Snaildartha: The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail
April 15, 2024
Snaildartha: The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail - A Soul Jazz Extravaganza is a 2004 jazz and spoken-word holiday album. It was composed and produced by Chris Strouth, and performed by the Snaildartha 6 combo, which includes saxophonist George Cartwright of the jazz group Curlew and storyteller and comic Matt Fugate, who wrote the text with Strouth. The album retells the story of Buddha through a small snail, Jerry the Christmas Snail, who achieves enlightenment after meeting and having adventures with other Christmas-themed animals on a pilgrimage to the North Pole, eventually meeting and bonding with Santa Claus.[1] The title is a pun on the Buddha's birth name, Siddhartha.[4]
Snaildartha: The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail - A Soul Jazz Extravaganza
Snaildartha was created in 1993 for a performance-art series at Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis. 10 years later, Strouth and Fugate recorded a revised version with saxophonist Cartwright. First issued privately as a Christmas gift, the album was later given a wider release by Innova Recordings. A remastered digital edition of Snaildartha was released by Stand Up! Records on November 13, 2020.[5]
The album has developed a cult following thanks to its regular inclusion in DJ Jon Solomon's daylong marathon of Christmas music on Princeton, New Jersey radio station WPRB-FM,[6] as well as an annual Christmas broadcast on KFAI in Minneapolis.[5] Solomon has played the album in its entirety annually since 2004. It is routinely the highest-streamed portion of the broadcast, and has inspired some listeners to hang snail ornaments from their Christmas trees in tribute.[7][8]
In 2022, Vulture writer Maura Johnston named Snaildartha one of the 50 best Christmas albums of the last 30 years, calling it "an ideal lazy Christmas Day soundtrack" that "gets even better with repeated listenings."[9]
MinnPost arts critic Pamela Espeland called Snaildartha a "weird but endearing" Christmas tradition, comparing it to the Arlo Guthrie song "Alice's Restaurant" and its ties to Thanksgiving.[10]Avant Music News called it a "future holiday classic" and "a twisted take on the holiday season."[11] Jason Victor Serinus, writing in Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, was more ambivalent, but called the story "charming", especially Fugate's "deadpan delivery".[3]
Track listingedit
All songs composed by Chris Strouth and performed by Snaildartha featuring Matt Fugate. Text written by Matt Fugate and Chris Strouth.
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Rhapsody in Snail"
1:05
2.
"A Snail Is Born"
4:22
3.
"Interlude in Snail"
2:08
4.
"The Te of Bob"
2:05
5.
"Snail Night, Holy Night"
1:50
6.
"Gift of the Menagerie"
2:26
7.
"Snails Pacing"
1:51
8.
"A Pilgrims Progress"
1:51
9.
"Frostbitten Paws"
2:00
10.
"Waiting For Claus"
2:12
11.
"A Childs Christmas in Snails"
1:27
12.
"Breakfast With Santa"
3:02
13.
"Escargot a Go Go"
1:03
14.
"Santa's Little Helper"
3:12
15.
"Snail on the Keys"
1:24
16.
"Claus and Effect"
2:46
17.
"On the Half Shell"
1:27
18.
"Discovering the Snail Within"
4:39
19.
"Happy Glitter Trails"
3:26
Creditsedit
As told by: Matt Fugate
Sax: George Cartwright
Drums: Terry Haanen
Organ: Scott LeGere
Mixed by: Brian Jacoby
Mastered by: Bob DeMaa
Produced and directed by: Chris Strouth
Referencesedit
^ ab. Innova Recordings. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
^"Snaildartha: Snaildartha: The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail - A Soul Jazz Extravaganza" at AllMusic. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
^ abSerinus, Jason Victor (December 2005). "Holiday Music Reviews". Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity. No. 55. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
^"My Favorites: Jon Solomon's Holiday Tunes". Northwestern Magazine. Fall 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
^Waits, Jennifer (December 20, 2018). "WPRB DJ Jon Solomon Celebrates 30 Years of Christmas Marathons". Radio Survivor. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
^Solomon, Jon (December 13, 2018). "How did the story of a snail seeking enlightenment become a cherished Xmas tradition?". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
^Edelstein, Jeff (December 3, 2018). . The Trentonian. Trenton, New Jersey. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
^Johnston, Maura (November 28, 2022). "The 50 Best Original Christmas Songs Since 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'". Vulture. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
^Espeland, Pamela (December 14, 2018). "Artscape: Soap Factory faces sheriff's sale; Roy Hargrove tribute at the Dakota". MinnPost. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
^Borella, Mike (November 15, 2004). "New on Innova". Avant Music News. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
External linksedit
Snaildartha at Stand Up! Records
April 15, 2024
snaildartha, story, jerry, christmas, snail, soul, jazz, extravaganza, 2004, jazz, spoken, word, holiday, album, composed, produced, chris, strouth, performed, snaildartha, combo, which, includes, saxophonist, george, cartwright, jazz, group, curlew, storytell. Snaildartha The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail A Soul Jazz Extravaganza is a 2004 jazz and spoken word holiday album It was composed and produced by Chris Strouth and performed by the Snaildartha 6 combo which includes saxophonist George Cartwright of the jazz group Curlew and storyteller and comic Matt Fugate who wrote the text with Strouth The album retells the story of Buddha through a small snail Jerry the Christmas Snail who achieves enlightenment after meeting and having adventures with other Christmas themed animals on a pilgrimage to the North Pole eventually meeting and bonding with Santa Claus 1 The title is a pun on the Buddha s birth name Siddhartha 4 Snaildartha The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail A Soul Jazz ExtravaganzaStudio album by The Snaildartha 6ReleasedJanuary 11 2004 1 GenreJazz spoken word holidayLength44 16LabelInnova Recordings Stand Up RecordsProducerChris StrouthProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllmusic 2 Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity 3 Snaildartha was created in 1993 for a performance art series at Red Eye Theater in Minneapolis 10 years later Strouth and Fugate recorded a revised version with saxophonist Cartwright First issued privately as a Christmas gift the album was later given a wider release by Innova Recordings A remastered digital edition of Snaildartha was released by Stand Up Records on November 13 2020 5 The album has developed a cult following thanks to its regular inclusion in DJ Jon Solomon s daylong marathon of Christmas music on Princeton New Jersey radio station WPRB FM 6 as well as an annual Christmas broadcast on KFAI in Minneapolis 5 Solomon has played the album in its entirety annually since 2004 It is routinely the highest streamed portion of the broadcast and has inspired some listeners to hang snail ornaments from their Christmas trees in tribute 7 8 Contents 1 Critical reception 2 Track listing 3 Credits 4 References 5 External linksCritical reception editIn 2022 Vulture writer Maura Johnston named Snaildartha one of the 50 best Christmas albums of the last 30 years calling it an ideal lazy Christmas Day soundtrack that gets even better with repeated listenings 9 MinnPost arts critic Pamela Espeland called Snaildartha a weird but endearing Christmas tradition comparing it to the Arlo Guthrie song Alice s Restaurant and its ties to Thanksgiving 10 Avant Music News called it a future holiday classic and a twisted take on the holiday season 11 Jason Victor Serinus writing in Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity was more ambivalent but called the story charming especially Fugate s deadpan delivery 3 Track listing editAll songs composed by Chris Strouth and performed by Snaildartha featuring Matt Fugate Text written by Matt Fugate and Chris Strouth No TitleLength1 Rhapsody in Snail 1 052 A Snail Is Born 4 223 Interlude in Snail 2 084 The Te of Bob 2 055 Snail Night Holy Night 1 506 Gift of the Menagerie 2 267 Snails Pacing 1 518 A Pilgrims Progress 1 519 Frostbitten Paws 2 0010 Waiting For Claus 2 1211 A Childs Christmas in Snails 1 2712 Breakfast With Santa 3 0213 Escargot a Go Go 1 0314 Santa s Little Helper 3 1215 Snail on the Keys 1 2416 Claus and Effect 2 4617 On the Half Shell 1 2718 Discovering the Snail Within 4 3919 Happy Glitter Trails 3 26Credits editAs told by Matt Fugate Sax George Cartwright Drums Terry Haanen Organ Scott LeGere Mixed by Brian Jacoby Mastered by Bob DeMaa Produced and directed by Chris StrouthReferences edit a b The Snaildartha 6 Snaildartha Innova Recordings Archived from the original on February 3 2019 Retrieved August 31 2014 Snaildartha Snaildartha The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail A Soul Jazz Extravaganza at AllMusic Retrieved 31 August 2014 a b Serinus Jason Victor December 2005 Holiday Music Reviews Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity No 55 Retrieved November 9 2020 My Favorites Jon Solomon s Holiday Tunes Northwestern Magazine Fall 2019 Retrieved November 9 2020 a b Mason Butler November 12 2020 11 12 2020 A M Drive KFAI Podcast Retrieved November 12 2020 Waits Jennifer December 20 2018 WPRB DJ Jon Solomon Celebrates 30 Years of Christmas Marathons Radio Survivor Retrieved November 9 2020 Solomon Jon December 13 2018 How did the story of a snail seeking enlightenment become a cherished Xmas tradition City Pages Minneapolis St Paul Retrieved December 13 2018 Edelstein Jeff December 3 2018 Jon Solomon s Christmas music marathon turns 30 this year will go for 30 hours The Trentonian Trenton New Jersey Archived from the original on October 19 2020 Retrieved October 18 2020 Johnston Maura November 28 2022 The 50 Best Original Christmas Songs Since All I Want for Christmas Is You Vulture Retrieved October 12 2023 Espeland Pamela December 14 2018 Artscape Soap Factory faces sheriff s sale Roy Hargrove tribute at the Dakota MinnPost Minneapolis St Paul Retrieved November 9 2020 Borella Mike November 15 2004 New on Innova Avant Music News Retrieved November 9 2020 External links editSnaildartha at Stand Up Records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Snaildartha The Story of Jerry the Christmas Snail amp oldid 1204068599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
