John Floridis -- What Child Is This/Coventry Carol

Producer Joe Gunderman first met John Floridis at a wedding. There were five cellists in attendance, including the bride, and so the fact that John was a musician was par for the evening and went un-noted. John and Joe talked at some length and Joe felt a bit sad that this new friend, from the Cleveland area, now lived in Montana.

It was a year or so later when, out of nowhere, "This Year," John's highly acclaimed first CD appeared and Joe realized the talent of his new acquaintance. A year or so after that, now working with Jim Blum and the WKSU folk show, Joe realized that people everywhere were catching on to John Floridis. No less than Patty Larkin praised him glowingly: "It was a pleasure to witness such a passionate guitar driven songwriter whose work springs from such a musical landscape." Amen.

Here's what John told us about the medley he recorded for Ornaments:

"I recorded the version of 'What Child Is This' at the studios of KUFM, Montana public radio, for which I co-produce a program called musician's spotlight. We have had a number of great musicians on including David Grisman, Bela Fleck, Alison Kraus, Keb Mo, Patty Larkin and Patty Griffin, Bruce Cockburn and many others. I used a Taylor 514-c guitar with elixir strings. I have an artist's agreement with Taylor and I endorse elixir strings. 'What Child Is This' is to this day probably my favorite melody and one I rarely get tired of. I've been performing it in so many different ways over the years including finding ways to get it into programs I did when I was doing music therapy in Cleveland. I like the organic quality of the recording we did there at KUFM, and I am honored to have it included."