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Merry & Bright: Raymond Arroyo’s New Christmas Album is ‘an explosion of joy’
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Raymond Arroyo: Christmas Merry & Bright. Album CD.
Award-Winning Broadcaster and New York Times Best Selling Author, Raymond Arroyo brings his New Orleans jazz roots and well-honed dramatic talents to a toe-tapping, heartwarming, all new classic Christmas album, Merry & Bright. Arroyo is the author of the several best selling books, including The Spider Who Saved Christmas, The Wisemen Who Found Christmas, and The Thief Who Stole Heaven from Sophia Press.
“I can only describe this project as an explosion of joy,” enthused Arroyo on a recent video. “I love the togetherness of Christmas, the warmth of Christmas, the memories of Christmas and I wanted to capture all of that in this album. We wanted to remind people of the merry and the bright. It’s my little contribution to the music and wonder of Christmas.”
Each Christmas, throughout his broadcast career, Arroyo has sung with legendary singers of the season. A response to longtime fan requests, Merry & Bright charms listeners with Arroyo’s renaissance sensibilities.
“Kevin Costo was our arranger on this project and Kevin arranged and orchestrated The Greatest Showman and the live Jungle Book, but his background and his love is jazz,” Arroyo explained. “He turned out some incredible sizzling hot at times and very tender beautiful arrangements.”
The album also captures unexplored emotions of the season with an all-new rendition of the beloved, “Feliz Navidad” — complete with a moving duet with Grammy Winner, José Feliciano.
“To me Christmas is a classic sound. I knew that I wanted a big band feel and sound. In the heart of the French Quarter there’s this wonderful little theatre in New Orleans, Le Petite. Sound wise it was perfect and this band, these are like the super players of New Orleans.”
The thirteen songs on the album include:
1. Deck the Halls
2. Jingle Bells
3. The First Noel/ We Magi of Orient Are
4. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
5. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
6. Go Tell It On the Mountain
7. Christmastime is Here
8. Joy to the World
9. Christmas Mem’ries
10. Feliz Navidad (featuring Jose Feliciano)
11. Silent Night
12. (Introduction to) We Wish You A Merry Christmas
13. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Soon to be a Christmas favorite, Merry & Bright will forever change the way you experience these cherished songs.
Raymond Arroyo is a New York Times bestselling-author, an international broadcaster and a contributor for CNN and Fox News who has worked for the Associated Press. Mr. Arroyo has been a contributor and/or made frequent appearances on: The Today Show, Fox News, Good Morning America, CNN Headline News, Access Hollywood, Erin Burnett Outfront, The Ingraham Angle and many more. He also enjoys a vast audience through his decades-long series of highly rated shows on EWTN (commonly known as "the world's largest Faith media network"). His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Newsweek, Time Magazine, The New Yorker, and elsewhere. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the esteemed New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Raymond has performed and directed in New York and London. He has produced Billboard topping musical projects including The Birth of Christ with Liam Neeson (Sony Classics) and Christmastime in New Orleans (Verve/Universal). His string of New York Times Bestselling books, Will Wilder series (Random House), The Spider Who Saved Christmas, The Wise Men Who Found Christmas, and The Thief Who Stole Heaven (Sophia) and Turnabout Tales (Harper Collins) have become household favorites for his devoted global audiences. Arroyo also hosted the Telly Award-winning special for Public Broadcast (PBS) called Christmastime in New Orleans. A native New Orleanian, Mr. Arroyo is passionate about sharing the unique culture of his beloved Crescent City and the great state of Louisiana. Arroyo is also well-known for his captivating interviews. Highlights include: Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Placido Domingo, Martin Sheen, Mary Higgins Clark, Mel Gibson, Tim Conway, Mark Burnett, and a groundbreaking interview with comic legend, Jerry Lewis, to name just a few. Each Christmas, throughout his broadcast career, Arroyo has sung with legendary singers of the season. To date, Arroyo has entertained an estimated 400 million global households.
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About the Author
Mary Beth Bracy is a writer who is blessed to research, publish, and speak extensively on various aspects of Catholic spirituality. Her books include Behold the Lamb, Bread of Life and The Little Way of Healing Love Through the Passion of Jesus: The Stations of the Cross with St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and she is co-author of the book Stories of the Eucharist. She has written articles for numerous Catholic publications and recorded some Catholic talks. Mary Beth is also a professional teacher, dual certified in English and Special Education, and the owner of a Catholic book and gift shop online. A proud member of the St. John Paul II generation, and lover of all things St. Thérèse, Mary Beth enjoys spending time in Eucharistic Adoration daily, keeping in touch with her family and friends, as well as, sharing her faith with others.
