For the fourth-straight year Idaho musicians and local coffee chain Moxie Java have teamed up to release a holiday album to raise cash for The Idaho Foodbank.
The aptly-named IdaHo Ho Ho CD features local artists including Curtis Stigers, Ned Evett, and Belinda Bowler.
Steve Fulton, with the Audio Lab recording studio, has engineered and produced the CD during its four-year run. He says local musicians line up to get a spot on the album. “I’m turning people [musicians] away each year,” he says.
On the Christmas music:
“It has really sparked people to finish that Christmas song idea that they had,” Fulton says. “When you have an idea for a Christmas song or maybe even two songs, what do you do with it, as an artist? You either need to put out a whole record or you just have this Christmas song,” he says. “That’s a cool thing for a lot of the artists; they have a place for that Christmas song, so that’s been cool.”
On funding troubles and no money going to The Idaho Foodbank last year:
“Last year was weird,” says Fulton. “The year before was incredible, I think we gave them $18,000 and this year we’re on track to do really well. Last year [2012] was just a weird transition; it was a transition for Moxie Java and things changed. We came off a year that was so incredible and I don’t think they were thinking they would have to work as hard to get the word out there. So this year is more on track [sales-wise], like 2011 was.”
On Fulton’s favorite song on the album:
“I think Belinda Bowler’s 'Christmas in the Trenches' is my favorite one,” says Fulton. “It’s a true story about World War I on Christmas Day -- in battle -- and they decided to call a truce."
We did two or three takes that were really good, and then I said, now, I just want you to tell me the story, don’t think about the fact that we’re recording, we’ve already got a great take, let’s just see what happens. And then she just did the most killer take and that’s the one we went with.”
On what Fulton wants you to take away from the CD:
“Amazing, fresh Christmas music, holiday music really, and you’ll be exposed to artists you may not have heard,” says Fulton. “You’ll also take away the feeling of supporting some great cause, like The Idaho Foodbank.”
You can find the CD at any Moxie Java and the Record Exchange in Boise.
Copyright 2013 Boise State Public Radio
