Sagskara - Apelgra - $18.99
(cdRoots# cda-sagskara)
Traditional Christmas songs and tunes from Sweden

Grigore Lese - Lapus Song - $17.99
(cdRoots# hm-c600023)
Grigore Lese's album carries on the traditional singing of Lapus country, in the region of Maramures of Hungary. It features long song, throat singing Christmas carols and songs connected to agricultural and herding cycles or social life.

Center of Jewish Poems and Piyyut in Ashdod - Shirat HaBakashot (PAL DVD) - $18.5
(cdRoots# yy-mgdvd049)
DVD of Shirat HaBakashot (Song of Requests) - a collection of piyyutim (Jewish liturgical poems) sung by the synagogue attendees, mainly on Shabbat (Saturday) and Jewish holidays. The Bakashot prayer on this DVD is sung during the Jewish New Year High Holidays, and is performed by Rabbi David Edery and the "Center of Jewish Poems and Piyyut in Ashdod" choir. The singing is in the a-capella style (with no instrumental accompaniment), while the singers are sited at tables laid out with delicacies - all this in the best Jewish tradition requirement. The viewer of this DVD experiences the Jewish tradition and holiday spirits, as if he is present in the synagogue himself. (PAL format DVD)

BalkanBeats - A Night in Berlin - $18.99
(cdRoots# hm-pir2338)
Robert Soko has been throwing parties in Berlin since 1993. He was the first to coin the term BalkanBeats to try and define his mix of music from the Balkans. BalkanBeats are Serbian Gypsy brass and folk melodies reinterpreted, given electronic beats and blended with western styles such as ska and rock. In the recent past the phenomenon has caught on in other cities around the world where Balkan immigrants live. BalkanBeats parties rave all the way from Frankfurt and Vienna to New York and Melbourne. Robert grew up in Zenica, central Bosnia, listening to western music: rock and roll, punk and ska. In 1990 he left Bosnia for Berlin. He took a job as a taxi driver and started hanging out at the Arcanoa, a punk bar in Berlin's immigrant quarter Kreuzberg with his ex-pat friends. The Arcanoa became their second home. Soko put on his first parties there, playing his Yugo music for fifty German marks and beer for free. He celebrated socialist holidays: Tito's birthday, Day of Women. May First. The parties were a mix of irony and nostalgia and Soko was surprised to see how many people came, as nostalgia for Yugoslav socialism was not the 'in thing' in those days of growing Balkan nationalism. And yet the parties grew. Then something happened. After years of listening and playing western-derived rock, punk and ska, Soko found himself returning to his ethnic Balkan music roots, the roots he had rejected as a youth in Bosnia. This was largely due to two figures, Goran Bregovic and Emir Kusturica. Bregovic who revamped Balkan Gypsy melodies, making Balkan music palatable for a western audience, and Kusturica, for whose Gypsy inspired films Bregovic did the soundtracks. And Soko played new/old Balkan music. And people loved it. Women grooved to it. Guys pogoed to it. It was a sensation. The press took notice. From the Arcanoa, Soko moved onwards and upwards, first to the Mudd Club, then to the Lido, all the while spreading the party fever to other cities around Europe, to New York, L.A., South Africa and Brazil. The enhanced CD features a Slideshow, which takes the viewer through a BalkanBeats night in Berlin with music by Fanfare Ciocarlia. Listen tp Markovic Orchestar | Listen to dunklebunt

Åsne Valland Nordli - Julekvad - $19.99
(cdRoots# kkv-177)
The Norwegian singer performs Nordic folk songs and traditional European religious songs for the winter holiday and Christmas, with Joakim Friis-Holm (Celtic harp); Arve Henriksen (trumpet); Paolo Vinaccia (percussion) and Elin Ødegaard (vocal improvisation).

Oslo Gospel Choir - En stjerne skinner i natt - $19.99
(cdRoots# kkv-343)
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the choir recorded in Oslo Concert Hall in December last year, where they gave five concerts to packed houses. This recording radiates the intimate and inspiring Christmas spirit this choir is so renowned for.he recording offers highlights from the choirs repertoire performed at Christmas concerts across Norway over their 20 years, featuring such favourites as "Glade jul" (Holy Night), "Julekveldsvisa" (Ready for Christmas Eve), "O, helga natt" (O Holy Night), Go Tell It On The Mountain, "En stjerne skinner i natt" (A Star Is Shining Tonight), written by the choir conductor Tore W. Aas, and "Mariavise" (Marys Song), written by Aas and Erik Hillestad.

Marina Rossell - Al Gran Teatre del Liceu - $12.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv450006)
Recorded in the Gran Teatre del Licieu de Barcelona during la Diada, Catalonia's national holiday, it showcases the artist's continued revival of the traditional Catalan repertoire. The album twenty-three tracks features several guests, including Kepa Junkera.

Sinikka Langeland - Andreas Liebig - Stjerneklang - $17.99
(cdRoots# grcd-stjern)
Sinikka Langeland sings folk songs and improvises with Andreas Liebig, who performs on the historic Wagner-organ (1741) in Nidaros Cathedral, in Trondhjem, Norway. They present Bach's organ chorales for Christmas in a unique and passionate way.

Picotage - Je n'irai plus aux champs - $14.99
(cdRoots# fce-5376)
Following their collection dedicated to Christmas carols, the band is engaged again on the repertoire of Central France. This production is clearly focussed on traditional sounds, but Picotage worked to carefully mix them up with a progressive flair, defining their own music as 'musique d’Hammond' rather than musique du monde.

Ensemble del Doppio Bordone - La notte di Natale (ES5303 - $14.99
(cdRoots# fce-doppio)
With its blend of ancient instruments from peasant culture (bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, flutes) and of cultured origin (fiddle, cello and harmonium), during last ten years this band performed all over Europe, obtaining a vast positive response both from audience and critics. In December 1995, the Ensemble represented Italy in the program Comete, co-produced by various national broadcasting companies of EU, Eastern Europe and North-American countries. Its repertoire varies from alms-collecting chants, dances played during harvest time, carnival music and Christmas carols, songs sung in May and melodies of Passion.

Moshe Berlin Ensemble - Aeinu! - $19.99
(cdRoots# hm-sm1628)
Aneinu! contains repertoire from the Israeli hasidic-orthodox klezmer tradition. The field recordings of Israel's foremost klezmer clarinetist, Moshe Berlin, were made by ethnomusicologist Joel Rubin in a yeshiva during the ceremony celebrating the end of the holiday Simchat Torah. They show the vital role that the music of the klezmorim and the ecstatic singing of nigunim (melodies of spiritual elevation) play among orthodox Jews, displaying at the same time a microcosm of the variety of ethnic and cultural influences to be found in the musical traditions of Israel today.

The Bulgarian Voices Angelite - Angels' Christmas - $17.99
(cdRoots# jaro-angelx)
The famous Bulgarian choir explores the Nativity as heard in Bulgaria and eastern Europe.

Triakel - WinterSongs - $12.99
(cdRoots# ns-6061)
An acoustic collection of Swedish Christmas and winter songs performed on fiddle, harmonium and vocals by three of Sweden's finest young musicians

Aage Kvalbein and Iver Kleive - Julemeditasjoner (Christmas meditations) - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-328)
Two Norwegian musicians on piano and cello express the tranquil moods of Christmas. With their extensive experience of interpreting traditional musical material and with a touch of irreverence, these open-minded musicians have toyed with familiar Christmas songs, inserting a classical piece by Vivaldi here and another by Schubert there, to create a mix of well-loved Christmas songs.

Carola - I natt blir värden ny - Jul i Betlehem II - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-326)
The norwegian vocalist presents a second collection of old and new Christmas songs in the Holy Nativity Church in Bethlehem, bringing moods and sounds from the region of the world where Christ was born. Her second visit to the city of David has inspired her to new interpretations of famous Christmas songs, featuring the musical expression of Bethlehem. Carola wonderful voice is complemented by musicians from Norway, Sweden and the Middle East.

Iver Kleive - Hyrdenes tilbedelse - $19.99
(cdRoots# kkv-287)

Helene Blum - En Sød Og Liflig Klang - $16.99
(cdRoots# go-blum06)
Folk and modern interpretations of Jule music old and new by the Danish singer, accompanied by Harald Haugaard (who also produced the recordings), with Ditte Fromseier, Harald Haugaard, Kirstine Elise Pedersen, lea Havelund, Mikkel Bøggild, Sune Hånsbæk, Torben Sminge, Hans Mydtskov, Karen Mose, Jullie Hjetland, Kristian Stærke on violins, cello, guitar and vocals. One of the best Christmas recordings I have heard in a while. Highly recommended.

Vintermane - Sode Julenatt - $17.99
(cdRoots# kkv-vinter1)
The eminent Vintermåne trio, featuring vocals, piano and saxophone, delivers the real Christmas spirit with folk tunes from Telemark and a poetic jazz-inspired accompaniment on Søde Julenatt

Kari Bremnes and Rikard Wolff - Desemberbarn - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-247)
December's Children' offers a glitter free, unvarnished and poetic Christmas recording by the Norwegian singer and the Swedish singer/actor in a mix of old and new Christmas and winter songs. In addition to well known Norwegian and Swedish Christmas songs, Kari and Rikard have created some new material that will add to our Christmas and winter tradition, for a Christmas based on tradition but living in a new millennium. Their work with the album expresses a collective longing for unity in our present world of insecurity.

Oslo Gospel Choir - Det Skjedde i de dager - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-259)
The spirit of Norwegian Christmas - Princess Martha Louise reads the Christmas story in Norwegian. Songs are performed by the choir and guest vocalist Sigvart Dagsland, and include Stille Natt, Det Hev Ei Rose Sprunge, Dailig Eg Jorden, Hellige Natt and more.

Schola Sanctae Sunnivae and Hartkeriana - Officium et Missae in Nativitate Sancti Ioannis Baptistae - $24.99
(cdRoots# kkv-306)
A female choir from Trondheim, Norway and a male choir from Amsterdam presnt works inspired by a thousand years of church music traditions. These internationally recognized choirs have recorded a St. John's officium, a collection of a full days masses and hourly prayers on a double CD set, with music both for midsummer and the nativity. Music in the gregorian tradition, marvelously recorded (as all KKV recordings are), with great spacial presence and accuracy.

Skruk and Rim Banna - Krybberom - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-krybberom)
The Norwegian art ensemble Skruk and singer Rim Banna from Nazareth join together to create a powerful recording, interpreting traditional songs from both cultures about the Nativity, centered on themes of homelessness and peace

Skruk - Stjerna fra øst (Star of the East) - $17.99
(cdRoots# kkv-star)
With the Moscow Balalaika Quartet, Torunn Sævik and Geirr Lystrup. An original set of songs for Christmas, based on Russian traditions, and performed by a small ensemble of instrumentalists, a balalaika quartet, solo singers and large chorus.

Iver Kleive - Juleevangeliet - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-207)

Ambrogio Sparagna - Fermarono i Cieli - $17.99
(cdRoots# rd-ft37)
In the middle of the 18th century Alfonso Maria de' Liguori and his Redemptorist priests introduced hymns both in the local dialect and in Italian, based on popular songs, to teach the basics of Christianity. Many of the songs were related to Christmas-tide celebrations, as well as lullabies, pastorales for the zampogna (Italian bag-pipes), alms-seeking chants, and others. Sparagna preserves the original spirit of these traditional folk prayers with Peppe Servillo and a female vocal quintet, accompanied by the eclectic instrumentalist Erasmo Treglia and an trio featuring a giant zampogna (bagpipe), along with harmonium, tamburelli, organetto (accordion), ciaramella, ghironda, oboe barocco, violino and more.

Nina Ramsby and Martin Hederos - Jazzen - $16.99
(cdRoots# amigo-jazzen)
Singer Nina Ramsby and pianist Martin Hederos first met in 2000 and began singing casually together. In January 2004 recorded Visorna, a collection of their favorite songs in Swedish. In the spring of 2005 they began work on this new recording, Jazzen, featuring their own unique takes on jazz standards by notable jazz performers like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Sade and Betty Carter. Nina has rewritten the lyrics in Swedish, to suit her own needs and experiences. These are bare, sometimes stark performances, mostly simply piano and voice, with occasional string, harmonica, reed and brass punctuations that envelope the voice and allow it room to expand and contract as it needs. They also have 2 original pieces (one song, one instrumental), which to my ear, are some of the best pieces on the CD.

Henning Andersen with Marit Mattisgard - Underlege makter - $17.99
(cdRoots# talik-24)
The songs of the church bells of Valdres, Norway, performed by this duo on voices, fiddles, jews harp, folk flutes, zithers and of course, the bells of Valdres themselves. The artists say: "The bells ring: From time immemorial the church bells have rung in to festival and feat, to sorrow and joy. For people here in Norway the church bells have been a sound and safe landmark for over a thousand years. Over the years they have served various purposes but primarily have been God’s voice here on earth. They have summoned the congregation to church service, baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals. Gradually they gained other duties than the sacral as they were used to warn of war and mobilisation, accidents and catastrophes. The bells marked the passing hours, the start and end of the working day and the commencement of church holidays when tired bodies could rest."

Various artists - Christmas Around The World - $8.99
(cdRoots# putu-xmas)
A collection of music from around the world specifically for Christmas. 12 tracks compiled for 2003 include Steve Schuch and the Night Heron Consort, Liuba Maria Hevia, Michael Doucet, Sheryl Cormier, Los Reyes, Dan Crary, Kali , Ramon F.Veloz and more.

Baraban - La Santa Notte Dell'oriente - $17.99
(cdRoots# rd-baraban2)
Christmas songs and melodies by the quintet Barabàn from Milan. From Christmas Eve to Epiphany, eleven tracks show vocal or intrumental tunes, rhymes and sounds: from traditional rites of Northern Italy from the Po Valley, songs usually performed in the cowsheds during the watches of the night, pastorelle played in the foggy nights around Milan, pive from the repertoire of travelling musicians, Christmas carols from Venetia and Friuli, begging songs of Romagna, Gregorian airs, songs performed during a traditional theatrical piece called Gelindo, the Stella repertoire from Lombard mountains, sounds and noises of Befania rite. La Santa Notte dell'Oriente is not, however, a pure nostalgic disc. Far from any ethnic revival, the band plies a contempory musical course mixing bagpipes, fiddles and melodeons with a range of Mediterranean and Eastern percussions.

Marina Rossell - Nadal - $17.99
(cdRoots# hm-rossell05)
Music for the Christmas holiday from one of the great voices of Catalan Spain.

Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell - How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone?: Vol. 1, 1928-1934 - $29.99
(cdRoots# sst-jsp7104)
4 CDs with 95 tracks of early citified blues from this popular piano/guitar duo: "How Long, How Long Blues," "Naptown Blues," "Christmas in Jail," "Papa's on the House Top," "Midnight Hour Blues," "Mean Mistreater Mama," and much more. Essential listening

Paul Hillier et al - Traditional and Modern Carols - $9.99
(cdRoots# hm-carols)
The Pro Arte Singers, Indiana University Children’s Chamber Choir. Paul Hillier, Director. A variety of carols drawn from both sides of the Atlantic, in a program of early English favorites, Shaker and shape-note carols, and 20th-century gems.

various - Messiah: Remix - $17.99
(cdRoots# hm-remessiah)
One of the irresistible chestnuts of classical music gets a radical overhaul by some of the contemporary music scene's leading provacatuers. Handel's 1742 warhorse gets mashed into electronica, modernist mania, moody ambience, rough-hewn hip-hop and uninhibited nuttiness by artists like John Oswald, Scanner, Paul Lansky and Eve Beglarian.

Anonymous 4 - Christmas Music from Medieval Hungary - $9.99
(cdRoots# hm-hungxmas)
The famous female vocal quartet offers unusual holiday music.

Le Picotage - Noel nouveau est venu (ES5311 - $14.99
(cdRoots# fce-picotage)
Christmas songs and tunes from the Centre of France, played on hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, keyboards, plus a fantastic female voice. The Christmas Carols were chosen among the dozen of popular songs that are particulary abundant in the Centre of France: some of these songs are still sung in certain churches in the Limousin region. The legendary complex to which the lyrics make reference are taken mainly from the Apocryphal Evangiles.

Darko Rundek and Cargo Orkestar - Ruke - $17.99
(cdRoots# hm-pir1894)
Darko Rundek, singer, poet, actor, theatre director and frontman of the late Yugo-cult band Haustor, took a holiday from his solo-career for the adventures of a real Cargo Orkestar. The comédie des sens of Paris meet the European spleen of Zagreb, cosmopolitan influences of immigration clash with Balkan traditions. Join the Cargo Orkestar for a mysterious musical journey, rough and real, made of questioning, pain, joy and humour. Listen

various artists, Italy - I Doli Du Signuri - $18.99
(cdRoots# rd-ethnica10)
The sorrows of the Lord - As with Christmas, the Passion and Death of Christ have long stimulated the popular musical creativity in various compositions. The album presents research documents from the provinces of Messina, Enna, and Catania: monovocal and polivocal songs from the rituals of Holy Week in Sicily. The Passion, the Stations of the Cross, and Resurrection, through the liturgical songs and the traditional religious culture. Recordings from 1979 to 1992.

Various Artists - A Cantata Di Li Pasturi - $18.99
(cdRoots# rd-ethnica8)
Vocal and instrumental pieces from the Christmas tradition in the province of Messina, with an wide and varied panorama of monovocal and polivocal pieces (ninne nanne, litanie, novene ) and instrumental pieces (pastorali with bag pipes). The collection demonstrates the profound roots of the rich culture of Christmas in the popular religious traditions. Recordings from 1984 to 1993.

Katia Cardenal - Ven a mi casa esta navidad - $18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-card-navi)
The Nicaraguan singer presents the songsof Christmas she remembers from her home. Classics from Europe are intermingled with songs local to Nicaragua, Bolivia and elsewhere in the southern Americas. Recorded with Cuban musicians including guitarist Rey Guerra.

Frode Alnæs, Arild Andersen, Stian Carstensen - Julegløggen - $17.99
(cdRoots# kkv-jule)
OK, some things I just can't resist. Norwegian musicians Frode Alnæs (guitar), Arild Andersen (bass) and Stian Carstensen (banjo and accordion) join together to give a jazzy yet Nordic touch to some Norwegian folk songs and some global holiday classics, traditional and popular.

Various artists - Jul i Folkton - $temp out of stock-17.99
(cdRoots# amigo-jul)
Music for the Juletide, in a recording that includes artists like Sofia Karlsson, Sara Isaksson, Ale Möller, Lisa Rydberg, Lena Willemark, Esbjorn Hazelius, Roger Tallroth, Louise Hoffsten and Rebecka Tornqvist, is probably worth listening to any time of the year. Together they form a Nordic "supergroup" worthy of your attention, even on the hottest summer day!

The Oxford Waits with The Mellstock Band - Hey for Christmas - $temp out of stock-17.99
(cdRoots# hojo-hey)
Seasonal songs and carols from the Bodleian Library's Broadside Ballad collections

Magpie Lane - Wassail! A Country Christmas - $temp out of stock-18.99
(cdRoots# hojo-wassail)
A collection of songs and tunes which were originally performed in the band's hugely popular Christmas concerts at the Holywell Music Room, Oxford.

various - Il Natale nella tradizione siciliana - $temp out of stock-17.99
(cdRoots# matson-natale)
Il Natale nella tradizione siciliana - Messina e la sua Provincia starts with a slow beautiful zampogna a para (bagpipe) solo and then moves through 31 tracks of Sicilian stories and music for Christmas and the nativity. Real folks songs and folk stories told by local, non-professional musicians for the most part. Includes notation for some of the music, notes are in Italian.

various Italian artists - Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle - $temp out of stock-17.99
(cdRoots# matson-stelle)
Descending from the starry skies presents the music of the nativity, culled from 78rpm discs recorded between 1916 and 1955. It includes small ensembles and solo performances for voice, fiddle, bagpipes, zampogna and ciaramelle, accordion and more. 25 tracks, with extensive liner notes in Italian only.

Solveig Slettahjell and Tord Gustavsen - Natt i Betlehem - $temp out of stock-19.99
(cdRoots# kkv-342)
Christmas carols and religious songs, in Norwegian and English, both tradtional and contemporary, performed on piano and voice

Det Norske Jentekor - Julens hjerte (The heart of Christmas) - $temp out of stock-18.99
(cdRoots# kkv-327)
For Christmas the Norwegian Girls Choir presents Yuletide songs in arrangements by Henning Sommerro. The record also features the Cikada string quartet and Kari Bremnes on two tracks and Lise Sørensen on violin. Anne Karin Sundal is the choir conductor. The songs on the new record have mostly been selected from traditional songs that are part of Christmas, given fresh new arrangements that still hold close to the simplicity of the old folk songs.

Aquabella - Kykellia - $temp out of stock-18.99
(cdRoots# jaro-kyk)
Their worldwide hunt for winter and Christmas songs took this female vocal quartet from Germany to Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland, Latvia, France, Norway, Georgia, Russia, Israel, New Zealand, Argentina and North America. The 19 songs on this collection epitomize the joy and solemnity so many cultures ascribe to the Nativity and the darkness of winter. Songs are performed a capella or with minimal percussion accompaniment.

Cororchestra Cantarchevai - Nadàl Encara - $temp out of stock-17.99
(cdRoots# fce-cornadal)
A collection of Christmas carols from Italy and elsewhere, performed in a unique, sparse, modern folk style, an almost neo-field-recording atmosphere.

temp out of stock-19.99 - Sondre Bratland - Norway christmas holiday classical