Janette Isabella

Janette Isabella is a holiday album centered around two characters - Janette and Isabella. Janette can mean Grace and Isabella can mean Salvation. The album takes seven classic Christmas songs and rewrites them into a retelling of The Christmas Story, where Isabella (Salvation) is singing and traveling and is destined to meet Jeanette (Grace). As the two fall in love, the symbolism of Salvation and Grace, with the backdrop of the Christmas Story, reminds us that new life is always being reborn around us - the rebirth and entrance into our story by The Christ - which is the story of the incarnation that many know well.

One production note: In the spirit of Bob Dylan's "Christmas in the Heart" and the very famous Vince Guaraldi's 1965 iconic Christmas Album, where there's a rawness to the recordings, mistakes and rough vocals in all (ie "Human"), I decided to record the piano, for the most part, in one take - leaving mistakes. As for my voice, which even I'm not a fan of, I wanted it unprocessed and real - in direct opposition to all the processed and "fixed" music that is out there. Yes... I take advantage of computers often, but for a retelling of the Christmas Story, I wanted the story to be the focal point. And yes... I recognize that I have little right to include myself in the likes of Dylan and Guaraldi.

The vocal style that I heard was that of a father telling this story to his infant daughter who is sleeping - softly but with confidence. I left the emotion if I could - including me breaking down at measure 80 of "In the Bleak Midwinter" where, for whatever reason, when I sing "Heaven and earth will disappear, when Chriswt comes to reign" - because I realize how much I don't want Heaven any more than I want earth (I"M NOT SURE IF THIS IS CLEAR?)

At the end of the last track, the listener is left hanging with "The story is..."

At the beginning of the album, as the first track is played, the listener is greeted with "..is everywhere, being told 10 ten-thousand different ways for every star, for every light, on every tree." Life begins again, as the story of the album begins again.

The piano was recorded using the reverb setting of a medium sized, but empty chapel. The entire album sprouted from the seed of an idea in September or 2022, when I was in the studio. Music and video can take several minutes to render, and while the files are rendering, I often jump on the drums or piano to noodle around. I pretty much always have a recorder on to catch creative spaces that I stumble upon when I do this. It was on September ????? at ?????? that I was playing around with a little 5/4 riff and started to sing a version of Jingle Bells that I really liked. I kept the recording and over a year later, listened to it again, and decided to start developing an idea. Here's the recording from September of ?????: Jingle Bells - Jack Kali - Sketch

Track 1 - In the Bleak Midwinter

"Grace (Jeanette) Needed"

Track 2 - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

"Salvation (Isabella) Announced"

Track 3 - Jingle Bells

Grace and Salvation (Jeanette and Isabella) Anticipate the Other!

Track 4 - Oh Tannenbaum

Physical Attraction - Grace and Salvation "see" each other!

Track 5 - Oh Holy Night

Intimacy - Grace and Salvation Become One - the Divine!

Track 6 - Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella

The Divine Light Shows the Christ is Born!

Track 7 - I Heard the Bells

The Rebirth of the Christ is Announced, again!

Jeanette (Grace) Isabelle (Salvation)

Radio Vox Lines

Have this pan in from left and counting pan in from the right

1. In the Bleak (Grace Needed)

That’s it… That’s the story. It’ll be told again and again in 10 ///// thousand different ways for every star and every light on every tree.

2. Midnight Clear (Salvation Announced)

For the angel said to them: Fear not! I bring you good news of great joy, for all people, for unto you is born this day, a savior, Christ! And this will be a sign: You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. And suddenly it was with the angels, a multitude of heavenly hosts saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to all!

3. Jingle Bells (Grace and Salvation ANTICIPATE EACH OTHER AND MEET)

Christmas is the anticipation that we don’t have to be pulled under - that we can all walk above the water! It’s the butterfly in its Chrysalis - Not knowing what it will become, but giving in to annihilation. It’s knowing that this infant will one day go into the tomb and wake up not only a new creation, but a more vibrant experience!

4. Tannenbaum (Physical Intimacy)

It’s in the scripture. I am come into the garden, my love, I have gathered my myrrh with my frankincense and my gold. I have eaten my honeycomb and have drunk my wine. Eat my friends! And drink abundantly! You are all my beloved!

5. Oh Holy Night (Spiritual Intimacy)

Christmas is the first day of winter when we sense life begins again! We don’t have to wait long - only five days past the solstice.

6. Bring a Torch (ReBirth of Christ)

The divine touches us - it calls us to bring light to the ordinary! We sense something beyond us calling and we leave. It’s what stories do - And paintings and poetry and music. Something reaches through and gives us little pushes… A little nudge

7. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Announcement of New Life)

That’s it… That’s the story. It’ll be told again and again in 10 ///// thousand different ways for every star and every light on every tree.

1 In the Bleak Midwinter (Grace)

| A- | D2/F# | A- | D2 /F# |

| D- | E- | D- | E- |

| A- | D2/F# | A- | D2 /F# |

| D- | E- | F | G |

V:1

| C6/G | water like a | A-a9 | stone
| F | snow had fallen | G/F | snow on snow

| A-/F | snow on snow on |A-a9 | snow
A- in the bleak mid | F#𝆩 | winter
| D-add9 |long so long ago | A- |

C: | Bb2 | C/Bb | Bb | C/Bb | A- | D6/F# D7/Gb | D- | A- |

Jeanette go find your Isabella

Isabella your Jeanette

Longing for your lover

In midwinter's night

I: | A- | D7/A | G/A | A- |

V2 The babe, heaven can't hold him,
nor the earth sustain;
heaven and earth will flee
when he comes to reign

in the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
All of life is found in him
The babe he is the Christ.

C: | Bb2 | C/Bb | Bb | C/Bb | A- | D6/F# D7/Gb | D- | A- |

Jeanette go find your Isabella

Isabella your Jeanette

Longing for your lover

In midwinter's night

V3 Enough for him whom cherubim
worship night and day
breasts of milk and honey
a mangerful of hay
Angels fall before him

Ox and ass adore

I’ve nothing to give him

Except my life and heart

C: | Bb2 | C/Bb | Bb | C/Bb | A- | D6/F# D7/Gb | D- | A- |

White Stag go find your Bobtail Bay

Bay, find your White Stag

Longing for your lover

In midwinter's night

V4 Angels and archangels
Are all gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Voices fill the air,
It’s only his mother
in her maiden bliss
Looked down on her Beloved
And gave, a gentle kiss

2 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Salvation)

| 156 bpm | 3/4 | GM |

V1 : She came upon the midnight clear,
wth glorious songs of old,
An angel bending near the earth
Touched her harp of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to you,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay

As hosts begin to sing

As Isabella sings

V2 : Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above it's sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever over earth’s Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing

As Isabella sings

V3 : But with the woes of sin??? and strife

The world has suffered long

Beneath the angel-strain have rolled

Ten thousand years of wrong

And men at war with men don’t hear

The love song being sung so clear

Peace to you, all men of war

You’ll hear the couples sing

And Isabella sings

Jeanette, beneath life's crushing load
whose forms are bending low
she toils along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
She rests beside the weary road,
And hears the angels sing!

Hears Isabella sing

3 Jingle Bells (Grace and Salvation Meet)

| 5/4 | 179bpm | D- | Bells and Piano |

V1: Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O'er the fields she goes

Smiling all the way

Bells on bobtails ring

Making spirits bright

Janette hears Isabella’s song

Drifting through tonight

C: Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

What a peaceful night to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

What a peaceful night to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

V2: She wished she had a love

To join her at her side

She harnessed up the horse

The bobtail left a sight

She tied on Jingle Bells

Signal in the night

And now the bells seek out the voice

And music fills the night

[Chorus]

V3: The cutters threw the snow

The horse was lean and lank

Then blocking up the way

Was beauty on a Stag

Isabella pulled the reins

She stopped and gave a smile

Got down and walked beside the sleigh

????

[Chorus]

V4 NEEDS ONE LESS LINE

V4: They took each other’s hand

Their eyes told all to tell

Their hearts began to reach

And hold their love as well

The stag joined Bobtailed Bay

The lovers found their way

Three spirits born anew

And in another time

The baby king is too??????

Outro:

4 Oh Tannenbaum (S Intimacy)

Key FM | q.bpm.136 |

| F | Oh Tannenbaum, Oh | F/E | Isabelle

How lovely are thy branches

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree

How lovely are thy branches

Your boughs, so green in Summer-time

Stay bravely green in Winter-time

O Tannenbaum, O Christmas tree

How lovely are thy branches

Let us all remember in our gift giving and our merriment

With our family and friends and loved ones

The real and true meaning of Christmas

The birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

How lovely are, are thy branches

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

How lovely are, how lovely are thy branches

Their pillars all please faithfully

Our trust in God unchangedly

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

How lo-lovely are thy branches

5 Oh Holy Night (Spiritual Intimacy)

( (D- : 131pm : ???ms) ⊘ △ ◯

D- Oh Holy Night

D-7sus The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth

Long lay the world

Covered in sorrow

Till Christ appeared

And the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope

The tired soul rejoices

For yonder breaks

A new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees

And hear the angel voices

Oh night divine

Tonight… Our Christ reborn

Oh night divine

Held in the light

Of faith serenely beaming

With glowing hearts

In the cradle we sleep

Led by the light

Of a star sweetly gleaming

Here come the wise, followed by the fools

The father and mother

Watch over the lowly manger

In all our trials - tonight I call you friend

Truly he taught us

To love one another

The law is love and the gospel peace

Chains will Christ break

The slave is our brother

And in the name all oppression shall cease

Sweet songs of joy

In grateful chorus raise

Even the stones will praise the holy name

6 Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella (Announcing Birth)

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Bring a torch, to the cradle run!
It is Jesus, good folk of the village;
Christ is born and Mary's calling;
Ah! ah! beautiful is the Mother
Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son!

It is wrong when the Child is sleeping
It is wrong to talk so loud;
Silence, all, as you gather around.
Lest your noise should waken Jesus.
Hush! hush! see how fast He slumbers!
Hush! hush! see how fast He sleeps!

Hasten now, good folk of the village;
Hasten now the Christ Child to see.
You will find Him asleep in the manger;
Quietly come and whisper softly,
Hush! hush! Peacefully now He slumbers.
Hush! hush! Peacefully now He sleeps.

Softly to the little stable.
Softly for a moment come;
See our savior

Black eyes look up to you

Reach a hand down

Touch olive skin
Hark! Hark! This is the king of angels
Hark! Hark! This is the king of all.

Take your torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Take your torch, the light is here
Bells are ringing and calling the village!
Christ is light! And lights hang on trees!

Giving out hope, for all to see!
Ah! ah! beautiful is the Mother
Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son!