One thing is for sure – Christmas is not just one celebration among others, Christmas is THE ONE celebration of the year. There is no chance to escape … a fact known to many a good musician. Christmas albums – they’ve all done it. Facing this situation, you better bring a lot of sweet ingredients in order to create a completely new and completely different Christmas cake – especially one from Stockfisch.

Some stalwarts of Stockfisch records to this noble end have gathered around Eugene Ruffolo; white beards and scarlet coats they wear – but watch out for their guitars! And finally they achieved the impossible task of creating a Christmas SACD sounding like no other.

Eugene Ruffolo
& Margaret Fiellin

Our time is one of many scary phenomena – like supermarkets sporting gingerbread in September. In the light of this, this Stockfisch production is an exception of the first degree as far as music goes – and as far as emotiononal wellness goes at this special time of the year.

Many years ago Chris Jones and Günter Pauler conceptualized the release of a Stockfisch-Christmas-CD. By and by recordings were made - but the project was stopped abruptly by the death of Chris.

Michael Kleinhans, tuba

Now Eugene Ruffolo has accomplished this project: He swingle bells – there ain’t no bells sounding sweeter. If you are a nonbeliever, then go and listen to Stille Nacht as guitar instrumental or a Christmas blues. And very well that Chris Jones is not forgotten, still playing on two of these recordings.

Tradition and the courage of creative innovators – that’s Stockfisch’s gift to music lovers – given as a trademark professionally and at this Christmas time given from the heart. Christmas may be Christmas every year, it comes alive forever new and warms the heart – this is what music does, and certainly music like this.

The critcs say: "Stockfisch Records has always been renowned for its talent to select the best of the best. With Eugene Ruffolo, Günter Pauler and his Knights of the Sound Table have chosen a world-class singer-songwriter to appear on their label. in a different light, his new CD  to be released on Stockfisch, is sure to reach as many hearts as ears."

Eugene Ruffolo’s fabulously intense musicality is reminiscent of many a great artist, notably Marc Cohn and sometimes of fellow Stockfisch artist David Roth.

Growing up outside of New York City, the son of a fashion designer and passionate classical guitarist, Eugene was immersed daily in his father’s music. Ruffolo’s own guitar sounds big and warm, its interplay with exceptional guitarist John Jennings masterfully recorded and of lucid beauty.

His lyrics prove Ruffolo to be not only an avid scholar of literature, but also a poet himself. Without ever erring towards kitsch in the slightest degree, his songs are tasteful miniatures dealing with the time-honored subject of all poets – love and its many splendoured ways – be it lost love remembered (When we were kings), the love of one’s home town (For a look at you) or love celebrated in the hymn-like Beyond Love.

Eugene´s link: www.eugeneruffolo.com