Julie Meyer
Julie Meyer and Tony Smith perform together during last year’s Kootenai River Rhythm concert. Photo by Kootenai Valley Record.
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Local artists release Christmas CD
by Brent Shrum, Kootenai Valley Record
October 15, 2008
Singer Julie Meyer of Troy is showcased on a new Christmas CD recorded locally with support from pianist Tony Smith and other musicians from around the area.
"Christmas Time is Here" will be officially released on Nov. 8 at the sixth annual Kootenai River Rhythm concert at the Memorial Center. Meyer and Smith, along with other artists featured on the CD, have been performing with Kootenai River Rhythm since its inception, and the idea for a Christmas CD grew out of the annual concerts.
"This year we quit asking ourselves, ‘Should we do it?’" Meyer said. "We said, ‘We’re doing it.’"
The CD is made up of 12 songs covering a variety of sacred and secular styles. Featured musicians include Smith’s sisters Sharon Scott and Nita Smith, both of whom play piano.
Tony’s blues-based style is used on five songs, including "Christmas in Heaven," a 1940s tune brought to life in a new stylistic way that includes blues guitar work by Troy’s Frank Chiaverini. Sharon, who plays in the gospel tradition, plays on "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" and "Blue Christmas." Nita plays in the classical tradition and provides accompaniment for "Let it Snow," "I’ll Be Home for Christmas" and "Mary Did You Know," which also features Bill Cuskelly on mandolin and Brenda Nagode on alto saxophone.
Ty Nagode’s soprano sax is featured on "Miss You Like Christmas," and Ben Palmer’s funk-style bass is the key to "Santa Baby." Jim Scott does more traditional bass work on other songs. Singer Diane Rewerts provides harmony vocals to accompany Meyer on several songs.
Piano and most of the vocals were recorded live at the Memorial Center, with other tracks laid down in the studio at Northwest Music in Troy.
"It’s brought together some very eclectic kinds of styles," Tony Smith said.
He noted that Meyer’s own singing style has evolved as she has expanded her lower range while retaining the purity of her upper range, allowing her to sing in a "sultry" manner that contrasts vividly with the power and clarity of her high tones.
"It’s part of her uniqueness," he said.
The CD will be priced at $15 and will be available at local commercial outlets after Thanksgiving.
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Editor’s Note: See the October 13, 2008 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Monday, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
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