Stuff your stockings this season with a little bit of soul and a whole lot of love. A community connected through creative generosity, the Feeding the Soul Foundation is pleased to present their first benefit CD, Feeding the Soul, Volume 1: Family Dinner. The CD features 13 songs, including new music from Bushwalla, Tristan Prettyman, Raining Jane, Dawn Mitschele, Alex Woodard and more.

The benefit CD also contains a cook-booklet, detailing recipes for three family-style meals for large parties, and is the brainchild of baker, coffee shop owner and Feeding the Soul founder Vallie Gilley: "There are so many musicians and artists in this community. A family-style dinner followed by some great musical entertainment is a regular occurrence. These casual events, with contribution from the entire community, are our good fortune and inspiration. The cookbook and CD are meant to help others recreate that atmosphere."

Thirteen artists donated songs for the benefit CD, including San Diego locals Tristan Prettyman, Gregory Page, Alysse Fischer, and Day Old Johnson. The music ranges from folk-inspired harmonies in Raining Jane's "From Me to You" to hip-hop by MC Flow ("Everybody"), and a new ballad, "Open Up", from singer/songwriter Alex Woodard. "These are songs of gratitude, love and positivity," Gilley elaborates, "and we're grateful to talented friends like The Makepeace Brothers, Parker Ainsworth, and Luc & the Lovingtons for their contributions."

The album is "hosted" by acoustic hip-hop artist Bushwalla, featuring commentary from the original Feeding the Soul benefit concert held March 6, 2010. "Feeding the Soul's concerts, much like the CD, are our way of sharing the community experience with a larger audience," explains Melissa Grove, the foundation's Director of Events. "Bushwalla gives a sense of the fun and informality that are hallmarks of our shows."

Feeding the Soul plans a CD Release Benefit Concert for December 18, 2010, in La Jolla. The concert will benefit the Lewy Body Dementia Association which supports sufferers of the Parkinson's-like disease, their families and caretakers. The cause is close to the hearts of the Feeding the Soul Foundation co-founders, as Gilley's mother is fighting the disease. Jessie Payo's contribution to the CD, 'Mother', reflects this connection.

Feeding the Soul, Volume 1: Family Dinner:
fts-cd-release-poster.jpg
1. From Me To You Raining Jane 4:35
2. Mother Jessie Payo 3:58
3. Everybody MC Flow 3:49
4. Heartstrings Gregory Page 3:11
5. The Be Love Song Alysse Fischer 2:31
6. "Bushwalla's Knock-Knock Joke" Bushwalla 1:16
7. Feeding The Soul Parker Ainsworth 2:56
8. Let the Light Light Come In Tristan Prettyman 3:24
9. Open Up Alex Woodard 4:03
10. You Got Life Luc & the Lovingtons 5:16
11. "Introducing Bushwalla" Bushwalla, Alysse Fischer 0:59
12. Sun & Moon Bushwalla 2:45
13. Thanks Giving Dawn Mitschele 3:22
14. High Friend Day Old Johnson 4:15
15. Thank You The Makepeace Brothers 5:17