Glen Foster jazzes up the holidays with his new album The Spirit Of Christmas — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
An eclectic assortment of classic holiday numbers and original compositions, the album finds the B.C. singer-guitarist putting his own unique stamp on the sounds of the season. One highlight of the 12-song set is the remastered version of Glen Foster’s 1986 title-track single, which was initially released on red vinyl.
Inspiration for the release materialized gradually over several years, finally coming to fruition just in time for this upcoming holiday season. Foster began the creative process by discussing the single and album opener Christmas In Vancouver with premier jazz keyboardist Marty Steele, and decided to expand the project into a full-blown album shortly after. He then gathered a team of all-star musicians under the guidance of seasoned producer Rick Salt to create a record that’s jazzy and festive.
The pandemic prompted Foster to record many of the solo guitar pieces at his home studio, giving the album an artisanal, handcrafted quality. The glistening sounds of the season come alive on the uptempo Jingle Bells Jig, which features century-old sleigh bells and a vintage cigar box refashioned into a ukulele. Musical themes of togetherness are made more moving by the harmonies performed alongside Foster’s wife, and there’s even a cute little part for his young son.
The depth of Foster’s musical expertise stems from over 40 years of performing professionally with many bands and studying across multiple sonic disciplines. He runs his record label and publishing companies out of Vancouver Island, where he has written and produced nine albums with some of Canada’s top musical talents. Foster has enjoyed an accomplished career, including a performance for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and winning two silver medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Listen to The Spirit Of Christmas below, watch the videos for Christmas In Vancouver and Jingle Bells Jig above, and find Glen Foster at his website, Twitter and Facebook.
