One
of the most dynamic and critically acclaimed multi-talents on today’s indie
music scene, singer songwriter Shauna Burns continues on a spiritually driven
musical adventure that blossomed on her breakthrough 2008 recording The
Moon and The Fire Circle and
continued on 2009’s Anamnesis EP.
Inviting
longtime fans and newcomers alike to celebrate the holiday season, Burns
describes her latest
musical venture, the Celtic flavored A
Winter Gathering, as a new journey for her—a collection of newfangled
carols and original songs performed by her with her husband, drummer James
Clark (who also co-produces) and guest performers Caroline Kemper (Celtic
harp), Rick Kemper (Uilleann pipes & pennywhistle), Lindsey Springer
(cello), Ryan Whyte Maloney (guitar, backing vocals) and a five piece vocal
choir.
Bringing unique new elements and
sounds to her trademark style, Burns offers new twists to classic songs like
“Carol of the Bells,” “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Silent Night” and
includes three short original “breath point” pieces she calls “Songscapes.” She
includes “White Christmas” as a tribute to her mother Joyce (who always played
and sang it at holiday times when Burns was growing up) and also a compelling
rendition of Clark’s favorite song “What A Wonderful World.”
The singer describes the concept this way: “Winter Star,” the
first “songscape,” is the star in the East that the shepherds see in “The First
Noel”; Burns sings Gaelic words that speak about this bright new presence. The
star travels through the other songs starting with “Carol of the Bells,” descends
to earth in “White Christmas” through fire and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
through desert. “Luma,” the second songscape, is loosely based on “Ave
Maria” and represents the “light” breath. Silent Night” holds the grounding
axis of the album with its everlasting melody and frequency. “God Rest Ye
Merry, Gentlemen” holds the place of the strong anchor.
“The Gathering,”
the third songscape, “gathers” the songs, family and friends near and leads the
listener into “What a Wonderful World,” the resolution. Speaking whimsically,
Burns considers the instrumental versions of “Carol of the Bells” and “God Rest
Ye Merry, Gentlemen” as the end as “little cherries on top.”
The Las Vegas based singer’s blend
of ethereal vocals and sweeping piano and percussion driven atmospheres
launched her early singles “Pink Girl” and “Petunia” to major success in the
Triple AAA radio format. “Pink Girl” was also chosen as the #1 indie single
from the MAACP Radio show. Burns’ debut album Every Thought, which Smother.net declared “a newfangled fusion that
will ignite a spark that will be hard to replicate,” was also selected as one
of the Top CDs of 2005 by Collected Sounds, a popular taste making website
celebrating independent musicians. It was chosen for “Best of the Batch” from the
Music Industry News Network and featured on TowerPod.com, Indie-Music.com,
Billboard, VH1, Artist Direct, AOL Music and Fox TV, among other outlets.
The
Moon and the Fire Circle, a richly thematic and ultimately healing work
that offered an emotional bridge between darkness and light, met with similar
success. Its first single “Around You”
reached #7 on the FMQB AC Chart, was one of WCH Radio’s “Top Songs for
2008” and hit #1 on “Song Vault Radio.”
The collection was selected “Best of 2008” by Collected Sounds and The
Promise Live. Radio Crystal Blue also
chose Burns as one of the “Top Recording Artists of the Year 2008.” Conceived
as an extension of the music on The Moon
and the Fire Circle, Burns’ follow-up five track EP Anamnesis included songs that relate in some way to each of the
five senses (including “Smell”).
Over the past few years, Burns has
enchanted audiences at clubs and Borders Stores across the U.S. and in the U.K.
(where she toured early in 2007) with songs from her debut and its follow-up
five song EP Desert Tune, which
featured songs that overflowed from the first album’s sessions. Her first tour
in support of her debut was 40 dates and she embarked on a subsequent jaunt of
20 dates from coast to coast during the summer and fall of 2007. The success of
The Moon and the Fire Circle—and its
vibe of folk rock with Celtic influences--opened up exciting new opportunities
on the festival circuit. She has performed at Renaissance Fairs in Utah and
Texas; the Phoenix Faerie Festival; Green Girl Music and Arts Festival in Las
Vegas; Celtic Festival in Texas; and Medieval Mayhem in Show Low, Arizona.
Shauna
Burns on the web:
Official
Artist Website: http://www.shaunaburns.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shaunaburnsmusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/shaunaburns
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/shaunaburns
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