New York-based singer Diane Armesto is giving jazz fans an early Christmas present this year with her rendition of the holiday classic "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Transporting the viewer back and forth between the city we know today and the New York of World War II, the video is equal parts love letter to NYC, celebration of the season, and heartfelt salute to our troops. "I decided to record "I'll Be Home For Christmas," says Armesto, "in dedication to those soldiers who, while fighting bloody wars abroad for us during World War II - never made it home. It was also during World War II, that this soulful song was composed." She goes on to say "the message I would like to extend to soldiers and their loved ones is my profound appreciation for their courage, sacrifices and loyalty to this country amid their unwavering belief in freedom and democracy."
Watch the video:
First released at Christmastime in 1943, the song is sung from the point of view an overseas solider during the war, writing a letter to his family. Songwriters Kim Gannon and Walter Kent reported trouble finding an artist to record the song, everyone believing it to be "too sad," until they brought it to Bing Crosby. A bittersweet companion to his "White Christmas," "I'll Be Home..." went on to be a hit.
ABOUT DIANE ARMESTO: The daughter of composer/Eastman School of Music graduate, John Armesto, and of soprano, Isabelle Rinker Armesto, Diane Armesto has an early back ground in classical music. At six years old Diane started piano lessons. At around age nine she was playing violin. In her twenties, Diane moved from New York to California with aspirations of attending UCLA to study screen-writing. It was then that she met and eventually became involved with jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino. Originally not interested in pursuing a career in music herself, Diane was content to be Rosolino's manager. With time, she became a booking agent, serving other renowned musicians such as trumpeter Conte Candoli, saxophonists Rudolf Johnson (with Ray Charles), Bob Berg and Joe Farrell, pianists Larry Willis and Cedar Walton, drummer Billy Higgins, organist Jimmy McGriff - and more. Now, with a newfound passion to express herself as a vocalist, Diane has formed her own group. With time and enough experience, Diane Armesto would become known by many musicians, critics and fans for her expressive contralto voice, her unique approach to singing jazz, her talent for writing lyrics - and eventually music.
"I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" CREDITS
Diane Armesto (Vocals), Eric Alexander, David Hazeltine, John Webber and Joseph Farnsworth (Musicians), Bill Dobbins (String Arrangement), Max Ross, Dave Dusman, Tim Hull, Jeff Gilhart (Engineering), Brock Yurich, Courtney Stallings, Cory Boughton, Lliz Trancredi (Actors), Cyrena Esposito, Mevlut Akkaya. Roy Wol, Nate Taylor (Producers), John McCabe (Director of Photography), and Foad Faridzadeh (Director).
More information on Diane Armesto can be found at DianeArmesto.com
Follow her on Twitter @ArmestoDiane and "Like" her on Facebook at Facebook.com/DianeArmesto.
