Geoffrey Code • Snow Wonder • Slideways • Live Instrumental Guitar • Guitar Lessons • Calgary, Alberta / Kimberley & East Kootenays, BC

A New Song for the Holidays! Snow Wonder

Geoffrey Code’s new album, Snow Wonder, is a new Christmas album which introduces two new songs into the holiday music Canon – Snow Wonder and When the Flowers and the Dust Have Gone.

Using instruments traditionally associated with holiday music, such as tubular bells, shakers, organs and the music box, Snow Wonder is an instrumental piece.

The other new holiday song on the album is When the Flowers and the Dust Are Gone, an ode to the first snowfall and the onset of winter. The song features Calgarian Jennifer Kapp on vocals and this is her recording debut.

The balance of the album are arrangements of traditional Christmas songs.

Multiple acoustic guitars create a rich harmony for the simple melody of Silent Night. The second and third verses provide a mellow backdrop for some freestyle minimalism on the lead guitar.

In The Bleak Midwinter is a unembellished arrangement of the lo, endeavoring to capture the austerity of months of snow covered landscapes.

O Holy Night is a stirring version of the song, employing multi-layered guitars. Just as Gothic Cathedrals were designed to make the viewer look up, the ascending glissandos on the guitars are arranged to bring the listener to inspirational joy, reflective of the season.

The final song is a traditional English carol, The Wassail Song, as the album closes looking forward to the New Year.

		When the Flowers and the Dust Have Gone is something of a rarity for Geoffrey Code in that it is a song with lyrics. Here is the story, as told by Geoffrey: While driving along a country road with groves of yellow aspens surrounding the road, I was humming the melody of the song that Turned into ‘Flowers and Dust’ and thinking about what I was going to do with the arrangement. Seemingly out of the blue, the first two verses popped into my head. Since this had never happened to me before, I pulled over and wrote them down, continuing to hum and now sing the melody. It was quite exciting and I immediately started re-thinking the arrangement. Jennifer Kapp, vocalist on When the Flowers and the Dust Have Gone, will be performing with Geoffrey thoughout the holiday season tour. I immediately thought of a former student, Jennifer Kapp, for the vocals. Jennifer and I had spoken previously of recording some music together, which is still in the works, and I called her the next day to set up a recording session for ‘Flowers and Dust’. The resulting song, captured on tape that same day, is what you hear on the album. It is brilliant singing and I tried to keep the piano to a minimum and just let Jennifer carry the song. Here are the lyrics: When the Flowers and the Dust Have Gone The first flakes Fall from the gray sky Autumns' goodbye (When the flowers and the dust have gone) The wind blows And the snow flies Winter’s first sigh (When the flowers and the dust have gone) Have you seen when flowers and the dust have gone? Have you seen when flowers and the dust have gone? When the snow makes its debut I am as new (When the flowers and the dust have gone) The moon’s glow Is a preview winter’s milieu (When the flowers and the dust have gone) Have you seen when flowers and the dust have gone? Have you seen when flowers and the dust have gone?

Geoffrey Code has been a musician for over 30 years. His main instrument is guitar but also plays the piano, bass, harmonica and, occasionally, when the song requires it, the kazoo.

Snow Wonder is his second album. His first album is called Slideways, is an instrumental album covering a wide array of musical styles, from roots, folk and blues to the Pink Floydish stylings found on Fire. Geoffrey played all the instruments on the album and wrote all the songs with the exception of Waterfall, which features his former guitar student, Christopher Buryniuk, who has gone on to have some success on his own as a musician.

Geoffrey is currently booking dates for the Snow Wonder launch tour and will be playing at Chef Bernard’s in Kimberley throughout the months of November and December.

Geoffrey continues to teach in Calgary, perform in Kimberley and throughout the east Kootenay region. Songs for the next album are in production now.

Live music makes a great event something special and memorable. Playing a mix of jazz and blues, folk and pop, all done instrumentally, fills the room or courtyard with the sounds that create an exceptional ambience.

Guitar is the perfect accompaniment for a wedding ceremony. It is an instrument that is at once melodious and sonorous, joyful and melancholy. It fills the air with the sound of anticipation as the bride comes down the aisle, contributes to the solemnity of the signing ceremony, and then sends the newly married couple off with the sound of celebration.

Whether you desire wedding classics such as Pachabel’s Canon, some light jazz, or an instrumental version of one of your favourites, we can work together to create the perfect song list and ambience for your ceremony and reception.

Events such as Christmas parties, private dinners, cocktail parties, and corporate functions all benefit from the added touch of live music. Geoffrey Code plays solo acoustic and electric guitar for events such as these and fills the air with familiar melodies to create the relaxed atmosphere to take your event to the next level.

Please contact Geoffrey for rates and availability. If you are getting married in the Columbia Valley and are looking for help in planning your perfect wedding, contact Lucky In Love Wedding Design.

During the teaching year, September to June, Geoffrey Code teaches guitar in the city of Calgary. The lessons are held in your home and Geoffrey will come over once a week for the lesson.

The lessons may cover everything from classical to rock and much of what gets taught depends on the goals of the student and the parents.

A typical year long program, (from September to June) will involve working on a variety of finger-picking techniques, some strumming, rhythm development, learning why music works the way it works and a little history to put it all in context. The year is wrapped up, as always, with a recital where the talents of all the students is highlighted.

Please contact Geoffrey for availability and rates.

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