Album Notes

Rising Moon Ensemble is a collaboration of musicians, artists and visionary thinkers from the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. This CD is first in a series of Finger Lakes "seasonal" music projects, celebrating the beautiful landscapes of our home, the companionship of good friends and the renewing energy of music.

RME’s Jim Sawicki creates a quietly beautiful instrumental mood based on classic holiday favorites, with moments of magic that intrigue the imagination. Perfect as a soundtrack for fireside conversations, snowfall watching and garland de-tangling, this CD is sure to become a favorite in your holiday music collection.

An accomplished musician and recording studio whiz, Jim has been involved with music for most of his life. Starting FingerLakes MultiMedia in 1994, he kept extremely busy with recording studio design and installation, sound system installations and recording/mixing/mastering duties until, as happens with so many of us, he realized he had “busied” himself into a situation where he no longer had time for making music – his reason for getting into the business in the first place. The deliberate simplicity of “Christmas in the Finger Lakes” reflects a return to the beginning of it all.

Pretty as it is, “Christmas in the Finger Lakes” is only one of the many moods of Jim’s music. Visit the FingerLakes MultiMedia web site to hear some of his award-winning original soundtrack music and samples from other personal projects.

Rising Moon Ensemble was born in the autumn of 2006 out of the dream of doing what you love as a lifestyle and the desire to go there with your friends. Luckily, at this stage of life, those friends have acquired quite a lot of talent and skills. The RME clan took on the graphic design and marketing duties for the project, along with arranging for original cover art from Finger Lakes artist Cindy Altmire Harris. Upstate NY media company Spinergy manufactured and packaged the CD, and liked it enough to choose it as their 2007 holiday gift CD to clients.

Encouragement to complete the project, in the form of frequent listening sessions, tasty dinners served and nagging when necessary was cheerfully provided by Ensemble members.