Patchouli releases new holiday CD

Talk about it

"Winter Solstice,” a new holiday CD, is being released this weekend by Patchouli as an instrumental Terra Guitarra project. Patchouli is a Maiden Rock acoustic duo that tours nationally in addition to performing throughout the region.

The new album, featuring Bruce Heksel, includes 11 tracks of Spanish and classical guitar arrangements of favorite holiday carols “capturing the crackling light and enchantment of a blazing fire to warm the winter spirit,” Julie Patchouli said. Hecksel did all the arrangements and created the cover art, a painting titled “Forest.”

“Winter Solstice” is the second Terra Guitarra CD released this year on their independent label, Earthsign Records. The debut album came out in May.

The new CD is available online at www.terraguitarra.com and www.patchouli.net, plus it can be purchased locally at the following locations in Red Wing: Best of Times Bookstore, Kiki’s Simple Abundance, the Red Wing Arts Association Depot Gallery, Blue Moon, and Loons and Ladyslippers. In Wisconsin it’s available at Swan Song Gallery in Maiden Rock, Abode in Stockholm, and Third Street Deli in Pepin. In Wabasha, find it at Eagles’ Nest and Kruse’s Market.

Selections from the CD will be included in two local performances during the holiday season. Patchouli will be at the Blue Moon on Dec. 26, and at Jimmy’s Pub in the St. James Hotel on Jan. 2. The duo will be touring the Midwest the rest of the season.

Patchouli said they have been working for months on a special New Year’s Eve show. She and Hecksel and Yata Peinovich of Arkansaw, Wis., have been mentoring students ages 11 to 20 from all over the Mississippi River valley and Western Wisconsin area for the third annual Emerging Artists Program at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in Menomonie, Wis.

The program, “Songs of a Century,” will take the audience on a tour of the tops hits of the decades from 1900 to 2008 to ring in the New Year.

Patchouli and Peinovich will be featured in addition to being the house band for the student performances. Shows are scheduled at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 31.

Tags: applause, winter, solstice, holiday, cd