Album Notes

For his fifth family CD, Big Jeff has created a cycle of fresh new songs for the frosty holiday season, designed to help everyone stay “Warm for the Winter.” Children can watch the snow fall outside while singing along to the title track, or the rocking “Hot Cocoa” or the danceable “Disco in the Snow.” “Sleepy Bears” is a lilting lullaby, perfect for hibernating. The holiday songs include “8 Candles (plus the Shammes)” a Klezmer-powered Hanukah number, “Small Flying Reindeer in the Sky,” which inspires young ones to gallop along on Christmas Eve, and “Habari Gani,” translating the universal principles of Kwanzaa from Swahili to English over a driving African beat.

To bring this multi-layered, multi-genre, multi-cultural music to life, Big Jeff enlisted some top-notch talent. “Warm for the Winter” was recorded and mixed by grammy-winning engineer John Seymour, whose credits include U2, Dave Matthews, and Santana. It features the Chops Horns (Alicia Keys, the Police) and Bob Lynch (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes) on keyboards. Jeff’s friendly, melodic singing and guitar playing keep his playful lyrics front and center. It all adds up to a spirited new seasonal offering!