Have ‘12 Weeks of Christmas’ with hammered dulcimer album release
By Pam Bowman
What a pleasure it is to be the person who has the privilege to clue you in to this wonderful new recording for the Christmas season! “Unto Us a Child Is Born” is the second release from Katelyn Baas, containing beautiful selections of hammered dulcimer arrangements along with guitar accompaniment.
First, let me gush about Katelyn … a gal from the northern Michigan northwoods (as am I). She is a lovely young lady who already knew a plethora of musical information before I had the privilege of introducing her to the hammered dulcimer! Previous classical training on the guitar certainly didn’t hurt her transformation into a wonderful hammered dulcimer artist as well!
Not only does she play the dulcimer on these selections, she is accompanying herself with guitar. Not only does she accompany herself, she is recording all of this music herself and mixing/mastering it into what we can now thoroughly enjoy in our own homes!! (No … it isn’t too many exclamation points!)
Because of its light, joyful sound, it sometimes seems like the hammered dulcimer was created for Christmas music. This new recording of Katelyn’s certainly helps to affirm that whimsical thought. Within this album are beautiful combinations of traditional Christmas hymns as well as a couple that are not always included on some playlists. These are a refreshing delight! This includes a composition of her own woven into the Christmas Medley (track #5).
Her beginning selection, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” draws you in with its lovely tenderness and gentleness – a sweet sound for the ears. “For Unto Us a Child Is Born” is a treat of her classical arranging on the hammered dulcimer. “Away in a Manger,” using two melodies, leaves the listener in a peaceful state as the end selection. This album is for your easy-listening pleasure – even the selections that have a more upbeat tempo are performed in a way that is still peaceful, uplifting, and relaxing.
To make the digital release of this album even more special, Katelyn started the “12 Weeks of Christmas” on Oct. 6, 2023, releasing one track to streaming services each Friday until Christmas. You can find the tracks on Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, Tidal, YouTube, and Deezer. The complete album will be available on Amazon starting Dec. 22, 2023.
You can purchase the CD of “Unto Us a Child Is Born” (and also “The Way of the Cross Leads Home,” her first recording) from Katelyn’s website, katelynbaas.com, where you will also find streaming links for both albums.
Katelyn sums up her album this way: “I’m praising the only One who makes the impossible possible: My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without His birth there would be no reason for the joyful songs of this wonderful season.”
“Unto Us a Child Is Born” will be a wonderful addition to your Christmas season!
Bowman is a life-long musician. She teaches and performs at various events. Find books and music at pambowmanmusic.com.