The new holiday release by English tenor singer Brian Rodford, "African Christmas," features percolating African rhythms and a sublime backing choir ringing behind his soaring lead tenor voice.

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EASY LISTENING: Crooners/Vocals, EASY LISTENING: Mood Music



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English tenor soloist Brian Rodford's latest release, the CD single "African Christmas" is the perfect recording to mark the arrival of the holiday season. Accented by percolating African rhythms and a festive backing chorus, his soaring voice shines through like never before and rings with Christmas cheer.

"African Christmas" is Rodford's second release in the past month, following up the release of his major debut album, "Sometimes a Story." On both, the instrumental arrangements were done by longtime friend and collaborator, international film and television composer Guy Dagul.

Some of these songs carry such an aura of promise and wonder that they feel destined to become popular folk songs that will carry on for years to come.

"The seed of many of these songs came about from my being asked to sing at funerals I have conducted. For many people, the usual sacred songs bore no relationship to their often superficial and fragmented religious experiences, and the secular selection, so often called upon, seemed devoid of any deeper or spiritual dimension."
Brian Rodford

Brian Rodford began his singing career at an early age, starting out singing in youth choirs in school while growing up in St. Albans, England, and quickly moving on to performing on Danish radio and German television as a tenor soloist with the St. Albans and District Youth Choirs. He is also a church organist and worked as one during that period. An ordained Anglican priest, Brian Rodford began singing lessons in 1974 under the tutelage of internationally acclaimed Lieder singer Kathleen Joyce and continued to work with her into the 1980s. With her guidance, he became a medallist and cup winner at eisteddfods and festivals in England and Wales with his lyrical tenor.

He has performed as a guest soloist at the University of Oxford, Jaqueline Du Pr�s Concert Hall, and at London's Cafe Royal and also sang regularly as a guest with the prestigious Treharris Male Voice Choir and performed in "The Messiah" all around London. Brian Rodford was ordained to the deaconate by The Rev. Robert Runcie, Bishop of St. Albans (who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury) in 1979 and became an ordained priest the following year. He was also a member of the St. Albans Chamber Choir and sang semi-professionally as a solo tenor.

Brian Rodford's spirituality comes through strongly on all his recordings, and "Sometimes A Story" is no exception. He also recently composed "A Responsorial Setting of the Mass" for Cantor and Congregation and Choir and Congregation as well as two brand new hymns, "O Guide Us Holy Spirit" and "O Word of God."

While composing, writing poems, and performing remains Brian Rodford's passion, he has dedicated much of his energy to helping those in need. In 1995, he became Vicar at St. Matthew's in the Diocese of London, an assignment that led him to work in Uganda for children orphaned because of AIDS and HIV. For his work, he became the Director of the Chain Foundation Uganda charity and was made a Canon of All Saints Cathedral in Kampala. He currently lives in Cape Town, but his volunteer work has taken him between Cape Town, London, and Kampala, Uganda for the past three years.

Guy Dagul, the album's arranger, is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University with two music degrees. He has worked as a concert pianist and as a soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician in all of the United Kingdom's leading concert halls. He is also one of Europe's most accomplished film and television music composers.