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Christmastime
Is Here with Charleene Closshey |
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On Thanksgiving day you will hear
laughter in the background and it will continue throughout the holiday
season and continue until Christmas. It is not the ghost of Christmas
Past, Present or Future, but it may very well be the ghost of singer,
composer, musician, arranger and actress Charleene Closshey. I am going
to borrow a sentence from Charles Dickens and with artistic license
change Scrooge’s name and the gender, “And it was always said of her,
that she knew how to keep Christmas well, if any woman (or man) alive
possessed the knowledge.” Christmastime Is
Here is
the title of Charleene Closshey’s brand new album and yes you have heard
most of these songs before, but you have not heard them this way.
Charleene Closshey’s tremendous musical gifts as an arranger and
composer are in the forefront, as she weaves together lyrics and
melodies from different songs. The incredible beauty of the Bulgarian
choirs (including a boys choir) from Sofia, Bulgaria and the
accompanying orchestra recorded at
Four for Music studios in Sofia. Masterful conducting by Lyubomir
Denev, Jr. (orchestra), adult choir (George Elenkov) and boys choir by
Dr. Adrianna Blagoeva.
The album was produced by six time Grammy Award winner, American Brent
Maher (As a producer: The Judds, Ike and Tina Turner, The 5 th
Dimension, Tanya Tucker, Shelby Lynne, Jo Dee Messina) and we have not
even talked about his six times being awarded Song of the Year by the
Academy of Country Music or his engineering feats. The album was also
produced by George Elenkov and George Strezov.
Charleene Closshey opens our conversation, which catches this writer by
surprise (the words you just read were written in mock disbelief), “Well
first of all I have always loved Christmas music. It is in my bones, it
is in my DNA and I listen to Christmas music all year ‘round and I have
since I was a kid (it is easy to detect the enthusiasim in her voice).
One of my first memories of Christmas music is of an old ivory colored
eight track my parents had, of Bing Crosby singing “That Christmas
Feeling.” “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” “Good King Wenceslas,”
and “That Christmas Feeling,” (all from Bing Crosby’s album) all hold an
incredibly special place in my heart. There is a purity of connection to
that particular album and for whatever the reason has inspired me during
the holidays.
Even if you look historically at King Wenceslas who was a king in
Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic, he was the first Bohemian king
who was noted for his strength and compassion.
Later on in his life his brother tricked him and ended up killing
him on the side of the road, so his brother could take the crown. King
Wenceslas was a societal disrupter, because he lived a life of love. I
hope that we can all be societal disrupters, by living a life of fierce
and ferocious love like Wenceslas. He is celebrated as a saint in the
Czech Republic and he has his own holiday. There is so much power in
that resonance that this happened. When I watch a movie that I know is
based on historical events or that is historically accurate there is
something that is so much more gutturally moving about what I am seeing
on screen than a fictionalized plot that might be just as compelling.
However, when you add that element of this really happened, that gets me
every time. Wenceslas definitely falls into that category.
I love the antiquated language. It is so colorful and so vibrant. My
favorite line on the entire album is from “Good King Wenceslas.” It is
“Through the rude winds wild lament and the bitter weather.” When I say
(those words) I get cold. It is such a powerful piece. I couldn’t
imagine not recording it. I remember when I first showed it to Brent my
producer and he was like Good King Who! (more laughter) He is so well
versed in Christmas music and one of the six Grammy Awards he won was
for a Christmas album. I am sure you know there is not a Grammy category
for a holiday genre. The album was so good that it won its category even
as a holiday album. He knows what is up when it comes to Christmas
music. It was fun to explore the antiquated language. We had to (think
about) how we could bring somebody in and for us we dug into the groove,
while exploring these Celtic like vibes.
When this particular track begins I am playing a harmonium. You have
this pipe like feel that brings us into this world music sort of thing.
Harmoniums are really popular in Indian music and The Beatles used them
a lot in their recordings. I just happen to play one and I thought, why
not? Let’s try it. It was a fun way to set up this eastern European,
Celtic, Bohemian vibe. There was a lot of freedom to explore with that.”
For those who may not know what a harmonium is we asked Charleene
Closshey to take a moment to explain, “It is an instrument originally
developed in Europe and then introduced to India (I think) in the 1700s
or 1800s. It quickly became a staple in Indian music and especially
northern Indian music. Think of it as a little tiny box and you sit on
the floor in front of this little tiny keyboard. On the backside of this
box is a bellow that you pump on the left hand side. You pump with the
left hand and you play with the right hand. You can also generate drones
with the instrument. The instrument has alternate tunings and all kinds
of crazy things. You get this cross section of a wind and keyboard
percussion. You have a unique sound that is almost like a hurdy gurdy.”
The conversation segues back to the song, “Loreena McKennitt had a great
version of “Good King Wenceslas.” The producer Brent and I study
different tracks as well, because it is the easiest way for me to
describe to him what is in my head. Loreena’s was one of the tracks that
we looked at, before recording. There were three main inspirations for
me with this song, one of the Bing Crosby versions of the song, because
he has a shortened one that is part of a medley and then the longer one
and I like the shorter one, Loreena’s (version) and Blackmore Night’s
“Good King Wenceslas.”
The charming rendition of “Christmas In Killarney,” showcases Charleene
Closshey’s musical genius and at her creative best. The listener is
swept away to the town of Killarney in County Kerry of southwest
Ireland.
“You have this Irish girl who loved everything about her heritage.
Aren’t we all a little bit Irish too anyway? (You hear the fun in her
voice) It was fun to explore my own cultural heritage, while we were
creating this piece. An instrumental is great, but we actually need a
jig in here. I thought what would be a good fit and immediately I heard
“Morrison’s Jig.” It totally works transition wise. Wow I am really
digging this. It is amazing how the universe brings us what we need at
exactly the right time and usually, before we even know that we need it.
We were putting the track together and I was wondering why this
particular jig came to mind when there were (others) we could have put
in, but this one felt right. When I looked it up “Morrison’s Jig,” was
written in the same area that is Killarney. It is a neighbor to this
other melody and this idea of “Christmas In Killarney,” with all of the
folks at home and the neighbors come to visit or the priest comes to
call. Everybody is celebrating this raucous, happy and joyful time. I
think that is the spirit that everybody looks forward to at Christmas.
That is where we want to live, but we frequently live in the hustle and
bustle and the lists that need to be checked off and checked twice and
three times.
There is even the
opposite side of the holidays that we don’t talk about the sorrow that
comes up too, because we have memories of things that have been or
people who have been and situations that are no longer here. We miss
that and we crave that. A lot of the times you feel alone and you feel
disconnected. If I remember correctly the statistics of the suicide
rates are the highest during the holidays. There is also this heavy
feeling that exists during the holidays. Anytime for me that I can tap
into a place of joy or merriment or pure happiness I really want to try
to go there. I am not negating all of the other challenges that are the
holidays, both good and bad. We are celebrating that connectivity and to
me that is what “Christmas in Killarney,” is all about. It is about
people coming together and that is Christmas to me.
When you put all of this depth and this lilting sort of melody and this
approach to life that you hear in everyday conversations it is a culture
to which I think a lot of us want to connect. What an intriguing people,
their ability to tell stories, the ability to paint pictures with the
word and the ability to paint a picture with nothing but the sound of
your voice.
Wealth is a state of the heart. It is not a state of the bank account.
It is this idea of being connected to truth and to love, this universal
flow that it enables us to manifest life in a different way. We manifest
whatever that we want, always, period. I think it is very easy for
people to say I really want this, but I can’t seem to get it. There is
something that you are still working through and for whatever reason it
is not the right time. There is something that if you keep your focus on
whatever it is that you want it will manifest. That is the way our
universe works. I think that element of joy, kindness and benevolence
that is one of the easiest and greatest ways of staying connected to all
that is. Of course there is happiness there and you can’t help but be
(happy) when you are that connected,” she says.
As for “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” she says, “It was a fun little
ditty for me, because when I was sketching through what the album might
look like I wonder how “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “Patapan,”
would marry. They are divergent melodies and songs, but they just hit it
off. It was almost like watching a first date. I think in reflection
that this marriage of these two songs worked. To me it has a masculine
feel and a masculine energy. It is talking about hey, be happy dudes.
That is literally what the title means. Then you have “Patapan,” a
Burgundian carol “Patapan,” that was written in old Burgundy (Bourgogne
– France) that was later assimilated into France. One of the last rulers
of Bourgogne was a female and this song in general always sounded a
little more feminine to me. You have this masculine / feminine or light
/ dark interplay. It was one of my favorite pieces to record, because
there were so many counter-lines and counter-melodies that we were able
to tap into, because of this interplay. I always envisioned it as a date
between this dude and a chick and musically it works. I have always
liked the melody of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” I like this darker
sort of verse (She sings some lines from the song and even a cappella
she has amazing pitch). It is a melody that is so haunting. (The song)
is encouraging people to find joy, because it is not as bad, as you
think it is and there is hope. The message and the melody really jived
with me.
With “Patapan,” we hear more of (this type) of music in Classical sacred
music or Classical Christmas music. As a Classical musician I have
played it many times. The lyrics are literally, “Willie
get your little drum / Robin take your flute and come / When we hear
your fife and drum / Tu-re-lu-re-lu / Pat-a-pan-a-pan / When we hear
your fife and drum / How could anyone be glum.”
It is another song about come celebrate with us and do what you do.
Since the adults are encouraging them with this onomatopoeia
Tu-re-lu-re-lu like you are imitating the flute or Pat-a-pan-a-pan (as
though), you are playing the drum. Everybody is having a good time, so
it is this idea of inclusion. There is so much depth of resonance of
what these lyrics are connecting to. I think “Patapan,” was composed in
the mid-1700s, so it has been around for a long time. “God Rest Ye Merry
Gentlemen,” was in the 1800s and an old English carol. There is a lot of
history that we can tap into at the level of the heart.”
One imagines “O Holy Night,” being sung with a majestic choir featuring
a powerful solo vocalist, perhaps not surprising since the song written
by French composer Adolphe Adam and French poet / lyricist Placide
Cappeau, first made its debut courtesy of a performance by Opera singer
Emily Laurey. However, true to form, Charleene Closshey recorded “O Holy
Night,” her way and since you are still reading this interview does that
really surprise you, we ask with a smile?
“O Holy Night,” has always been one of my favorite songs, but never in
my top five. When I was putting together the album I asked everybody, my
mom, my dad and I asked Jeremy (her fiancé) and a couple of other people
as well what song they would like on this album. The one song and the
only song that Jeremy wanted is “O Holy Night.” I said are you serious?
He said yes and without a doubt!
To me it seems that song is always done in a pretty similar way and it
is usually done by people with really big voices (We
told you!). They are people who bathe you and shower you in this
massive sound at the pinnacle of the song. That is the whole reason we
listen to it and that is great, but that is really not my voice.
For this album we kind of turned everything on its head and for (this
song) we took the approach what if they had to lean into whisper? What
does that look like? It resonated with me for “O Holy Night.” I said
guys this is not the big song on the album. This is someone sitting in a
field at midnight with the shepherds hanging out one hundred yards away,
with a stable in front of them and there is a star above the stable.
They are sitting there watching all of this transpire. They are all by
themselves. What does that look like? Do the angels come and hang out
and do they say hey we see you too and you are a part of this. When I
thought about the construction of this song, that is what I envisioned.
It was the only song on the entire album when I sat down to record the
vocals. I sat on a stool in front of the microphone and I recorded. For
everything else I stood. I wanted it to have this very intimate,
inviting and selective quality, because that is how I assimilate that
particular song and its message.
Could a Christmas album of classic and traditional songs really be
complete if “Ave Maria,” was left off of the record?
Charleene Closshey talks about her experience with the song, “I wrote an
original composition of for “Ave Maria,” and it is for a soprano soloist
and a boys choir. Hence the trip to Bulgaria (in the fall of 2018) and
we filmed a music video with the boys choir (singing) that song. It was
the first time that I had heard that composition live. It was a magical
and surreal experience,” she says.
Charleene Closshey explains how she was first introduced to the choir
and orchestra in Bulgaria, “In 2017 I had a track that we were working
on and I told my producer this needs full orchestration and he said oh
we can do strings here in Nashville and I said, no, no we need a full
orchestra. Several years prior to this a dear friend of mine had turned
me on to a couple of different organizations in Eastern Europe.
I have also continued to work extensively with the choir and orchestra
out of Bulgaria, because it is considerably more cost effective for me
to get the same quality that I would state side with this particular
orchestra and group. As an independent artist I don’t have $100,000 to
throw at a track.”
The connections were made through “Four For Music which (is comprised
of) four gentlemen who are partners and they each have a different
specialty within the production field. They contract all around the
world.”
Christmastime Is Here and what better way to spend it than with family
and friends trading stories of years past and looking with hope towards
a new year with Charleene Clossehy’s beautifully sung, arranged and
orchestrated Christmas album.
You will find that you are transported to another day, time and
place with “Christmas In Killarney,” you will be reflective with her
rendition of “O Holy Night,” and perhaps for a moment in time we will be
reminded by “Good King Wenceslas,” that a kind deed and a heart full of
love can indeed change lives.
Please take time to visit Charleene Closshey’s website.
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“Good King Wenceslas,” is one of those songs that nobody really knows,
but my goodness I am convinced that they should. In the story you hear
of someone coming from a position of power realizing the strength in
benevolence, compassion and loving their fellow man, especially at a
time in history when everything was about survival. Everything was about
conquering or being conquered. 