Album Notes

Concert Violinist, Harris Shilakowsky performs an instrumental homage to the 3 main Holiday traditions of the USA. For Christmas, the Christmas Concerto, also known as the Concerto Grosso "Per la notte di Natale", by the Italian Baroque composer, Archangelo Corelli. The orchestral accompaniment has been updated with a sparkling electronic orchestration. Shilakowsky's performance is as always, with a warm, glowing sound. He performs on a centuries old violin from the shop of Dom Nicolo Amati.
Kwanzaa is represented with three traditional spirituals - Go Tell It On the Mountain, Deep River, and Kumbayah. Accompaniment rocks a little with a rhythm and blues influence. By layering the violin, Shilakowsky achieves harmonizations and has added some improvisations to the basic tunes.
The Hanukah Medley written by Shilakowsky for virtuoso violinist includes
1. Chassidic Kaddish
2. Yigdal
3. Ale Brider
4. Huda
5. Al HaNissim
6. Maoz Tzur
7. Hanukah, Hu Chag Tov
the violin is accompanied by exotic drums and timbourines.
Jewish music is many things. Its Yiddish melodies. Its modern Israeli tunes. Its traditional sacred music. Its joyful. Its sad.
The New Year's Jig is an original composition by Shilakowsky. Written in the tradition of an Irish jig, this is a very upbeat piece, accompanied by the sounds of acoustic guitar, bodran-like drumming and feels like an Irish session.