh Ride". Ed has turned the 1950's classic on its head, setting it to an irresistibly danceable combination of Cuban montuno and Brazilian samba rhythms.
Carol McComb's evocative "Christmas In The Deep South" resonates on multiple levels. Her arrangement beautifully weaves together two traditional Appalachian songs with an African-American gospel song. The piece conjures a stranger walking the streets of a small southern town on Christmas Eve. "As he walks," says McComb, "he can hear music coming from two churches on opposite sides of town -- the white church and the black church. When he is halfway between them, the music from both sources blends into one unified song."
Ed Johnson also provides a feel-good gospel version of "O Come All Ye Faithful", which takes a surprising turn partway through, transforming into a 70's soul disco classic!
Between the full-choir numbers, some of which are full-fledged extravaganzas, there are moments where things get intimate. One of these is Carol McComb's original song "Feels Like Christmas Eve". Presented with just acoustic guitars, fiddle, and bass, the minimal arrangement brings McComb's vocals and songwriting to the forefront.
A number that easily merits the label "extravaganza" is Johnson's multi-layered interpretation of "I Saw Three Ships". The arrangement intertwines the traditional melody with a joyous Irish jig and features the full choir plus fiddle, flute, mandolin, Irish whistle, guitar, and bass, culminating in a dazzling vocal cascade.
The show also has a distinct international flavor at times. The group sings in Portuguese on Johnson's version of "Away In A Manger," based in part on a composition by noted Brazilian guitarist/composer Toninho Horta, and performs a bossa nova version of "Joy To The World." Both arrangements showcase Johnson's facility with Latin jazz, an ability amply on display when he performs on the West Coast and beyond with his band Novo Tempo.
Among the pieces on this year's program is Ed Johnson's unique version of "Sleigh Ride". Ed has turned the 1950's classic on its head, setting it to an irresistibly danceable combination of Cuban montuno and Brazilian samba rhythms.
Carol McComb's evocative "Christmas In The Deep South" resonates on multiple levels. Her arrangement beautifully weaves together two traditional Appalachian songs with an African-American gospel song. The piece conjures a stranger walking the streets of a small southern town on Christmas Eve. "As he walks," says McComb, "he can hear music coming from two churches on opposite sides of town -- the white church and the black church. When he is halfway between them, the music from both sources blends into one unified song."
Ed Johnson also provides a feel-good gospel version of "O Come All Ye Faithful", which takes a surprising turn partway through, transforming into a 70's soul disco classic!
Between the full-choir numbers, some of which are full-fledged extravaganzas, there are moments where things get intimate. One of these is Carol McComb's original song "Feels Like Christmas Eve". Presented with just acoustic guitars, fiddle, and bass, the minimal arrangement brings McComb's vocals and songwriting to the forefront.
A number that easily merits the label "extravaganza" is Johnson's multi-layered interpretation of "I Saw Three Ships". The arrangement intertwines the traditional melody with a joyous Irish jig and features the full choir plus fiddle, flute, mandolin, Irish whistle, guitar, and bass, culminating in a dazzling vocal cascade.
The show also has a distinct international flavor at times. The group sings in Portuguese on Johnson's version of "Away In A Manger," based in part on a composition by noted Brazilian guitarist/composer Toninho Horta, and performs a bossa nova version of "Joy To The World." Both arrangements showcase Johnson's facility with Latin jazz, an ability amply on display when he performs on the West Coast and beyond with his band Novo Tempo.
The Gryphon Carolers
2010 Holiday Concert
Ed Johnson & Carol McComb
Kristen Strom, Kathleen Johannessen,
Walter Bankovitch, Jason Lewis,
Gayle Edwards, and Holly Thuman
December 18, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Spangenberg Theatre
Henry M. Gunn High School
780 Arastradero Road
Palo Alto, CA
