Without touring as much as usual due to the pandemic, this past spring and summer found Lennie Gallant writing a plethora of new songs—many with some jingle bells attached. Now Gallant is offering an album of 11 original Christmas songs.
Says Gallant, “I am very excited about this project! I think it ranks with my very best work and the reaction from the folks who have heard early cuts has been over the top! It was a lot of fun to make and I can’t wait for more people to hear it!”
The album, Christmas Day On Planet Earth, is as much a collection of songs for the times as it is celebratory and fun. The album also pays attention to the present trials of our fragile blue planet with a couple of hopeful songs. Gallant takes the listener on an auditory journey to various Christmas locations around the world—from Southern Africa with the title song to Paris for a street waltz, to the Middle East, Motown, an East Coast Kitchen gathering, and a hospital ward on Christmas eve.
The project features vocalist and instrumentalist Patricia Richard and a host of players including Black Umfolosi of Zimbabwe and Halifax trumpet virtuoso Mike Cowie. It was helmed by JUNO award-winning producer, Les Cooper. Parts of the album were recorded in Egmont Bay, Charlottetown, Toronto, Halifax and Drummondville.
