PRESS RELEASE   December 4, 2007
Contact: Tom Staudter   Green Man Media & Management   (914) 762-0097

Matt Turk Shines on New "Fred Claus" Soundtrack

New York, NY - Acclaimed singer-songwriter Matt Turk steps back into to the spotlight with lots of seasonal cheer, as he performs "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" on the CD soundtrack to the holiday comedy film "Fred Claus," released on Warner Bros. Records. Turk's acoustically-flavored take on the 19th-century carol stands on the album along side Christmas pop favorites by such artists as the Jackson 5, Sinead O'Connor and Elvis Presley, and is one of the two downloadable singles from the disc.

"It's a huge honor to be included in on this project," said Turk. "Having an opportunity to work with David Dobkin (the film's director) and his team was an all-time thrill for me, and being able to record a traditional holiday favorite with such a beautiful melody made it a magical experience."

For the recording of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," Turk settled into a Los Angeles recording studio earlier this year with Matter, the producer-performer ensemble (comprised of Ric Markmann, Dan Pinnella, Dean Butterworth and Chris "Wag" Wagner) known for its wide range of work, including the music for Dobkin's prior film, "Wedding Crashers," and a rising young singer from Guatemala, Gaby Moreno. Turk shows off his impressive vocal artistry on the track, and also supplies mandolin, lap steel and acoustic guitar to the instrumental mix.

The recording of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" is featured during the closing credits of "Fred Claus." The film, which continues to play in theaters nationwide, stars Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, Miranda Richardson and Rachel Weisz.

Based in the Hudson Valley north of New York City, Matt Turk is a veteran performer and eternal idealist who engages audiences around the world, both as hard-rocking bandleader and acoustic folk troubadour.

In the early 1990s Turk had a run at rock stardom with The Hour, one of the leading proponents of the jam-happy sound that grew out the Manhattan club scene, before teaming up with Pete Seeger as part of "The Street Singers." After three years with God's Love-We Deliver, a not-for-profit grassroots group that brought meals to homebound AIDS sufferers, Turk returned to the tuneful arts in 1996. Since then he has released three albums, including 2002's highly-acclaimed What Gives, and his latest, Washington Arms, which showcases Turk's indie- and alt-rock prowess.

Turk has also researched Jewish folk music from around the world in an attempt to keep ancient melodies and songs alive, and in this vein partnered with drummer Kevin Hupp to form Mandolin Caravan and release a CD, Desert Soul, in 2003.

Last year, Turk recorded "The Fog of War" with Seeger and producer Rob Morsberger, releasing it as a free downloadable single through his website, www.turktunes.com, in time for the elections. Earlier in 2006, his upbeat song "Bette Says" from What Gives was featured in the CBS-TV series "Love Monkey."

On numerous occasions during the past five years Turk has shared stages around the Hudson Valley with fellow singer-songwriter and kindred soul Fred Gillen Jr. After months of rehearsals, several impressive gigs around New England and world-wide notice in an Associated Press article that featured the duo auditioning for the Metropolitan Transit Authority in Manhattan, the two decided to officially team up and form Gillen & Turk. They are presently in the studio working on their first album together.