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"An Engagingly Creative Approach to Holiday Music" New Edition of Award-Winning "Tis the Season" CD Spreads Holiday Cheer Oklahoma City, OK -- Everyone will be singing together this holiday season with the re-release of 'Tis the Season: Holiday Songs for the Child in All of Us. Created by Fred Koch, a nationally respected performer and producer, 'Tis the Season celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah and "the season" with 15 culturally diverse and musically eclectic songs. The original release of 'Tis the Season, which garnered a Parents' Choice award, also attracted critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune said, "Christmas just got a little merrier with the release of 'Tis the Season, calling it "a happy, harmonious musical family recording for the holidays." The American Library Association's Booklist magazine commented, "Listening to Fred Koch's holiday CD is like attending a festive Christmas concert." Moira McCormick, columnist for Billboard and Family Fun magazines, hails the new edition of 'Tis the Season as "an engagingly creative approach to holiday music, with selections to satisfy the traditionalist as well. Particularly charming is Koch's original "Sleigh Bells Jingling," whose rosy-cheeked children's chorus exudes Christmas cheer." Rousing arrangements of favorite holiday singalongs include a New Orleans flavored "Must Be Santa," "Up on the Housetop" with a Dixieland feel, a Tex-Mex "Feliz Navidad," a lively Klezmer band version of the "Hanukkah Medley," a swing jazz arrangement of "Here Comes Santa Claus" and a rockin' "Jingle Bells." Three tastefully arranged instrumental pieces, along with other gentle holiday classics, round out the album. "We wanted a family of three generations to be able to enjoy 'Tis the Season, said Fred Koch. "That's why we worked so hard to make this set of assorted songs work together. It was important that even though the songs vary, that they hold together as a complete listening experience from start to finish." As to why Melody House wanted to reissue 'Tis the Season, executive producer Stephen Fite explains, "We wanted the re-packaging to be as fun, as childlike, and as exciting as the music is. 'Tis the Season is very special to us, we are very proud of the recording. We really wanted the chance to create a new buzz for this project -- it deserves it." The new digitally re-mastered and repackaged edition of 'Tis the Season now displays a bright and colorful kid-friendly cover spotlighting the mixed media artwork of Kevin Kammeraad and features a new re-recorded version of the classic "Oh, Christmas Tree." Complete song lyrics are included in the enclosed CD booklet. Co-produced and engineered by multi-award-winning recording artist Steve Rashid, 'Tis the Season brought many of Chicago's top folk and jazz musicians together. Along with Rashid and Koch, 'Tis the Season, features Michael Levin (woodwinds), Don Stiernberg (mandolin and guitars), Willy Schwarz (accordion), Alejo Poveda (percussion), Greg Bennett (guitar), Jim Cox (bass), Ken Hall (vibes) along with a bunch of great sounding kids. Fred Koch has won awards as a children's music artist (Parents' Choice, Children's Music Web) and a music educator (Kohl International Prize for Exemplary Teaching). His award-winning website BestChildrensMusic.com, is guiding parents and teachers to quality music for their children. Fred's songs have appeared on albums by Greg & Steve ("Kids In Motion," "Kids In Action"), Mr. Al ("Bop Till You Drop") and he produced, at Steve Rashid's studio, Mr. Al's award-winning "Rock The Baby." Fred also writes the monthly music review column for Chicago Parent and is a regular contributor to Parents magazine. 'Tis the Season will be available on CD ($14.95) on October 2 from Melody House by calling 1-800-234-9228 and by visiting www.bestchildrensmusic.com.
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