Almost a Happy New Year.

With the news of the appalling events that have taken place in Paris, France, (and the continuing conflicts that fill our precious world) comes the reminder and awareness that life on this earth is indeed a temporary blessing.

Take no one and nothing for granted; enjoy each moment; give thanks for the good in your life; celebrate the temporary; embrace the eternal; stand up for love, peace, truth, justice and righteousness; speak out against evil and wrong-doing.  Remember that each act of kindness makes a difference.

God bless you.

Christmas is coming, and with it a brand new song from David Clifton calling to remembrance the Christmas Truce during the Great War of 1914. Due for release on the 14th December, and titled The New Born King (Christmas Truce 1914), the song tells story of the dawning of a cold and frosty Christmas Eve morning, when no guns were fired, and soldiers of both sides began singing Christmas carols to each other across no-man’s-land.

In disobedience to their officers, and obedience to the peaceful message of Christ, they downed their weapons and began meeting on Flanders fields, exchanging gifts and even playing a game of football. Based on eye-witness accounts from the time, notably the soldiers of the Royal Warwicks and North Staffordshire Battalions and regimental war artist Bruce Bairnsfather, this beautiful new carol captures the mystery of the Gospel message of peace, which has eternal power to inspire, and which stopped a war for two days for those soldiers 100 years ago. It will be available here on Little Room, on iTunes, Amazon and all digital download stores. All proceeds are being given to Help For Heroes and The Royal British Legion.

At the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month….. there was peace. Once upon a time.

In honour of all the fallen, particularly the memory of those from the the Great War of 1914-1918 we suggest you buy this moving new recording from Phil Baggaley’s band, The Open Road. You can download your copy of ‘An Old Soldier’s Dream of Home’ here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/old…
In aid of the British Legion Poppy Appeal, available on iTunes, Amazon & all good download sites.

November is here and the shops are already displaying Christmas trees, decorations, and (heaven forbid) already playing Christmas music! We are not amused. All the delights of Thanksgiving (in the USA) and Advent still to come. Far to early in our humble opinion.

So we recommend a riotous selection of Mr Don’s superb Electronica music to clear our heads and hearts in preparation for all the forthcoming delights of December!

Thank you to those who have sent enquiries regarding Charlotte Parmiter’s folk album. Without getting too technical on you all, the producers have decided to re-record her original vocals and the main guitar/mandola parts again before Jon Kelly begins the final mixes. Her vocals were re-recorded in London in early October, and work is now starting on the guitars and mandola re-recording. Watch this space for further updates. It is sounding wonderful, and will be worth the wait.

Best wishes for a happy Autumn/Fall from all of the Little Room team.

We are delighted to raise a glass to all those monks and nuns around the world who have wisely taken to heart the words of  St. Paul to Timothy. (1 Timothy 5, v.23 “Do not take only water as your drink, but take a little wine for the good of your stomach and for your frequent ailments…” These dedicated cloistered monks and nuns have given us some of the best beverages with which to help celebrate all the blessings of this life. Here are three of the best…..

The Benedictine monk, Don Bernardo Vincelli, created the recipe for this French liqueur which includes the extracts from twenty seven different plants and spices.

Trappist ale is made behind ancient abbey walls in Belgium and the Netherlands, under the supervision of monks from the Trappist branch of the Cistercian monastic order.

Blanquette de Limoux was first made by the monks of the St. Hilaire monastery, in the Pyrenean foothills, just south of Carcassonne to their unique recipe. It was first produced in 1530 to a recipe which pre-dates champagne by over one-hundred years.

Cheers!