“Winter Mornings” is a wonderful CD for relaxing or cozying up to a winter fire.
Enjoy listening to some song samples from this album
WINTER MORNINGS ~ Songs
1. Beauty of The Earth
2. Winter Skies
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. Noel
5. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
6. Away on The Manger
7. Carol of the Bells
8. Slient Night
Behind the music . . .
The reason why this CD was titled "Winter Mornings"
is because the inspiration for
every song came to me only during those winter mornings hours while I was looking at all the snow from my
recording studio window.
The beauty of winter outside, made the music just flow out of me inside.
Every saturday and sunday mornings I would get up at 5:30 a.m. and go into the
recording studio to work on new material for the winter CD. I have found that the early morning is the best
time for me to record music
because my "thinking" consciousness is not awake. I just record what the creative universe wants me to.
Recording the "Winter Mornings" was truly an artistic experience for me
in that I left myself at the studio door entrance & just let the music take over inside . . .
I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I had recording it. . .
Enjoy the Winter CD ~
with Peace & Joy Shirley :)
make snow angels
Music & Lyrics from the Winter Mornings
1.The Beauty of the Earth
The lyrics "and we are the children of the
universe, together we all will survive", just bubbled out of
my heart. I truly believe we are all connected to each other through
out the world, through the universal energy.
Lyrics The beauty of the earth surrounds me.
I'm so lucky to be alive.
For God is a man, and the earth is his lady.
together they are beautiful and alive.
And we are their children of the universe.
Together, we all will survive
So please don't take advantage
of their marriage.
For they will surely die.
2. Winter Skies -
This song was inspired from looking at the sky in the morning from the studio window.
It was so relaxing.
The music just went along with the slow moving clouds.
3.Icicle Melt
- Is from
looking at the dripping of the icicles melting off the house.
4.10 Degrees -
This song really tells it like it was the winter in the Northeast.
5. Winter Morning -
I relaxed back in the soft quite morning of winter at the lake.
6. Snow Dance -
Being that it snowed, and snowed and snowed some more, I was captured by
looking at how the snowflakes would dance in the wind.
7.Children and Snowmen -
Now, having all this snow around the next event
naturally occurred. children and snowmen were popping up
everywhere outside. I even built a snowman myself. I brought
some snow in for the cats to play with, but they preferred
just to look at it out the window.
Lyrics
Walking along here in the snow
Winter has stayed far too long.
Wishing again for winter to end.
For Spring to sing her love song.
(Chorus)
Children and snowmen are out in the snow.
They don't mind the cold.
Kitties and doggies look out their window.
Wondering what is all this snow!
No one's in town walking around.
Everyone's safe in their home.
The town's café is empty today.
No one wants even hot cocoa!
(repeat Chorus)
Grandma and Grandpa left months ago
for the warm coast of Mexico.
Walking back home,
The wind howls and blows,
I need to get out of this cold!
(repeat Chorus)
8.Gulf of Florida- is very truthful song and humorous
at the same time. Even though this winter was so beautiful...
I am guilty of being a snow bird
and
going on vacation in the Gulf of Florida every winter for a
week to get out of the cold in the North East! LOL
:)
Lyrics
I'm going to the Gulf of
Florida to get out from the snow I know if I stay north
here I'll surely die of the cold. So I'm going to the Gulf
of Florida to play out in the sun I don't think I'll come
back here until winter is done!
Down in sunny Florida
Life is really slow Here in New York City the wind blows, I
can't hold on Down in sunny Florida they say the life is
fine Here in Manhattan It's so cold I'll lose my mind!
So I'm going to the Gulf of Florida leave my frozen
bones behind It's time to leave north here until the
springtime Yeah I'm going to the Gulf of Florida to hang
out in the sun I don't think I'll come back here 'till the
robins birds have sung!
CD REVIEW -by Bill Binkelman New Age Reporter.com
What a great recording this is! So few artists record music that attempts to evoke the moods of winter
(except for holiday carols). However, keyboard player Shirley Cason has done just that -
composed an entire album of serene, peaceful, evocative electronic keyboard and piano instrumentals,
tinted with a superb combination of somberness and gentility. As a result, these eight musical soundscapes properly
reflect winter's emotional resonance on the land and on people. Being from Minnesota, the land where winter lasts
from November through March, I know what I'm talkin' about, Willis!
Winter Mornings is full of lovely music. Throughout the album, Cason shows her ability to mix her
assorted keyboards and synths (strings, bells, textures, piano) in songs that are accessible yet
(at times) free-flowing enough to be quasi-ambient.
"Winter Skies," there are also the shiny bright bell tones, hushed synth chorales and gentle electronica rhythms of "Icicle Melt,"
the somber and darker "10 Degrees"
(sounding a little like Tim Story, with repeating piano refrains and shadowy synthesizer shadings,
and then moving slowly into a warmer romantic sound, a la Ciani or Yanni at their best).
In addition, there is the plaintive minimal
piano and synth title track and the light-as-a-feather bells
and chimes of "Snow Dance"
(Cason plays this one smart by
opening with the chimes and bells played arrhythmically,
thereby creating a musical illusion of randomly falling
snowflakes). This last piece also features well-executed
flute samples and slowly building momentum over a bed of
what sounds like sampled kalimba (African thumb piano).
The
opening track, "Beauty of the Earth," features delicate
synth strings and gently strummed/picked guitar (sampled)
while "Children and Snowmen," yet another peaceful mixture
of assorted keyboards, once again reminded me of Kevin
Kendle, but this time with a dash of playfulness and
innocence added to the other elements.
Finally, for a touch
of whimsy and humor, the artist closes with "Gulf of
Florida," a short piano and minimal synth number which
features parts of the refrain from the traditional folk song
"Oh Susanna," leaving the listener with the notion that,
while winter has its charms and its beauty, one does need a
little warmth and sunshine too (again, as a Minnesotan, I
heartily agree!).
When I reviewed A Summer Dream (2002)
a few years ago, I knew Shirley Cason was talented, but I admit to being
surprised at how fully realized a musical statement
"Winter Mornings" is. While there are no tracks that
will remind you of blizzards, these beautiful, somewhat
minimal, relatively subdued songs are evocative of that
season which is normally ignored by artists.
Fans of warm
melodic electronic keyboard music (mostly without overt
rhythms, though) will almost certainly enjoy this CD, and if
you miss the days of classic new age music (lots of bell
tones and twinkling chimes), then you're in for a big treat
as Cason has plenty of them throughout the album.
Highly recommended,
especially for romantics (like me).
Bill Binkelman
CD REVIEW by Kathy Parson - MainlyPiano.com
All of the music for “Winter Mornings” came to Shirley Cason during the early hours of winter days, hence the title. Played on various keyboards, several of the selections have a cool, ambient feel while others are more melodic and structured.
“Beauty of the Earth” opens the CD with a gentle song about God and Earth’s marriage, and all of us being the children of their universe. “Winter Skies” is a bit more orchestrated, depicting an icy coolness and the stillness of early morning.
Ambient and floating, this is a very effective piece. “Icicle Melt” comes from the dripping sounds of icicles melting off the house.
Electronic and elegant, this piece
is much more ambient than melodic, and has a very shimmering beauty. “10 Degrees” is my favorite
track. Darkly beautiful, it is like the light dancing and sparkling off of early morning snow.
There is also a sense of mystery and of a vastness that works really well. “Snow Dance” is almost
a musical Christmas card. Gentle bell-like sounds create the feeling of snowflakes swirling and of
morning light bouncing off of the surface of the snow. Very serene and peaceful with a gentle rhythm
for the dance. “Children and Snowmen” is a bit lighter although it is far from bright and carefree.
The piece becomes more orchestrated as it develops, and would be lovely as the soundtrack to a scene
of winter activities.
The CD closes with “Gulf of Florida,” a musical admission of needing to flee
the snow for a week each year to warm up. It’s a very charming way to end this chilly and evocative
collection. “Winter Mornings” is a wonderful CD for relaxing or cozying up to a winter fire.
New Age ~ Piano ~ Chillout ~ Spa ~ Reiki ~ Instrumental ~ Relaxing
~ Zen ~ Yoga ~ Music for Meditations ~ Music to rest ~
Music to fall asleep to . . .
Download 1st Song from WINTER MORNINGS album for Free 
every song came to me only during those winter mornings hours while I was looking at all the snow from my
recording studio window.
The beauty of winter outside, made the music just flow out of me inside.
Lyrics
and
going on vacation in the Gulf of Florida every winter for a
week to get out of the cold in the North East! LOL
:) 
