"For years I have been asked to record a Christmas album. I dreamt about it for some time, but having to record music for Carnival every year has not allowed it to happen before now," said Denyse Plummer to invited guests at the launch of her first Christmas CD titled Happy Christmas at the St Andrews Golf Club in Moka, Maraval, last Wednesday night.
Recorded and mixed by music producer, keyboardist, and audio engineer Jason Dasent of Studio Jay Recording Ltd, and mastered by audio mastering guru Martin "Mice" Raymond of Champion Sound Studio, the album can easily become a new Christmas classic that will be enjoyed by many for years and years to come.
Its ten tracks include a mix of popular local and traditional music beautifully sung by Plummer in her strong voice that comes across on the disc as tailor-made for showcasing holiday music melodies.
The songs include: Happy Christmas (John Lennon and Yoko Ono), Old Christmas Card (Jim Reeves), Ribbons (Gregory Ballantyne), Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano), Go Light Your World (Chris Rice), O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam), Little Drummer Boy (Katherine Kennicott Davis), Away In A Manger (W J Kirkpatrick), Old Toy Trains (Roger Miller), and Auld Lang Syne (Robert Burns). During a live performance of seven of the songs on the CD, guests were provided with lighted candles, and the lights dimmed for Plummer's showcase of the emotionally moving Go Light Your World.
The former national calypso monarch also won loud audience acclaim for the musical arrangements found in Little Drummer Boy and Feliz Navidad.
In the role of show host at the event was vocalist Marcia Miranda who also entertained as a guest artiste, performing some of her well-known Soca Parang selections, along with leading R&B vocal group H20 Phlo which offered listeners a pleasing taste of its brand new single Christmas Time Again.
Also appearing in the guest artistes slot was Alicia Jagessar and Los Alumnos de San Juan parang group, presenting a lively showcase of traditional parang music.
Main sponsor of the album is the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development. Present to deliver remarks was the Ministry's Permanent Secretary Arlene McComie who emphasised the Ministry's role as a facilitator to the creative industries of music, film, dance, fashion, etc, and its intention to take these industries to another level.
"Achieving all that we want is not an easy fiat," she said.
"It must come with hard work, love, dedication, patience and an enduring commitment to the people of the country. We must be able to set aside our differences, lay down our personal vendettas, give up our personal agendas and collaborate with each other. Collaboration is key to our success. It means deciding to work together in a meaningful way and creating an environment in which ideas will flourish and grow, in order for us to achieve a common good."
Among guests present at the function were record producer Earl Crosby; show promoter Randy Glasgow; radio/television personality George Gonzales; and Jason Dasent.