New York-based songwriter Kathryn Williams grew up listening to celebrated radio giant CKLW and fell in love with its pop-rock-soul Top 40 format, so perhaps it's no surprise she writes diversely: jazz, pop, adult contemporary, theater, and Christmas songs.
British vocalist Sarah Jane Morris released "Angels at Christmas," a limited edition 7-song CD Kathryn co-wrote with Fran Minarik, excepting "The Moon on Christmas Eve," written with Werner "Vana" Gierig. Previously, "The Moon on Christmas Eve" was sung by Melissa Walker on legendary jazz pianist Marian McPartland's NPR radio program and album, "An NPR Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland and Friends III." Along with "Tis the Season of the Year" (Gierig), it has received annual radio airplay on 100+ stations across the US and Canada.
Other songs include "Can You Be True," "Voice In My Head," "Can't We Stand At The River" (Gierig); "High Time," "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye," "Nothing Comes for Free," "I'm Partial" (Minarik).
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Kathryn Williams
New York-based songwriter Kathryn Williams grew up listening to celebrated radio giant CKLW and fell in love with its pop-rock-soul Top 40 format, so perhaps it's no surprise she writes diversely: jazz, pop, adult contemporary, theater, and, most especially, Christmas songs.
The soulful British vocalist Sarah Jane Morris released "Angels at Christmas," a limited edition CD of 7 holiday songs Kathryn co-wrote: "Come Christmas, Come Love," "The Moon on Christmas Eve," "A Child Is Born," "Ring the Bells Come Christmas, Christmas," "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Eve," "In Bethlehem," and "Walkabout Winter." A separate track, "Santa's Christmas Tune," also was released. Kathryn wrote the songs with Fran Minarik, excepting "The Moon on Christmas Eve," which she wrote with Werner "Vana" Gierig. Sarah Jane performs selections from "Angels at Christmas" during her annual holiday concerts in northern Italy with Italian jazz pianist Danilo Rea, and her new studio version of "In Bethlehem" was included on "Caro Papa Natale...3," a holiday album to benefit children in Italian hospitals. This version features Danilo Rea on piano; Michael Rosen, sax, and Enrico Melozzi, strings. "Come Christmas, Come Love" also can be found on "It's Christmas Time," a compilation holiday CD released by Italian music label Aerostella.
Previously, "The Moon on Christmas Eve" was sung by Melissa Walker on legendary jazz pianist Marian McPartland's holiday NPR radio program and included on the album, "An NPR Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland and Friends III," and on the 3-CD boxed set, "An NPR Jazz Christmas Collection with Marian McPartland."
"I love that people are writing new tunes for the season. Maybe one day that one will be a Christmas standard."
- Marian McPartland, on NPR radio
The song, which Kathryn wrote in memory of her mother, Jane Williams, was one of only three chosen from the album as an All Music Guide Track Pick. Along with "Tis the Season of the Year," also written with Vana Gierig, it has received holiday radio airplay on 100+ stations across the US and Canada.
Many of Kathryn's songs, including three on "Angels at Christmas," have been recognized in music competitions, and reached Broadjam's Top 10 genre lists (holiday, jazz, gospel). Other noted songs include "Can You Be True," "Voice In My Head," and "Can't We Stand At The River," with Vana Gierig; "Down to the River," "High Time," "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye," "Santa's Christmas Tune," "Nothing Comes for Free," and "I'm Partial," with Fran Minarik; and "Isn't It Funny," with David Pearl. "Why Must We Be So Brutal," co-written with Vana Gierig and with Carla Cook on vocals, was selected as a Featured Song at New Songs For Peace, a UNESCO-endorsed music project designed to encourage people to think and talk about peace.