Before I present my Christmas 2012 AmperArt design, I wish to to tell you about the two incredible kids who inspired it.
Lydia Jayne, 12 years old, and her brother Alden Blake, 14, are exceptionally talented children. Both of them are visual artists and both of them are musicians. They’ve even produced short films together.
Just recently they produced their 2012 Christmas album.
When I say “they produced” I really mean that — they produced it all by themselves.
Lydia sang the lyrics and added percussion.
Alden played all the instruments — Guitar, Bass, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Ukulele, and Percussion.
Alden also recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced everything. Want more? He is the album cover artist as well. In short, there were no adults involved at all! (To mentor Alden in my area of expertise, I changed a few elements on the cover art that appears on this AmperArt page, but not Alden’s original art which is on their own site.)
I’ve known these kids for several years, heard them play and watched them draw, but I had no idea they were this incredibly talented. I actually had tears listening to Lydia’s and Alden’s rendition of these songs. Lydia has a strong, soulful voice and unusually great styling – as if she were a veteran songstress. Alden’s inflections, phrasing and cadence with each of his instruments conveys the precise meaning of the part of the song he’s playing.
Lydia and Alden are amazingly talented. The term genius comes to mind.
I especially like Lydia’s personality and Alden’s ukelele on “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and their heartfelt rendition of “Oh Holy Night.” For a solo guitar treat, listen to Alden’s “Carol of the Bells.”
Listen free — click here (http://lydiajayne.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-spirit)
Enjoy the beautiful, charming, joyous music these children have created, absolutely free. In the spirit of Christmas you may wish to help kick-start their career by purchasing a song (name your own price) or the entire album. These children are donating a portion of the proceeds to the World Wildlife Fund.
These kids, and their Christmas album, inspired my 2012 AmperArt edition. Fortunately, one of the album’s songs, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” contains an ampersand (actually, the word “and”) in the lyrics.
You may view, download and print a high-resolution pdf of this special AmperArt edtion here: Letter size 8½x11 inches Tabloid size 11x17 inches