Dear Friends,

My new album is finally out, and I can't wait to share all of the information with you!

Flowers in Winter was officially released a few days ago, on October 21st, and preparations are in full swing to make the album available as quickly and easily as possible. Packaged in an environmentally-friendly, retro-style jacket, the CD is selling for only $10 plus postage. Currently, the album may be ordered directly from me or from CD Baby.com. From the JEOW, at www.janeellen.com, there is a banner on the front page which will take you directly to ordering/payment information, a track listing, complete liner notes available for print-out or download, and cover art. A few complete tracks and several excerpts will be posted shortly as well.

If you prefer, you may order directly through CD Baby.com, by going to this address: cdbaby.com/cd/janeellen3. CD Baby is hosting excerpts of all 12 tracks, and complete liner information has been posted there as well. Single tracks from the CD will be available by the weekend from my SnoCap store, hosted on my MySpace page (more information below), and it is my hope that the album will begin to be available through iTunes and other digital distributors by mid to late November.

Here is an excerpt from the liner notes that I would like to share with you:

Welcome to my third recording project, Flowers in Winter, a 12-track seasonal album. This offering features six arrangements of timeless Christmas carols along with six original compositions. As on the last album, noted percussionist Ken Battat sits in, this time on two tracks (a jazz trio piece, and a mediæval-flavoured number), while other tracks feature woodwinds, strings, bells, and even harpsichord. The title of the album is taken from Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale and calls to mind the idea of beauty found even in the midst of trial and hardship. Although the theme is seasonal, there is clearly an underlying sub-text which speaks to a desire for peace, a cause which is close to my heart. The album was deliberately crafted in the hope that it may be enjoyed throughout the winter season by music lovers of any culture and background.

The traditional carols were selected for being my personal favourites and because each speaks to the overall theme of the collection . . . . Among the original works on the CD is 'Prayer for Peace', with an accompanying text by Claire Roth (ASCAP), which was written for a 2007 World Peace Day Concert . . . . 'One Little Child' was written several years ago and subsequently published as a choral work for children's choir and keyboard . . . . 'Time for Rejoicing' is perhaps the most exuberant piece on the album . . . . Other numbers written especially for this album are the Elizabethan-flavoured title track, 'Flowers in Winter', a reflective piano solo entitled 'A Child's Heart', and 'Children's Carol'.

I have always believed that there are far more things which unite the people of the world, and that we share in common, than there are things which divide us. I hope that you will find something in this recording that speaks to you, touches your heart, and brings you a moment of peace.

Lastly, I would like to let you know that I have also established pages with MySpace Music (www.myspace.com/janeellenmusic) and Classical Lounge (www.classicallounge.com/janeellen). I would most highly recommend Classical Lounge to any composer or professional musician who doesn't necessarily want to be involved with MySpace, but who is looking for a place to showcase their music and meet other like minded artists in a quality and safe environment - and just like MySpace, it's free! I'm still blogging as well, and I'm still very happy with the quality of service provided by WordPress for Jane's Journal, which is at janesjournal.wordpress.com.

If, for any reason, you wish to stop receiving these newsletters, simply reply to any mailing with the word "unsubscribe" written in the subject line. Your wishes will be immediately respected. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, and you wish to join the monthly mailing list, send an email to jane@janeellen.com with the word "subscribe" written in the subject line.

See you in November!

Follow your heart,
Jane Ellen