Music Downloads

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That’s me on flute, piccolo, alto flute and bass flute wherever you hear them.
Read full credits below.

1. Good King Wenceslas – What Child Is This
2. The First Noel
3. Coventry Carol
4. O Come All Ye Faithful
5. Hark the Herald Angels Sing (wind ensemble)
   
6. Angels We Have Heard On High
7. Winter Wonderland
8. Pat-a-Pan
9. O Holy Night
10. Frosty the Snowman
11. Low How a Rose E’er Blooming (wind ensemble)
    
12. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
13. White Christmas
14. Joy to the World (wind ensemble)
    
15. Sleigh Ride (wind ensemble)

History

Making CD recordings with friends and family had always been a favorite activity of mine as the winter months approached every year.   Initially begun as an impromptu “jam session” after hosting a post-Thanksgiving dinner for college friends in 1993, this event became an annual tradition that dually served not only as a recording session but as a reunion of sorts, providing the perfect outlet to have fun with friends and to make music together in a casual setting.  The end result was a new Christmas CD every year that spread like wildfire in our local communities.

Somewhere along the way, we began making a more coordinated project out of the annual event, and recording became a career and way of life for some time.  For years, a few of us actually aspired to move to Vermont or New Hampshire and become something of a new generation of remote mountain-dwelling Windham Hill recording artists (yes, odd, I know…especially for a non-liberal).  But we always kept the “home grown holiday” feel to our little grass-roots project. And through it, we created permanent memories from our music, which could be shared with each other and with others – many of the performers on the CD sent it out each year in place of the standard holiday card.  Something about it for me had always brought me closer to home, as my grandparents, their seven children and dozens of us grandchildren enjoyed listening to each CD together all throughout the holidays every year.

While I still aspire to move to the New England mountains and retire to my writing and my music someday (I love the snow), things are different nowadays – some friends are busy raising their children, others have moved away; sadly some friends and family have since passed away, and others have simply moved on.  But the music always remains with us still, and this one represents a compilation of some of my favorites of our old recordings.   They’re the selections that my grandmother used to play while she was making holiday cookies, and that her sister  – my great aunt – would listen to while putting out luminaries along her driveway and down the block.  The music just reminds me of sipping hot chocolate with family by a burning fireplace on a snowy day.  It’s always sort of nice to feel a little of that “home grown” spirit again.

Enjoy the selections!

Mandy
(Liberty Chick)

Credits:

All arrangements are by Richard Phillips except where otherwise noted. (Yes, he was my ex-hubby…).

Several selections performed by The Eastern Wind Symphony , a wind ensemble with which most of the musicians on the CD (including me) previously performed, under the direction of Dr. William H. Silvester.  EWS scores transcribed & conducted by Dr. William H. Silvester.

Performers:

To provide at least some semi-privacy for the performers, I’ve used only the initial of last names.  If you want to get in touch with any of the performers or find out more, feel free to contact me via email and I’ll be happy to assist.

1. Good King Wenceslas – What Child Is This: Mandy N.—flute / Amy P.—oboe / Rich P.—mandolin, guitars, bass
   
2. The First Noel: Mandy N.—flute / Brian B.—congas / Rich P.—guitar choir, bass, banjo head, tambourine
3. Coventry Carol: Mandy N.—flute, alto flute, bass flute
4. O Come All Ye Faithful: Mandy N.—flute / Billy D.—fiddle / Rich P.—bass, banjo, mandolin, guitar
5. Hark the Herald Angels Sing: The Eastern Wind Symphony
6. Angels We Have Heard On High: Mandy N.—flute / Rich P.—bass
7. Winter Wonderland: Mandy N.—flute / Rich P.—guitars, bass
8. Pat-a-Pan: Mandy N.—flute, piccolo / Rich P.—mandolins, e-bow guitars
9. O Holy Night: Mandy N.—flute / Amy P.—oboe / John O.—accordion / Rich P.—guitars, bass
10. Frosty the Snowman: Mandy N.—flute / Karen C.—trombone
11. Low How a Rose E’er Blooming: The Eastern Wind Symphony
12. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear: Mandy N.—flute / Rich P.—piano sequencing, guitar, bass
13. White Christmas: John O.—accordion
14. Joy to the World: The Eastern Wind Symphony
15. Sleigh Ride: The Eastern Wind Symphony

It’s official. There have been whispers in recent days, but George Soros decided to go public today. He’s giving Media Matters a million bucks. Why? Because FOX News and Glenn Beck must be stopped!

In a statement released today by Soros and Media Matters:

“Despite repeated assertions to the contrary by various Fox News commentators, I have not to date been a funder of Media Matters,” Soros said. “However, in view of recent evidence suggesting that the incendiary rhetoric of Fox News hosts may incite violence, I have now decided to support the organization. Media Matters is one of the few groups that attempts to hold Fox News accountable for the false and misleading information they so often broadcast. I am supporting Media Matters in an effort to more widely publicize the challenge Fox News poses to civil and informed discourse in our democracy.”

See, now there you go again, George Soros. Making FOX News out to be the evil (deceptively named) Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s 1984, pushing out packaged Newspeak.

As Politico reported:

Soros figured prominently in the conspiracy theory that allegedly drove convicted felon Byron Williams to arm himself and set out to kill staffers at the Soros-funded Tides Foundation the ACLU this summer. Although Williams said he had first heard of the theory from other sources, he told Media Matters in a jailhouse interview that Glenn Beck was a “schoolteacher” who “blew my mind” on such topics. He told the interviewer to watch Beck’s June shows to get more information about Tides.

On Friday, Drummond Pike, the founder and CEO of the Tides Foundation, said “there will be blood on many hands” if the next assassin succeed, and called for a network-wide advertiser boycott of Fox News in response to Beck’s rhetoric. This morning Media Matters launched a website to join the effort.

Might we remind readers that Mr. Soros has donated money to, among many other organizations, the Tides Foundation.

(more…)

On July 17^th, 2010, 45 year old Byron Williams was stopped by California Highway Patrol officers on Interstate 580 in Oakland, California for driving erratically.  A violent shootout ensued, and twelve minutes later, it was over.  Police had unknowingly averted an even more heinous crime before it could occur.  The police affidavit filed the next day stated that Williams’ intention was “to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at The Tides Foundation and the ACLU.”

The left-wing media immediately pounced on the story, eager to exploit the mention of the Tides Foundation, a frequent topic of Glenn Beck’s program on the FOX News Channel.  Since Beck’s arrival to FOX, he has focused in on the organization for its central role in pushing far-left policies and funding left-wing propaganda outlets like Media Matters.  The liberal media watchdog site has been covering the story recently.

In fact, Media Matters, which has received more than $2 million from the Tides Foundation over the last five years, has relentlessly harassed conservative personalities and organizations, especially Glenn Beck, often in what appears to be a coordinated fashion – and to the point of complete monotony.  Just search “Byron Williams” on their website – for the last week alone, Media Matters has made over thirty posts associating Beck with the Byron Williams incident, seemingly implying that Beck and FOX News are directly responsible for Williams’ actions.

That’s why it came as little surprise Friday when the Tides Foundation released this scathing letter to all of FOX News’ advertisers, signed by CEO Drummond Pike.  It reads in part:

(more…)

For the last few weeks, I’ve been finalizing some intensive research and was in the process of writing up a multi-part post that was to be published after the mid-term elections.  One of the installments in the series will focus on the left’s push for a public takeover of the media – touching upon everything from the historical aspect of traditional media’s financial collapse, to the left’s “Media Reform” project and “New Public Media” plan, to the complete portfolio of George Soros’ media investments.

However, in light of the most recent onslaught of attacks against Andrew Breitbart and the Big sites, I thought it might be prudent to extract a few different elements from this future series and publish an early post today.  Because given the concerted efforts to use a variety of media and advocacy outlets to manufacture falsehoods in an attempt to intimidate and silence the voice of conservatives, I thought it important for others to see how –and why – some of these media outlets are connected.  Because it extends well beyond Media Matters, NPR, and Huffington Post.

While the debate continues to rage over the prospect of defunding National Public Radio (NPR) of its federal taxpayer dollars in the wake of Juan Williams’ firing, the left is busy tending to its strategy.  They’ve once again taken to opining about their Utopian notion of a national public media system, hoisting it as the antidote to partisan viewpoint peddling.  And by partisan viewpoints, they mean those that aren’t *their* viewpoints.

The left’s fantasies were further spotlighted by several recent developments in the media industry, only weeks and days apart from one another.

• On October 2, NPR announces $1 million grant from the Knight Foundation
• On October 7, Center for Public Integrity, an often cited source for liberal journalists, announces a $1.7 million grant from the Knight Foundation.  CPI has also received millions in funding from George Soros’ Open Society Institute, including another recent grant of $100,000.
• On October 17, NPR announces a $1.8 million grant from George Soros’ Open Society Institute
• On October 18, the Huffington Post announces the merger of its non-profit journalism arm into the Center For Public Integrity, with an additional $250,000 grant from the Knight Foundation for the merger.
• On October 20, Media Matters announces a $1 million grant from George Soros’ Open Society Institute
• On October 26, Google announces a $2 million grant to the Knight Foundation for media innovation

In the midst of this funding blitz, the left quickly summoned its boycotts and attempts at silencing voices against the right: (read the rest at BigJournalism…)

Last week, Drummond Pike took his FOX News fight to a whole new level, this time painting all of the right with a scarlet letter.  Coincidentally, Salon.com’s Glenn Greenwald had also published a similar piece in much the same vein, only a week prior.

In his opinion contribution piece to Politico titled “Why Does the Right Hate Soros?”, the founder and CEO of Tides Foundation pondered aloud the imaginary reasons he’s fabricated in his mind for the animosity toward the Hungarian born billionaire.

His conclusion?  Because we hate immigrants.

This is the typical left.  When you don’t get the response you want, inject a new element of manufactured hate into the mix – when you can’t make it about race, make it about immigration.  Drummond Pike even decided to step up the rhetoric, implying that George Soros is in danger because of right-wing media outlets and bloggers.  But the sad truth behind this piece, behind all of these public letters, boycotts and petitions is that they are all coordinated, and they are all aimed at turning the public opinion against those who do not share the ideals of the leftist agenda.

Some highlights from Pike’s opinion piece:

(read the rest at BigJournalism…)

This morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, Lawrence O’Donnell proudly declared the obvious:  he’s a socialist.

After hearing the news today about the suspension of Keith Olbermann from the same network, I can’t say anyone’s all that surprised.

O’Donnell’s proclamation was made when “The Last Word” anchor got into a lively exchange with Salon.com contributor Glenn Greenwald.

“Unlike you, I am not a progressive.  I am not a liberal who’s so afraid of the word that I had to change my name to progressive.  Liberals amuse me.  I am a Socialist.  I live to the extreme left -  the extreme left – of you mere liberals.”

You have to give the guy credit for standing behind his views, and doing so openly.  You have to respect him for that, at least.

(read the rest at BigJournalism…)

The blogosphere is all abuzz over yesterday’s comments from Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, in which he opined about the annoyance of today’s cable news television programming.  Apparently cable news gets in the way of his desire for American citizens to do nothing but worship our government, rather than challenge it.

We need new catalysts for quality news and entertainment programming.  I hunger for quality news.  I’m tired of the right and the left.  There’s a little bug inside of me which wants to get the FCC to say to FOX and to MSNBC: Out. Off. End. Goodbye. It would be a big favor to political discourse; our ability to do our work here in Congress, and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and more importantly, in their future.

Many are making this solely about the issue of the Fairness Doctrine or of Net Neutrality.  And to some extent, this is true.  But there really is a much larger picture at play here – a transition period to government-run media.

(read the rest at BigJournalism…)

by Liberty Chick

by Liberty Chick

by Liberty Chick

Glenn Beck and Judge Andrew Napolitano to Headline “Restoring America” Rally in NJ on Oct. 2

Saturday, October 2, 2010, television and radio hosts Glenn Beck and Judge Andrew Napolitano will team up as keynote speakers for a grassroots rally to celebrate a common vision for America.   A vision to inspire honorable leaders again.  A vision to move this country forward by restoring its most treasured ideals: freedom, liberty and the American spirit of individualism.

Join us at the Great Arena at Six Flags Great Adventure in their 8,500 seat stadium for a day filled with speakers, musical performances and motivational videos.  It’s the perfect opportunity to meet other patriots and activists from across the state and across the country.  Bring your friends and family.

SPEAKERS & MUSIC:

Speakers:

• Glenn Beck, one of America’s leading radio and television personalities; host of the Glenn Beck Program on WOR Talk Radio 710 and the Glenn Beck show on FOX News Channel
• Judge Andrew Napolitano, former NJ Superior Court Judge, noted author, Fox News judicial analyst and host of Freedom Watch
• Lloyd Marcus, Activist, Songwriter, and Vocalist of “American Tea Party Anthem”
• Vanessa Jean Louis, better known as the “Afroconservative”, inner city school counselor, and president of the Frederick Douglass Foundation of NJ
• Steve Malzberg, Conservative Political Talk Radio Host on WOR Talk Radio 710
• Walid Shoebat, Author and Speaker, reformed PLO activist who now speaks out on behalf of the United States and Israel
• Andrew Wilkow, Host of The Wilkow Majority on the Sirius XM Patriot Channel
• and David Webb, Author and Tea Party Activist, co-founder of Tea Party 365, Inc., will serve as Master of Ceremonies

With live performances from:

• Jon David Kahn, Hollywood screenwriter, director and musician whose viral hit “American Heart” has earned praise from the likes of Sarah Palin, Curt Schilling, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Andrew Breitbart
• Hi Caliber, conservative hip-hop rapper, weekly Hip-Hop Rap Up musical newscasts on the Monica Crowley show on WABC-AM 770
• Hollander, NJ based alternative indie-label band
• Mark Burg, NJ based Not-4-Nothin Band

TICKET INFORMATION:

All ticket prices include safari, entrance to park and rally.

Premium Tickets:

• GOLD floor seating, $125
• PREFERRED stadium seating, $75

These tickets are available ONLY at http://www.restoringamericarally.org/Tickets/Tickets.html

General Admission Tickets:

• Child Package (Age 13 and under):  $40
• Adult Package (Age 14+):  $50
• Passholder Ticket (Rally Only):  $25
• Under Age 3:  FREE

These tickets are available at the Six Flags Great Adventure website

TIMES:

Park is open from 10:30am to 9:00pm.

• Restoring America Rally starts at 3:00pm in the Great Arena
• Pre-event concert begins at 2:00pm
• Post-show concert to follow rally

Watch Promo Video |    Download Printable Flyer

Pass the word!  Short link for this page: http://bit.ly/Restoring-America

Posted by Liberty Chick on BigJournalism, Jun 13th 2010 at 10:37 am

And so we begin to hear some feedback from the liberal side, including direct comments from one prominent member of the “Cry Wolf” project.  On the Inside Higher Ed website Friday, founder and editor Scott Jaschik addresses Big Journalism’s Academia-Gate series in his post, “Who Is Crying Wolf?”

Some prominent liberal academics are soliciting short essays from faculty members and graduate students to document a pattern in American history of major social advances being opposed by conservatives who “cry wolf” about the impact of proposed reforms. The campaign — known as the “Cry Wolf Project” — hasn’t been officially announced. But conservative bloggers obtained some of the solicitations of essays and published them this week, along with considerable criticism.

A series of posts on Andrew Breitbart’s Big Journalism Web site have called the program “Academia-Gate” and suggested that the effort is inappropriately political. The creators of Cry Wolf, meanwhile, say that what they are doing is awfully similar to the ways that right-leaning scholars have used academic work to advance their causes over the years.

Jaschik acquaints readers with the members of the “Cry Wolf” project coordinators and the details of the request for proposals.  He then goes on to cite from a couple of BigJournalism’s posts in the series:

One post on Big Journalism noted that those involved in the project are sympathetic to organized labor, and that many influential academics are serving on the advisory board. “This is what our higher education system has become – a publicly funded amplifier of progressive ideology,” says the post by Patrick Courrielche. “If this Cry Wolf program were just limited to a few faculty members at a limited number of universities, it would be of little concern. But the project reaches into some of the most prestigious public and private schools of higher learning in the U.S., including MIT, Yale, Harvard, USC, Columbia, Rutgers, UC Santa Barbara, University of Pennsylvania, and President Obama’s alma mater — Occidental College.”

Liberty Chick, the blogger who started calling Cry Wolf “Academia-Gate,” described her concerns this way: “What’s far more dangerous is that the ideological academic, in his capacity as a professor, actually possesses the power to control. The power to influence students’ minds, to mold the students’ way of thinking to embrace their own power-hungry desires and believe in it as ’social justice’ — this is a frightening weapon. Via union solidarity, this weapon is shared with the mobilizers, the janitors and cafeteria workers who agitate the students with various demands against the university after ideologically minded professors have indoctrinated them to hear every grievance as a call for ’social justice.’

(more…)