Christmas is fast approaching, so it is time for some decisions. How are you going to celebrate? What is the plan for this year? When do you decide? Who decides in your family? What influences your decision?
A song for Christmas
Alan Stott, a retired schoolteacher from Tenbury Wells, has written a Christmas Big Band swing song ‘What Are We Gonna Do For Christmas?’
Alan explains:
I wrote this song in memory of my mother who succumbed to Alzheimer’s a few years ago. We are aiming to raise £25,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Upon its release, the song went straight to number 4 in the Official UK iTunes Top 40 Jazz Chart. The next two days it rose to number 1 ahead of some very famous singers like Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Nina Simone.
4th year Jazz students, led by lecturer Richard Shrewsbury, from the Birmingham Conservatoire create the brassy big band sound on the track with an arrangement by fourth year BMus Jazz student, Josh Tagg.
Professional and amateurs gave their backing to the song
One of the verses is sung by children of Haslucks Green Junior School, Solihull, where Alan used to teach.
The main vocals are from singers Simon Dorey and Michelle Lawson, an X Factor finalist.
Internationally renowned cellist Professor Julian Lloyd Webber was Principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire and gave his full backing to the project.
The song was first performed live at the installation ceremony for Birmingham City University’s new Chancellor, Sir Lenny Henry in front of a prestigious audience at Birmingham Town Hall.
We have already raised money with the song for the Alzheimer’s Society
Alan himself plays in an Oompah band every weekend and, as Christmas approaches every year, they sing the song and send a hat around the audience. To date, they have raised over £3000 in this way.
He explains: “Christmas means something different to us all, and after losing my mother to Alzheimer’s, it has never been quite the same for me.”
How can you get hold of the song?
The song only costs 99p and all profits go to the Alzheimer’s Society.
It is available for download from:
- Amazon
- the band’s Website (click the download button at the top of the page)
- the Apple store I-Tunes
To let you see us singing and enjoying our way of raising money for Alzheimer’s, we have made a video you can watch. And if you don’t want the music, but you do want to help the appeal, you can donate via the donate-button on the website.
In memory of Winnie Stott and other Alzheimer’s victims
We think it’s a great song and would love it to become a Christmas favourite, raising much-needed funds for Alzheimer’s Society.
