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My motivation for doing this recording was simple. I had purchased a new 16 track recorder and
found that at first it seemed very complicated to use. I thought I should start simply and do
some basic recording of myself.
I decided to record some Christmas Carols thinking “that’ll be easy!” The first problem was:
how to record unique, personal versions of songs that have been done thousands of times. As I
began each tune took on it’s own life and personality reflecting my varied musical interests.
I didn’t necessarily want to “jazz up” the tunes but yet reflect my different influences.
They are all mellow, laid-back arrangements suitable to accompany a holiday meal without overshadowing
it. But, I hope they still have enough substance to give pleasure on closer listening.
Review from christmasreviews.com.
Bob Piorun Picks on Christmas Carols leads with a jazz arrangement of Away In A Manger, and of course my first
impulse is to say to myself "here we go again..." because I was born in '55 and that ship (the one that birthed
America's last male jazz fan) had sailed. But it was an extremely cool arrangement, as jazz arrangements go,
and he followed it with an unusual Hawaiian slack key arrangement of Silent Night. This was followed by a new
age rendition of We Three Kings, and I'm thinking either this guy is just trying to mock me, or he really knows
what he's doing. Next comes a Chicago-style Ave Maria (with flute, and everything!), and I know that I can deal
with Bob.
Of course, he hits me up 'side the head later on with more jazz, and (yikes!) even with some pure classical
guitar, but by now Bob and I are old friends. Pioron's retro-eclectric guitar stylings are warm and inviting,
whether he's mocking low-brow listeners or the genres themselves. I particularly enjoyed his lush, laid-back
new age Hawaiian style arrangements, such as O Holy Night, which turned out to be my favorite, and which will
remain on the iPod after most other traces of Christmas 2007 have been wiped clean.
Bob Piorun Picks On Christmas is a CD with wide appeal, from jazz-baiting rednecks like myself, to urban,
middle-aged cool cats, to latte-sipping new age women. I hate almost everything this year, but I loved this.
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