Beate S. Lech & SKRUK // Høgtidsrom // CD

The Christmas repertoire unleashed 

Beate Lech is a very open, aware and searching singer whose most important experiences come from jazz and her role as the singer in the Beady Belle band. Now she has turned her attention to more familiar music, but at the same time she is breaking the mould of traditional Christmas music. With the SKRUK choir (conducted by Per Oddvar Hildre) she is now offering a new Christmas album, called "Høgtidsrom" [Room for the Holidays], where all the arrangements have been written by Beate herself. With a jazz trio featuring Andreas Bye on drums, Andreas Ulvo on keyboards and Marius Reksjø on bass, Beate Lech and SKRUK invite a wider audience into new musical rooms rarely furnished with Christmas songs. 

Well-loved Christmas staples are on the repertoire, such as "Silent Night", "Det hev ei rose sprunge" (A Spotless Rose Is Growing), "Å Betlehem du vesle by" (Oh Little Town of Bethlehem), "Eit barn er født i Betlehem" (A Child Is Born in Bethlehem), "Folkefrelsar til oss kom" (Saviour of the Nations, Come), "Her kjem me Jesus, dine små" (Thy Little Ones, Oh Lord, Are We) and "Mitt hjerte alltid vanker" (My Heart Is Always with Jesus). Beate has also translated or retold a number of less familiar songs such as "I stjernene det står" ("I saw three ships"), "Josef "("What child is this/Greensleeves") and "Ei voggesong i natta" ("A cradle in Bethlehem"). A song written by Beate's maternal grandmother has also been included: "Guddoms kjærleik" [Divine love].

Beate Lech and SKRUK take soloist turns, and the presence of the band with Andreas Ulvo's free improvisations on keyboard and Beate's own free solos contribute a sound that is unique and refreshing for a Norwegian Christmas album. The album was recorded in Kulturkirken Jakob (accompaniment and soloist) and Tøyen Church (choir) by Martin Abrahamsen, with Erik Hillestad and Beate Lech as producers.

Track list:

1. Mitt Hjarte Alltid Vankar                   5:01

2. A Betlehem Du Vesle By                  4:11

3. Her Kjem Me Jesus/Stille Natt        6:00

4. Det Hev Ei Rose Sprunge                6:03

5. I Stjernene Det Står                         3:16

6. Josef                                                4:25

7. Eit Barn er Født i Betlehem             3:48

8. Guddoms Kjærleik                           4:35

9. Folkefrelsar til Oss Kom                  3:04