First Snow
Robert Prester & Adriana Samargia
Featuring The Parson Brown Singers

Co-produced by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia, Commonwealth Ave. Prod. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Robert Prester, The Studio at Upsal. Engineering Consultant, David Schanzer, Lakeshore Recording Studios, Robert’s Steinway B thanks to the generosity of Michele Kaufman, Inside liner notes by Bob Seymour

1. Joi to the World, George Frideric Handel
2. First Snow, Robert Prester
3. Comfort, Comfort, O My People, Johannes Olearius
4. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Coots and Gillespie
5. Away in a Manger, William Kirkpatrick
6. In the Bleak Midwinter, Gustav Holst
7. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Edmund Sears
8. Of the Father's Love Begotten, A.D. Clemens (Divinum Mysterium)
9. All I Want For Christmas is You, Mariah Carey/Walter Afamasieff
10. Manger Song of Mary, Markham and McFeeters
11. Masters in this Hall, Gustav Holst
12. Blue Christmas, Hayes and Johnson

Album Liner Notes:
Of all the enchanting elements that make up the spirit of the Christmas season, perhaps none defines it more for us than the music. From pieces that span generations and centuries to new favorites from our own time, it resonates with listeners around the world.  What a treat that with “First Snow,” Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia share their artistic gifts with us, with a set of wintersong gems seen in a fresh light – including the sacred and secular, the solemn and the swinging, the serious and the seriously fun. The duo share a background in jazz and classical music, with Adriana also known for performances of sacred music and American Popular Song. Robert recorded four impressive jazz cd’s of original material before returning to solo classical performance recently with.  “Rapsodya,” which includes his own new sonata. Specializing with his own music in Latin Jazz, he also plays a big part in the Brazilian Jazz recordings of guitarist Phill Fest. Adriana and Robert first shared the stage in 2012, and the inspiration they find in creating together has obviously only grown since.  For this session, you’ll likely hear a couple pieces you didn’t know, and you’ll certainly hear new twists on some old favorites. The set is filled with intriguing arrangements – a groove where you didn’t see it coming, or a reharmonization that changes the feel of a familiar tune (such as the minor key mood that makes for a whole new “Midnight Clear”). And we’re treated to multiple appearances by The Parson Brown Singers, featuring Adriana’s arrangements of their delightful vocal harmonies. The highlights on this distinctly different Christmas album start right at the top, with Adriana’s exciting vocal arrangement of “Joy to the World.” We’re drawn in by the World Music concepts applied to Handel’s melodic line, Robert’s sparkling piano solo which builds with the spice of Dave Schanzer’s full complement of Latin percussion, and the vocalists returning for a celebratory finish. Right out of the gate, the stage is set for musical surprises to come. I can’t stop hearing the timeless beauty of Gustav Holst’s setting of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” (with a lovely bridge added by Prester and Samargia) or – Holst again – “Masters in This Hall,” its joyous message told in swinging scat-singing fashion with lively vocal/piano trades as the duo make it their own. “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” goes back farthest: a lyric with ancient roots, with a long history as Gregorian chant, it features Adriana’s beautiful vocal with a reharmonized setting I wish those medieval monks could hear. And how about the Mariah Carey hit, a holiday anthem for a new generation since its introduction a quarter century ago? Adriana loved covering a singer she’s long admired, Robert is right in his wheelhouse with the Latin feel the arrangement takes on – and it’s amazing how seamlessly it fits between a 17th  century Advent hymn and “In the Bleak Midwinter.” The title piece, “First Snow,” the sole original, is one they’ve done for years. Robert began playing it on the bandstand, and Adriana would join with a quiet, wordless vocal. And eventually, she said “You know that song – it’s about snow falling…” I think you’ll hear that she’s right about that.  The album concludes with The Parson Brown Singers updating of the gift Elvis (with The Jordanaires) gave us in 1957, “Blue Christmas.” This is the group in true a cappella mode, with new opening and closing verses, composed by Adriana, that reflect this particular ‘bleak midwinter,’ as they sing in a moving way of missing loved ones at the holidays in this year that has changed all of our lives. This remarkable album shows two artists digging deep into their wide experience to celebrate the season. Ranging from ethereal to exuberant, Adriana delivers the message of the holiday in deeply affecting fashion. And on their arrangements incorporating blues, gospel, Latin rhythms, and straight-up swinging, along with a beautiful way with a pretty melody, Robert burnishes the reputation he’s established in the jazz world as a pianist of true originality and a virtuosic touch. They’ve given us something special for this Christmas,  and music you’ll return to for inspiration in holiday seasons to come.
Written by Bob Seymour, Jazz Director for WUSF, Tampa, 1981-2016