Music
VANCOUVER JAZZ MUSICIAN ANITA ECCLESTON VISITED BY GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST ON NEW HOLIDAY SINGLE “LONG NIGHTS”
Vancouver musician Anita Eccleston is excited to announce the release of her new holiday single ‘Long Nights’ out today on all digital streaming platforms. A cozy holiday song with a laid-back jazzy vibe, ‘Long Nights’ is brimming with nostalgia for family Christmases. Like many musicians last year, Anita took solace in music and writing songs to escape the pandemic, fighting through the noise and turmoil and trying to stay sane. Weeks and months passed and then suddenly, yet slowly it was Christmastime.
“I turned my thoughts inward, to my family and the many Christmases at the home where I grew up,” says Anita. “I saw in my mind’s eye the view of the Christmas lights out above my bedroom window as a child. I remembered gazing into the night sky at the stars, wondering if the bright one was the Christmas Star, the longest nights of the year, especially Christmas Eve, waiting for morning, excited and filled with wonder.”
Nostalgia inspired an idyllic remembrance, and the song poured out of her in a couple of days. And although she was unable to be home in Kamloops for Christmas after such a hard year, she was able to share the song with her family via a Christmas Day Zoom call. Anita then banded together with cellist Doug Gorkoff (Black Dog String Quartet, The Living, Plastic Acid Orchestra) to produce the recording at her home studio.
“When this thing started, everyone had to figure out how to record at home,” says Anita. “We made this recording in my basement, in a cozy room packed with books and musical instruments.”
Kris Ruston (Death Mountain Sound) mixed the track and Chris Gestrin (Public Alley 421) mastered it. And Anita partnered up with Patrick Collins (Alwaysfurther Films, This End Up, Peaches) to produce the music video to accompany the song. This year Anita is glad to give her song to the world, a present she hopes will warm hearts and stir up the enduring nostalgia the season brings, like a winter oasis, every year. And she is also finally planning a trip home.
‘Long Nights’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide. For more info, please visit anitaeccleston.com
Artist Spotlight
C’batch turns an old guitar performance into a new story with “Our Little Pooh Pea (The Last Light) 4 – Cinematic”
“Our Little Pooh Pea (The Last Light) 4 – Cinematic” by C’batch is a guitar performance in a new musical world that can totally change its identity. Drawing on electronic and rock influences, the piece features a guitar solo originally recorded for another song, “Round & Round,” twisting a familiar performance into something distinctly cinematic.
The guitar is the star of the production, providing the song’s emotional character without a traditional vocal performance. C’batch creates an electronic atmosphere around it, changing the context of the original recording. The instrumental performance remains the core feature, but the blend of guitar-led expression, electronic textures, and cinematic treatment gives the record a spacious feel.
C’batch returns to the original guitar solo as in performance to find a different possibility. The process feels like reinvention, showing how a musical idea can mean something new through a change of context. The electronic and rock elements give way to the guitar to tell another story, and the cinematic production takes the performance in a new artistic direction. C’batch’s latest release speaks volumes about the value of putting fresh ears on old records again, and finding a whole other musical future within them.
Artist Spotlight
Johnny Hates Jazz and Jaki Graham put musical connection at the heart of “Soul Believer”
“Soul Believer” is a meeting of two different British musical voices, Johnny Hates Jazz and celebrated soul vocalist Jaki Graham, and it has a sense of occasion to it. It’s sophisticated pop, funk, and soul, blending Johnny Hates Jazz’s artistry with Graham’s deep roots in soul music.
It’s a feel-good collaboration that celebrates connection, musical feeling, and timeless appeal. “Soul Believer” was penned by Johnny Hates Jazz singer/songwriter Clark Datchler and Average White Band founder Hamish Stuart. Released on Revolver Records, the track draws on a deep British musical tradition, and the collaboration with Jaki Graham adds another layer of vocal character.
They create a slick sound that blends pop accessibility, funk energy, and soul warmth. This release is a shout-out to longtime music lovers who know the emotional power of great recordings and an invitation for younger listeners to discover the feeling, artistry, and humanity behind them.
The release pairs two lasting voices with a modern-day feel-good spirit, more than nostalgia. Johnny Hates Jazz & Jaki Graham turn the song into a statement that soulful, human-centered music still has a place, giving you a release that celebrates connection and brings music lovers together across generations.
-
Artist Spotlight3 days ago“NO MORE” by Amanda Holley connects healing, awakening, and survival
-
Artist Spotlight3 days ago“Subterranean Homesick Blues” finds a new direction through Ghost of Panama
-
Artist Spotlight3 days agoLisa Jo draws a line under the past with latest release “Done Druggin’ Away the Pain”
-
Artist Spotlight3 days agoCrooner Ed captures a sweet romantic moment on “I Love This View”
-
Artist Spotlight1 day agoTabi Harlowe captures the ache behind attraction with latest release “So Pretty (It Hurts)”
-
Artist Spotlight1 day agoSara Diana follows a wild spirit into the moonlight on latest release “Her Hair’s Like Fire”
-
Artist Spotlight3 days agoSeun Kuti & Egypt 80 bring a restless groove on latest release “DJB”
-
Artist Spotlight1 day agoDusty Edinger crackle tension into rock electricity with latest release “We Outshine”