Music Minute: Katherine Dines - Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta™ Holidays

Katherine Dines, a Grammy-nominated independent family music artist, presents a new album of 13 songs and some interesting stories and facts about how people around the world celebrate holidays. Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta™ Holidays is meant for growing families, and it will be available August 26th from CDBaby, and various online music retailers.

As Dines says, "Holidays are essential; they bring people together. And as populations increase, families fracture, and people with different beliefs and customs spread further and further apart, holidays, and their joyous celebrations, are needed more than ever."

The songs on Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Holidays capture the wonder of light as our planet spins around the Sun, and several spiritual celebrations that sprung up in various cultures. "Our ancestors depended on the sun, moon and stars to guide their lives, from planting and harvesting to their social rituals. Holidays at different times of the year celebrate the waxing and waning of the light as well as a shared faith and community. Dines captures the wonder and joy of these seasonal celebrations with songs that reflect traditional music as well as the stories behind each holiday.
 
Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Holidays begins with the songs “Somewhere in the World” and “Long Time Ago” and the springtime “Thanks to the Sun.” Dines presents stories along with other songs about familiar holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas, as well as celebrations that may not be as familiar: Chinese New Year, Diwali, Kwanzaa and Ramadan. Dines wrote most of the songs, except for “Ramadan,” by educator-musician Nancy Stewart, and “Friendly Beasts,” which is based on a 12th century Latin hymn.
 
Seven years in the making, and co-produced by James Coffey of Blue Vision Music, this new album adds to the award-winning catalog of Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta music from Katherine Dines.

"Like most people, I sing or hum along with holiday songs at Christmas and other times of the year," says Dines, who has studied anthropology and traveled the world performing her songs for people of all ages." As a global traveler, I love listening to traditional music wherever I go. The songs on this album are a tiny glint of a few major global holidays, yet they all have one common element: light. To me, light represents hope--something we all need throughout our lives. So my hope is that this album will help light the way to unite more families and people."
 
Katherine Dines is a Denver-based recording and teaching artist who performs throughout the world. Since 1993, her concerts have captivated children and family audiences, and her 12 Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta™ Mjusic albums have garnered more than 34 national awards– including a Grammy nomination and a platinum record.  An advocate for literacy, the arts and education, Katherine serves on several national boards and presents keynote addresses at early childhood and library conferences, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Children’s Music Network. She has performed concerts in many countries beyond North America -- including Northern Europe, Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Japan, Turkey, Norway – many of them sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. Her songs have been featured in Build-A-Bear Workshops, Disney albums, Hallmark greeting cards, United Airlines in-flight channels and radio shows internationally.
 
Dines plans to release music videos and perform family concerts this fall to celebrate the release of Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta HOLIDAYS. Visit hunktabunkta.com or the Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Music Facebook page for the latest information.