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A Whim and a Prayer

Karen Stachel's "A Whim and a Prayer" 
is a gorgeous festive album with great variety and dynamics. The performances are top notch, and of course Karen shines right through with her virtuoso, yet subtle playing. The guest vocalists are fantastic and add a lot to the energy. I particularly loved the renditions of The Christmas Waltz, Let it Snow,  A Child is Born and In the Bleak Midwinter. Even beyond the holiday season, sit back, let it play from beginning to end and feel a smile on your face, and maybe a nostalgic tear drop too! 
-Ricky Kej
2X Grammy Award Winner

A Whim and a Prayer is a jazz recording of Christmas classics.  Hear it on Spotify:  

1.  “Let It Snow” (Sammy Kahn, Jule Styne) – 4:19

2.  “Angels Have You Heard On High” featuring Carlos Chong (Traditional) – 5:22

3. "Mary Did You Know” featuring Yaritza Lopez, Irma Treminio (Mark Lowry, Buddy Green) – 5:43

4. “Peace On Earth” featuring Derick Hughes, Carl Wheeler (Norbert Stachel) – 7:06

5. “O Come O Come Emanuel” (Traditional) – 4:36

6. “The Christmas Waltz” (Traditional) – 5:58

7. “A Child Is Born” featuring Meredith Joseph Augustin (Thaddeus Jones) – 5:17

8. “I Wonder as I Wander” featuring Norbert Stachel (John Jacob Niles) – 4:08

9. “In The Bleak Midwinter” featuring Meredith Joseph Augustin (Traditional) – 7:08

10. “This Christmas” (Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor) – 4:43

Personnel

Karen Stachel – flutes, lead vocals (8), percussion effects (9), arrangement (6) co-arrangement (8)

Norbert Stachel – tenor saxophone (1, 4, 7, 10) soprano saxophone (2, 3, 5) bass clarinet (8, 9), shakers (2, 3, 9) sleighbells (6) dumbek (8), percussion effects (2, 9), arrangements (4, 5, 9), co-arrangements (2, 8, 10)

Manuel Valera – acoustic piano (1-3, 5-10), arrangements (1, 7) 

Carl “The Rev” Wheeler – synthesizer (3), organ (4) electric piano (3, 4, 10) synth strings (10)

Carlos Chong – acoustic and electric guitar (2, 5) electric guitar (1, 6)

Marc Malsegna – acoustic guitar (3) electric (4, 10)

John Benitez – acoustic bass (1, 2, 5-9), electric bass (3, 10), arrangements (3) co-arrangement (2, 10)

Eric Smith – electric bass (4)

Francis Benitez – drums (1-3, 6-10), congas, shekera, compana bell (10)

Danté “Taz” Roberson – drums (4)

Chris Velazquez – congas (4)

Benny Kooneyevsky – middle eastern percussion (5)

Rob Holland – bongos (2, 3), congas, woodblocks (3) percussion effects (9)

Derick Hughes– lead and background vocals (4)

Yaritza Lopez – lead vocals (3)

Irma Treminio – lead vocals (3)

Meredith Joseph Augustin – lead vocals (7, 9) 

Production

John Benitez, Norbert Stachel, Karen Stachel – Producers (1–3, 5-10)

Carl “The Rev” Wheeler, Norbert Stachel, Karen Stachel – Producers (4)

Carl “The Rev” Wheeler, FM Studio, Emeryville, CA, recording, editing (4)

Kostadin Kamcev, Mozart Studio, Little Falls, NJ - engineering, recording (1-3, 5-10)

Norbert Stachel, Karen Stachel, Purple Room Studio, NYC, NY - engineering, recording, mixing (1-10)

Pfil Bright, Electric Chai, Grass Valley, CA – percussion recording (2, 3, 6, 9), engineering, mixing (1-10)

Donnie Johnston, Electric Chai, Grass Valley, CA – assistant engineer (2, 3, 6, 9)

Steve Jarvis, Emeryville, CA - mic & pre-amp rental (4)

Benny Lopez, Tropical Recordings, Davenport, FL - mixed and mastered “Mary Did You Know”

Carlos Velazquez, Playbach Recording Studio, San Juan, PR - mastering

A Whim and a Prayer

Karen Stachel

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And The Holy Spirit

And the Holy Spirit

Karen Stachel

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Jazz flute plays fresh originals and standards. Tracks: 1 Only Trust Your Heart 2 Ooh Child 3 The Summer Knows 4 The Local Bar 5 Restoration 6 Sunshine 7 Goodbye Elgin Park 8 Midtown Madness 9 Bernie's Tune

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    The Local Bar

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    Restoration

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    Sunshine

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    Goodbye Elgin Park

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    Midtown Madness

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    Bernie's Tune

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And Of The Son

And Of The Son

Karen Stachel

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12 Christmas songs designed to get you into the Christmas spirit. Tracks: Away In A Manger Carol Of The Bells Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairies God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas I Don't Know How To Love Him Little Drummer Boy Merry Christmas Darling Nature Boy O Holy Night O Little Town Of Bethlehem The Christmas Song

12 Christmas songs designed to get you into the Christmas spirit. Tracks: Away In A Manger Carol Of The Bells Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairies God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas I Don't Know How To Love Him Little Drummer Boy Merry Christmas Darling Nature Boy O Holy Night O Little Town Of Bethlehem The Christmas Song The First Noel The Lord's Prayer The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Silent Night

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    O Holy Night

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    Nature Boy

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    Carol Of The Bells

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    The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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    The First Noel

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    Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

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    I Don't Know How to Love Him

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    The Lord's Prayer

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    Silent Night

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In The Name Of The Father

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