Discography – The Music of James A. Norkawich


James A. Norkawich is a pianist, composer, arranger, and producer whose music speaks from the soul. With roots in jazz, cinematic scoring, and American tradition, his work captures emotion, nostalgia, faith, and the human journey through melody and harmony. Explore the official discography below, spanning holiday classics, big band arrangements, Latin ballads, and inspirational themes.

📀 Studio Albums

2022
• Yesterday (Songs from The Great American Songbook), Vol. 1
• Today (Songs from The Great American Songbook), Vol. 2
• A Connecticut Christmas
• Christmas By The Seaside

2023
• Lighthouse
• Christmas Magic

2024
• So Far So Great
• Hometown Homecoming
• Christmas Enchantment
• A New Beginning

2025
• Keys to the Soul
• Stars and Stripes of the Heart (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Just Getting Started
• The Early Years (1989–2021): James A. Norkawich Big Band and More
• Pasión y Ritmo

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James A. Norkawich – The 2025 Christmas Albums

This year, James A. Norkawich—known by many as Mr. Christmas—brings listeners not one, but three new holiday albums, each designed to capture a different side of the season. Together, they form a complete Christmas experience that blends timeless tradition with fresh artistry.

This Christmas Is Forever

Release Date: October 29, 2025

This album is the centerpiece of the season, a festive collection that blends jazz, gospel, pop, R&B, and orchestral colors into one sweeping celebration. From uplifting anthems with full brass and choir to intimate nocturne-style instrumentals, This Christmas Is Forever feels like a cinematic soundtrack for the holidays.

Perfect for: decorating the tree, holiday gatherings, and joyful moments with friends and family.

A Norkawich Family Christmas

Release Date: October 29, 2025

Deeply personal and reflective, this album brings listeners close to the heart of Christmas. It combines spoken storytelling and intimate musical performances, recalling cherished memories, traditions, and the meaning of the season. With piano, strings, and warm harmonies, it feels like sitting by the fire listening to stories from loved ones.

Perfect for: quiet evenings, family traditions, and moments of reflection.

Christmas Forevermore

Release Date: October 29, 2025

The final piece of the trilogy, Christmas Forevermore delivers a timeless, elegant, and reverent collection. With cathedral-like warmth, traditional carols, and stately instrumental interludes, this album was created to last for generations.

Perfect for: Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, and sacred moments of stillness.

A Complete Holiday Journey

Releasing all three albums together allows listeners to choose the soundtrack that matches their moment—whether it’s festive celebration, family-centered reflection, or timeless reverence. Play them individually, or experience them in sequence for a full journey through the season.

Three albums. One legacy. Christmas, forevermore.

🎶 Remember Me – New Single by James A. Norkawich

On August 27, 2025, James A. Norkawich will release “Remember Me” — a moving country-pop crossover anthem that speaks to the heart of service, sacrifice, and faith.

The song is a tribute to those who serve in our nation’s military, honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives in the call of duty, and remembering the veterans who continue to struggle long after the battles have ended. “Remember Me” also reflects on the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks, carrying forward the solemn promise of “Never Forget.”

But its message extends even further. The song is dedicated to those here at home who face their own battles — individuals living with dementia, families touched by cancer, children with incurable diseases, and anyone whose healing feels distant. In these moments, James reminds us that while pain may linger, hope remains.

At its core, “Remember Me” is about faith. It carries a reminder that God is real, He loves us, and He is with us — especially when we feel forgotten. For those who may not know Him, this song is an invitation to feel His presence, and for those who do, it is a reassurance of His enduring grace.

With its soaring harmonies, heartfelt lyrics, and cinematic instrumentation, “Remember Me” is designed to uplift, encourage, and strengthen. It’s a song about remembering and never forgetting — a musical beacon of hope for all.

The single will be available worldwide on Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, iTunes, Apple Music, iHeart, Tidal, and YouTube Music.

Innocent Angel – A Song of Healing in Memory of Iryna Zarutska

September 10, 2025 – Glastonbury, CT

Music has always been a vessel for remembrance, for love, and for healing. With my new ballad, “Innocent Angel,” I honor the life of Iryna Zarutska, a young woman taken from us far too soon.

Iryna’s story is one of light, promise, and love — and her loss is felt not only by her family, but by all who hear of her. Innocent Angel is my way of helping her family and community heal, while also offering comfort to anyone who has ever experienced the heartbreak of losing someone too early in life.

This song is both deeply personal and universal. Its soaring piano, strings, and orchestration build across key changes to reflect the journey from grief to hope. A song of remembrance, it is also a song of strength — a reminder that love never dies, and that the light of those we lose continues to guide us.

> *“I wrote this song not just for Iryna, but for her family, her friends, and for every person who knows the pain of losing someone too soon. Music has the power to heal, to carry memories forward, and to give voice to emotions words alone can’t express. ‘Innocent Angel’ is a prayer, a tribute, and a reminder that love never dies.”* – James A. Norkawich

 From Ukraine to Connecticut to the World

Some may remember when I was interviewed by News 12 Connecticut in 2022 for my tribute performance of “Hallelujah” in support of Ukraine. Just as that performance sought to bring unity and comfort, *Innocent Angel* carries that same spirit — but on a more personal and eternal level.

This is more than a song for one family — it is a song for the world.

 Listen to Innocent Angel

*Innocent Angel* is now available on all streaming platforms:

* 🎶 [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qi5IQRl3iahaR75zA6LuD)
* 🍏 [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/)
* 📺 [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@jamesanorkawich)
* 🎵 [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/)

Stay Connected

For updates, news, and more music:
🌐 [www.jamesanorkawich.com](http://www.jamesanorkawich.com)
📱 Instagram: **@jamesanorkawich** | Facebook: **@jamesanorkawich** | X/Twitter: **@JNorkawichMusic**

A Song Reborn: James A. Norkawich Revives If I Can Dream for a Nation in Mourning

By [Staff Writer] – The New York Times
Glastonbury, Conn. – September 17, 2025

When Elvis Presley first sang If I Can Dream in 1968, America was reeling. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy was gone, and the nation was fractured by violence, grief, and uncertainty. That song, written in direct response to King’s death, was not just a performance — it was a prayer. With gospel fire and orchestral sweep, it called on the power of dreaming for a better tomorrow.

More than half a century later, pianist, composer, and producer James A. Norkawich has brought the anthem back to life. His new duet arrangement of If I Can Dream, set to release this Friday on all streaming platforms, is both a reverent homage to Elvis and a fiery gospel-rock reimagining for 2025. But more than anything, it is a tribute — to lives lost, to resilience, and to the hope that music can once again help heal a wounded nation.

 

 

A Song for Now

Norkawich’s new version comes in the shadow of fresh heartbreak. In 2025, Americans witnessed the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk, a young leader whose voice and activism left an indelible mark on the nation. In the same breath, the world grieved the death of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who fled war only to lose her life to violence in Charlotte.

“Elvis sang If I Can Dream in a moment of chaos, when America was desperate for light in the darkness,”Norkawich said in a recent conversation. “In 2025, we are once again searching for that light. Charlie and Iryna’s deaths remind us of how fragile life is, but also of how strong love, memory, and unity can be. This song is my way of saying: we will not give up. We will keep dreaming.”

 

 

A Gospel Fire Rekindled

The new recording begins with the haunting swell of a Hammond B3 organ and strings, setting a reverent tone before exploding into a gospel-rock arrangement that feels both retro and timeless. Featuring a male/female duet, a soaring electric guitar solo, brass horns, and a gospel choir that enters after the bridge, the performance builds into a cinematic finale that shakes with passion.

The female vocalist sings with a rasping, soulful edge — a powerhouse voice that evokes the grit and fire of the great gospel-soul singers. The male vocal counters with deep resonance, grounding the performance in gravitas. Together, they echo Elvis’s original urgency but add a modern electricity.

 

 

Charlie’s Legacy in Song

Charlie Kirk’s impact is woven into this new version, not only in the dedication but in its very spirit. Norkawich describes the song as a vessel for remembrance and continuation.

“Charlie fought for what he believed in,” Norkawich reflected. “His voice inspired a generation, and even though it was silenced, the movement he carried forward lives on. This song is about keeping that fire alive — for Charlie, for Iryna, and for everyone who still dreams of a better America.”

 

 

From 1968 to 2025 — Why It Matters

Music history has long shown that great songs resurface when they are most needed. Just as Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come became a soundtrack for civil rights, Elvis’s If I Can Dream gave voice to grief and yearning in 1968.

Now, Norkawich hopes his version will not only echo across concert halls but also explode across social media, in Instagram reels, TikTok tributes, and viral moments that connect people in shared remembrance.

“Music spreads differently today,” Norkawich noted. “It’s not just about radio or record players. It’s about people picking up a song and making it part of their lives, their stories, their reels, their feeds. My dream is to see this song become an anthem people use to celebrate Charlie’s life, to honor Iryna, and to keep reminding one another that love and hope are stronger than hate.”

 

 

Release and Streaming Platforms

If I Can Dream (2025 Duet Tribute Version) will be released on Friday, September 12, 2025 across all major streaming services, including:

  • 🎶 Spotify

  • 🍏 Apple Music

  • 📺 YouTube

  • 🎵 Amazon Music

  • 💿 Deezer

  • 🎶 Tidal

  • 📱 Pandora

 

 

About James A. Norkawich

Known as “America’s Composer” and “Mr. Christmas”, James A. Norkawich is a pianist, composer, arranger, and producer based in Glastonbury, Connecticut. With roots in Bridgeport and Fairfield, his career spans jazz, classical crossover, gospel, and pop, blending genres with cinematic scope. His discography includes Hometown Homecoming, Christmas Magic, and So Far So Great, among others.

Beyond albums, Norkawich has built a reputation for using music as a means of remembrance and healing. In 2022, he was featured on News 12 Connecticut for his tribute performance of Hallelujah in support of Ukraine.

 

 

Stay Connected

For more about James A. Norkawich and his music:
🌐 www.jamesanorkawich.com
📱 Instagram: @jamesanorkawich
📘 Facebook: @jamesanorkawich
🕊️ X/Twitter: @JNorkawichMusic
🎥 YouTube: James A. Norkawich

 

 

A Dream That Still Burns

As America once again grapples with violence and loss, If I Can Dream has returned, not as nostalgia but as necessity. For James A. Norkawich, the song is more than music — it is a plea, a prayer, and a promise that the dream of unity, justice, and love will not fade.

This Friday, that dream takes flight once more.