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Consistent with my firm belief that Canada produces some of the truly great holiday albums, here comes the amazing Kim Fast, who is Missing the Mistletoe in Alberta. This saucy singer-songwriter effortlessly delivers jazzy pop in an acoustic setting. The diverse Christmas numbers seamlessly mix contemporary and ancient carols, and include two Fast originals.

For me, the success of offerings like this rises and falls on the strength of the lead voice, and Fast is first-rate. Her vocals are flirty and flexible, and her supporting trio provides an excellent foundation with arrangements that suit her style to a "T." The album opens brilliantly with seductive percussion on the Jingle Bells/Deck the Halls medley. The creative title track Missing the Mistletoe will have you longing for the festive yuletide kissing you've been waiting for all year; this original tune is a kicky treat. Fast's lovely I'll Be Home for Christmas is intense melancholy wrapped in Streisand-esque pop. In contrast, the more serious a cappella strains of O Come O Come Emmanuel has a more classical sentiment with gorgeous multi-layered harmonies that will transport you to a far better place. Everything is very, very good here.

Kim Fast has spunk and style, and her delightful Missing the Mistletoe most definitely deserves a listen--it's great!

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)

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From the liner notes:

Kim Fast, Vocals

Produced by Wes Caswell
Recorded and Mixed by Wes Caswell, Gracenote Studios, Edmonton, AB

Piano--Andrew Glover
Guitar--Wes Yaciuk
Bass--Wes Caswell
Drums--Gord Graber



From the Website:

Introduced to choral music and harmony by her family at a very young age, she met her first love, jazz, in high school in Winnipeg, Canada. Having been trained classically, she was exposed to Manhattan Transfer, Take6 and The New York Voices and developed a love for rich, complex harmonies and vocalese. Kim performed in Winnipeg's "Prodigy" for three years and competed with them at the Brandon Jazz Festival.

When she was just 17, Kim moved to Edmonton, which became home base for a yearlong tour with band "Morning Star". Kim graduated from Grant MacEwan College's Music Program, which she credits for helping her discover the unique instrument that is her voice. Kim was a member of the Grant MacEwan Showcase Bands and later, part of a vocal ensemble under the direction of Scott Leithead.

Kim is a well-known singer and musician in the Edmonton church music culture and a clinician at "Breakforth Canada", the nation's largest worship conference. She has done background vocals for many of the international artists imported for this world-class annual event.

Kim's current project is her first solo recording. It is apropos that she is kicking off the next stage of her musical life with a Christmas album. "Christmas brings out the music in all of us--there's a place to sing along everywhere you turn." The album is an acoustic jazz rendering of classic carols and Christmas songs as well as some original material. Kim is working with Edmonton musicians, pianist Andrew Glover, producer/bass Wes Caswell, guitarist Wes Yaciuk and drummer Gord Graber and has found this project to be an amazing, collaborative and creative experience.

The Project:

The majority of the album has a very acoustic jazz feel. A number of tunes are arranged for trio. Three original pieces, each very different from the others and carols and Christmas songs reworked to thrive in a club setting.

Classics "I'll be Home for Christmas" and "Hark the Herald Angels" groove right next to a reworking of "I Heard the Bells" ala Ray Charles. Original song "Missing the Mistletoe" pokes fun at all the romance of the holidays while "Forever Christmas Eve" reels the couples right back in. There's a front porch jam session feel to "Jingle Bells/Deck the Halls" and original "Coming Home" with its sparse Sarah McLachlan feel, might be the newest Canadian carol.

The project was produced by Wes Caswell of Gracenote Studios in Edmonton, and funding assistance was provided by Rawlco Radio (Magic99 FM in Edmonton). Edmonton musicians Andrew Glover, Wes Yaciuk and Wes Caswell worked on arrangements and played. Other musicians include Gord Graber, Ian Magnusson, Lorraine Zinn, Nathan Carroll, Kent Sangster & Gary McLachlan.

Kim Fast

Missing the Mistletoe

Artist link

Track List