The Christmas Carol Project - media quotes

"For many years we have attended the Christmas Carol Project, and this year again it was fantastic!  I came home and listened to the CD again…I hope the project goes on for many more years.  It deserves an award!!"

Audrey Brooks, The Raging Grannies, 2011

"If Bourne was their Bob Dylanesque leader, then he was backed by the Band. Each artist presented his or her own distinct flavour and the mélange created a memorable tapestry that was more than just a Christmas soundtrack. The brilliant ballads could stand no matter what season it was, and showed that Alberta is rich with something more than just oil." 

Tim Craddock, Georgia Straight, December 18, 2010

"For a genuinely lovely seasonal treat, this is just the thing...The tunes are eclectic in style and content, from bluesy to funky to Celtic to gospel, yet they all meld into a wonderfully entertaining whole. Two songs are especially memorable. Kenneth Brown's The Men Who Toil, about the miners "who dig the deeps," and Maria Dunn's Tiny Tim song God Bless Us Everyone, with its sweet reminder: "When the world is feeling cold and the sky more grey than blue/ And the snow it seems to lie heavy heartedly on you/ To the counting house of blessings may we often chance to stray/ And in company together spend many's the night and day."

Henrietta Walmark, The Globe & Mail, December 2007

"...everyone in the cast makes a deep impression and you come away thinking of the real meaning of Dickens' story, which is a major achievement after all these years.  The Carol project is like one of
those tiny presents off in the corner under the tree that you almost ignore.  But to do so would be a big mistake, for the true spirit of the season shines within it."

Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star, December 2006

"The very notion of writing a musical version of A Christmas Carol seems like madness.  But it's divine madness.  The album features brilliant local people like Bill Bourne and Maria Dunn on songs that manage to capture the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of the Charles Dickens story without being the least bit corny or maudlin about it.  It's "haunting."  Ho, ho, ho ... "

Mike Ross, Edmonton Sun, December 2004

"... while this is a roots-oriented production with a largely acoustic feel, it's surprising to hear the eclectic range of performers and musical styles again.  For instance, Roschkov's early guitar song Better Way has a delicate bluesy feel, while his number Bad, Bad Man gets a little funky with a hip, sardonic tone and touches of plugged-in distortion. Dunn spins her accordion into a Celtic-styled reverie on God Bless Us Everyone. Later, Bourne turns Scrooge's plea for his future, Down On My Knees Jacob, into something of a gospel tune. Along with a lot of tasty guitar work from various cast members, Ladouceur's stick also adds a lot of atmospheric punctuation to the darker story elements."

Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal, December 2004

"O come all ye faithful, but particularly come all thee who have not yet seen the remarkable, locally produced Christmas Carol Project...The Brass Monkey Productions rendition is a contemporary musical
interpretation of this classic story, with narrated text segueing you from song to song.  The music is written and performed by a cast of local roots music luminaries, culled from the River City's finest.

Kirby, SEE Magazine, December 2000

"The most amazing thing about the Christmas Carol Project is that it's utterly free of corniness and yet still manages to instil Christmas Spirit in even the most Scrooge-like observer.  This thing is sure to become an annual alternative favourite to the usual sappy, soggy Christmas fare."

Mike Ross, Edmonton Sun, December 1997