Noticias

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Chandra Wilson has joined the romantic musical “Christmas Harmony” with Kelley Jakle, Sally Struthers, Lee Garlington, and vocalist/guitarist Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek, Variety has learned exclusively.

The production is currently shooting in Los Angeles and marks writer-director Nanea Miyata’s feature film debut. June Street Studios is the production company.

Jakle, who played Jessica Smith in the three “Pitch Perfect” movies, stars as a young woman who returns to her small hometown to rediscover music, family bonds, and the magic of the Christmas season. The feature includes five original songs co-written by Miyata and Justin Jones, and an additional song co-written with Richard Rudolph.

Jakle’s co-stars include Adam Mayfield, (“Days of Our Lives”), Peter Porte, and Aden Schwartz. The supporting cast consists of Jaime Gallagher (“Know Your Enemy”), Sara Wallace (“Trafficked”), Pip Arnold (“The Voice”), Shirley Dalmas, Macy Friday, Gina Hiraizumi (“Castle”), Stephen...

Friction Family Switchfoot/Nickel Creek collaboration hardly cohesive

Friction Family

Friction Family Based on the players—Jon Foreman, lead singer of multi-platinum Christian rock band Switchfoot, and Sean Watkins, guitarist for Grammy-winning newgrass band Nickel Creek—you might expect radio-ready pop songs with a bluegrass flair from Fiction Family’s self-titled debut. Opener “When She’s Near” is a little misleading (albeit delightful)—all jingle-jangle and pop harmonies, it’s much sunnier than the subsequent 11 songs; more Switchfoot than Nickel Creek. Fiction Family mostly comes off as a Jon Foreman solo record, featuring The Guy from Nickel Creek Who’s Not Chris Thile.

Friction Family Switchfoot/Nickel Creek collaboration hardly cohesive

Friction Family

Based on the players—Jon Foreman, lead singer of multi-platinum Christian-rock band Switchfoot, and Sean Watkins, guitarist for Grammy-winning newgrass band Nickel Creek—you might expect radio-ready pop songs with a bluegrass flair from Fiction Family’s self-titled debut. Opener “When She’s Near” is a little misleading (albeit delightful)—all jingle-jangle and pop harmonies, it’s much sunnier than the subsequent 11 songs, more Switchfoot than Nickel Creek. Fiction Family mostly comes off as a Jon Foreman solo record, featuring The Guy from Nickel Creek Who’s Not Chris Thile.

When Nickel Creek said farewell (for now) to fans and disbanded in 2007, each member said they wanted to pursue solo projects. Vocalist and mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile went off to work with his group the Punch Brothers, where he recently composed a four-part, 40-minute suite entitled "The Blind Leaving the Blind" that features mandolin, violin, banjo, guitar and bass. Singer/violinist Sara Watkins is prepping her long-in-the-making solo album (due in early 2009), produced by Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones and featuring guests Jon Brion and Gillian Welch.