Three Christmases ago, a Grammy Award nominee came to Dixwell’s Stetson Branch Library to shoot a holiday music video for the kids.The musician — Chris “Big Dog” Davis — is taking a break from a holiday tour to return to Stetson for an “Up Close For Christmas” party. The kids from the video — and all other kids and parents in the “village” — are invited.
The party begins at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at the library in the Dixwell Plaza (200 Dixwell Ave.)
“Big Dog is bringing a host of musicians wth him for a holiday music performance. Admission to the event is free, including the refreshments and snakcs.
The video shot three years ago was Davis’s interpretation of “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The kids at Stetson are still talking about performing int he video (above).
In an appearance this week on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program, Davis spoke of the challenge involved in adding his own spin to standards covered by countless other musicians, especially at Christmas.
He described how he collaborated with vocalist Lori Williams and Althea Rene in October to put a whole new groove to “Summertime” in a perfromance at the Berks Jazz Fest. A flute was involved. So was a perfectly timed C Major 9 chord.
Davis also mentioned his new single, “Fall Back.”
Click on the video below to watch the full episode of “Dateline New Haven” with producer and musician Chris “Big Dog” Davis and StetsonLibrarian Diane Brown.