Hark the Herald

Music for the Holidays from Strings Attached

Christmas and Holiday Music from Karen Mal & Will Taylor

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"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. Its lyrics had been written by Charles Wesley. Wesley had requested and received slow and solemn music for his lyrics, not the joyful tune expected today. Moreover, Wesley's original opening couplet is "Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings". - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Or buy it in AUSTIN texas at Waterloo Records

• Buy the CD with any credit card
• ITUNES
• MP3'S or WAV files direct from the artist
• Call 512-589-8749 to order by phone.
• Call me and I'll write a note and send it to them personally!
• ​SPOTIFY
• AMAZON

The story behind Austin for Christmas

All of the songs in this collection were favorites of my mother. She loved filling the house with Christmas decorations, smells of many varieties of cookies baking, which she'd arrange in spectacular colorful gift trays, and of course Christmas music draped over the top of everything. She'd play the vinyl records on our massive stereo which was as long as our dining room table,.and she'd be as happy as we'd ever see her all year. Her happiness in itself was the best part of the season. It was contagious and it was fleeting. In our household, Christmas music represented the hope of another year, maybe a better year, and a momentary suspension of all things worrisome or sorrowful.

"Yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there." We chose the songs with an underlying theme of togetherness. No matter where you fall on the religious/ spiritual spectrum, holidays are a time of connection. Of reunion and reflection

and gratitude. And being together as the bustling world mercifully grinds to a halt, creating a glow in the darkness of the long nights of winter. - KAREN MAL

The story behind A Mandolin Christmas

A jazz musician, a folk artist, 20 fingers pulling 14 strings & 19 ancient melodies that time has polished.
A Mandolin Christmas
Deep in the throes of the hottest summer on record in Austin, TX, Karen Mal and Will Taylor decided to make a Christmas album. It was a 112-degree "Silent Night" in their un-airconditioned recording studio in August. Even the cat was sweating. The couple had collaborated on many musical projects; his, hers, and their ensemble's, but a "Mandolin Christmas" is purely a duet in every sense of the word. It's a dance between two partners: the mandolin and the classical guitar. And that's it. Karen and Will are perhaps better-known as vocalist and violinist, respectively, but as the tracks blossomed, the two instruments just didn't seem to want any company. There's a simple elegance in the combination that makes for a classic record. "A Mandolin Christmas" is also a duet between traditional folk music and jazz. The music includes pristine old-style classical arrangements, and also subtle and playful jazz harmonizations, weaving around familiar melodies that sound like home. You can practically smell the sugar cookies coming out of the oven, see the kitchen windows steaming up. Even the packaging is a duet. Karen staged the shots in their vegetable garden. That's a real Calabacita squash with the bow on it. (we ate it for Thanksgiving) Will took the photos and fit everything into the artwork templates. If you like Christmas music even a little, you're going to love this album. You're going to love it again when you dig it out next year, and again and again, every holiday season.

Violinist, composer and Austin Music Award winner Will Taylor has performed with Pearl Jam, Grammy winner Shawn Colvin, P-Diddy, Willie Nelson, Ronny Cox (Deliverance) and many more.

Will and his musical friends from Austin, Texas light up your house with inspiring acoustic music.

WASHINGTON POST–“Imaginatively orchestrated… multi-faceted… darting lyricism, and occasionally pensive moods, Taylor makes the grade with his deft touch and improvisatory skills.”

ESQUIRE MAGAZINE–”As to the quality of the music and the professionalism, this production is far superior over the numerous recordings issued by the major record companies.”

Learn how you can have Karen Mal & Will Taylor in your home here.~!
Anywhere, not just where we live.
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