I did this version of the Huron Carol in the native American Huron language 4 years ago. Supposedly, there's perhaps one person left on the planet that spoke this language as a first language. Bruce Cockburn did this song in a much faster pace, but the minor chord carols to me should always be slowed and chilled. Best when listened to with headphones.

Iesus Ahatonnia - Scott Lake, Andy McRory and Victor Eijkhout

Some credits necessary - from across the interwebs, Andy McRory sent me a fretless bass guitar track, and Victor Eijkhout sent me several tracks of wooden recorders that I also dubbed in. The nature sounds are all from the Freesound Project, manipulated and edited by me. I played classical guitar, and synth lead. The classical guitar tracks were played single notes at a time, since some of the chords really spread larger on the fretboard than what I could physically play. I also did the singing and tried not to butcher but pay respect to the wonder and perhaps confusion that the native Americans felt when presented with the story of Christ. There are some syllables which sound 'closed' and supposedly that is the way that they are pronounced.

Certainly not a popular Christmas song, but one that has haunted me since first hearing an instrumental version on a Dan Gibson Solitudes CD 20 years or so ago. I owe deep gratitude to Andy and Victor for adding real class to the song. Out of all of the 'experimental' music I have attempted over the years, this one is one of my favorites. I really dig Andy and Victor's parts. I could listen to fretless bass for hours!

For the lyrics, Bruce Cockburn has an article on it on this website: http://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/ia.html

Last Christmas, I did a quick version of Greensleeves/What Child Is This? on classical guitar.

http://rockstarnot.rekkerd.org/songs/2011/Scott%20Lake%20-%20What%20Child%20Is%20This.mp3

-Scott

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