Oh Holy Night

Even if you're not a regular viewer of the new Aaron Sorkin drama, Studio 60, you can't help but admire Sorkin's efforts to bring the people of New Orleans back to the forefront of our consciousness this holiday season.

In the episode that aired Monday, the show's regular trumpet player "called in sick" for the week, which turned out to be an elaborate plan on the part of the LA musicians to help out homeless musicians from New Orleans send a little money home for the holidays. The musicians are played by actual members of Tipitina's Foundation, a foundation for musicians displaced by the hurricane.

The song is supposed to be available for free from iTunes shortly, but in the meantime here's the clip from the show. Ignoring all the creepy "I'm coming for you Donna Jordan" bit, this is Sorkin at his best and I believe you'll agree that it's a beautiful arrangement of one of the most beautiful Christmas songs ever written.



Another random bit of trivia (that has nothing to do with Aaron Sorkin): "Oh Holy Night" was the first song ever broadcast over the radio. It was Christmas Eve 1906 when Reginald Fendessen played Oh Holy Night on the violin and read a passage from the Bible for ships at sea. In this age of XM, Sirius, HD, and CD Quality, it's simply amazing when you realize that for just a moment, a mere 100 years ago, the world stopped for a little bit of Christmas spirit sent from a little town in Massachusetts.