Our Review
Some of you may recall the quirky and very cool television series Due South, which ran on CBS in the mid-90s. Interesting, Jay Semko wrote the show's theme music and co-composed much of the score.
Merry Christmas is a slim (only 25 minutes), but appealing, holiday card. Canadian Semko does it all, providing the vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica and piano here. The pared-down production provides an intensely intimate experience; it's just like having the artist strumming and serenading you from a cozy corner of your living room.
The tracks are all holiday classics, and the mood is contemplative. Semko's modest framework makes even the best-known carols shimmer with fresh simplicity. My favorite track is the artist's upbeat and lovely Good King Wenceslas. I also savored the harmonica flourishes on numbers like We Three Kings of Orient Are and Joy to the World.
Fans of Due South will undoubtedly get a kick out of Jay Semko's easy-going holiday renditions, and anyone who prefers folksy, personal presentations will want to give Merry Christmas a listen. Enjoy!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)
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From the liner notes:
Jay Semko: Vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica and piano.
All songs arranged by Jay Semko
Engineered & mixed by Neil Meckelborg at Audio Art Recording, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Made in Canada
From the Website:
Jay began his music career in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, as singer/songwriter/bassist with Canadian pop icons the Northern Pikes. The Pikes earned 4 Gold records and 1 Platinum through radio and video airplay, and their non-stop touring made many friends for them across North America and beyond...
In 1993 the Pikes began a 6 year hiatus and Jay was approached by Oscar and Emmy-winning("Thirty Something", "Crash") writer/producer/director Paul Haggis to write music for a TV movie pilot entitled "Due South". After writing the theme song, Jay went on to co-compose the music score for the history-making series (first Canadian-made production to premiere on prime-time US TV- CBS). Jay was nominated twice for Best Music Score In A Dramatic Series(Gemini Awards), and 66 episodes of "Due South" were produced. 2 Soundtrack albums were released, and "Due South", as the most successful Canadian TV series ever created, is currently in syndication around the world.
Jay Semko
Merry Christmas
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Label: Smoothwater Records
Length: 25 minutes
Genre: Acoustic
Release: 2006
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Deck the Halls |
| Good King Wenceslas |
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen |
| What Child Is This? |
| Hark! The Herald Angels Sing |
| I Saw Three Ships |
| We Three Kings of Orient Are |
| Joy to the World |
| Silent Night |
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas |