The apple, truly, does not fall far from the tree. I am proud to
come from a long line of very musical apples. And trees.
My mother’s brother, my Uncle John, showed me how to play my first real jazz chords. They sounded so good and so right.
Cmaj7, I salute you.
My Aunt’s husband, my Uncle Tom, let me play his electric guitar- the first electric guitar I ever got to wrap my hands around, and I will never forget that feeling. Wow.
My Grandmom Tobin was a BADASS boogie-woogie piano player. I remember her wailing (“shredding” to you young people) on their old upright piano. My Grandmom and Grandpop Tobin lived in several different places in the glorious Philadelphia area, and dragged that damned piano to each new apartment. My Aunt Ruth had it last. I wonder where it is now.
Walt Rich and Steve Kawecki have worked with John for years, so, when we needed musicians, they were the logical, high-quality choice. They laid down the basic tracks, (in the middle of the night, when studio recording time is cheaper!) doing a professional, high
quality job, as usual.
We sent the tracks that were recorded in Philadelphia, PA (AMAZING production job, Uncle John; GREAT performances, Aunt Ruth, Jennifer and Nicole!) to Wilmington, NC , for my Mom, Grandfather, and my Aunt Joan (who flew in from Denver) to overdub their parts. The tracks were then digitally transferred to Chicago, where my Aunt Kitti added her vocals. Then, they were transferred back to Philly so that my Aunt Peg could put the finishing touches on “Winter Wonderland”, the Official Tobin Family Theme Song.
Next year, we will enlist Uncle Mike to recite " 'Twas The Night Before Christmas" in his deep, distinguished baritone.
John composed the lyrics and music to “It’s Christmas Time”,
a song I believe is a holiday classic-in-waiting.
There is so much about this record that I love, but my favorite moment would have to be my 93 year-old grandfather, John F. Tobin, (tree) singing “O Holy Night” with his son (my uncle) John C. Tobin (apple). Somehow, it transforms this humble collection of songs into a precious and rare historical document.
.
My Aunt Kitti wrote me after her recording session;
….“ I was remembering all the Christmases at the Jenkins (our cousins) when the sisters sang and I could not wait till I was "old enough" to sing along. I don’t remember when that happened, you’d think I would, it being so important to me in anticipation. Anyhoo. So, I got all weepy about it. Who knew we had a family song? And a legacy!”
One long ago December at the Tobins’ house, the Charlie Brown-style Christmas tree fell off of the landing and into the foyer. I remember us all looking down at the poor tree, lying there broken and still blinking, a constellation of shattered ornaments all around… one of us, I’m not sure who, started giggling, and soon, we all burst into laughter, the stomach-hurting, tears-rolling down-your-face, I-can’t-breathe kind of laughter.
Now, THAT’S Christmas. Love and Thanks to All, Lisa
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