Andrew Smith, Sherri Funk and Norm Strauss will reunite once again this Christmas in Lake Country.

While it含羞草研究社檚 been about 12 years since the folk and jazz trio toured across Canada and Europe together, they will reunite for a second Smith, Funk and Strauss (SFS) and Friends Okanagan Christmas at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 at .

To make their Okanagan Christmas encore extra special, they have recorded a brand new A Very Merry Acoustic Christmas album, including covers and one original song written by Strauss, 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 Christmas Time Again.含羞草研究社� The new album is available now at and will also be available at the show in the form of download cards.

Both Smith and Strauss still perform separately as touring artists. Strauss, who in recent years has split his time between Kelowna and Germany, said that aside from the new album, the Okanagan Christmas show will be typical of an SFS concert.

含羞草研究社淭he audience can expect a lot of jazzy and folk arrangements of well-known songs, harmonious vocals and world-class finger-style guitar playing,含羞草研究社� he said.

Standout tracks will include a gypsy jazz version of 含羞草研究社淪leigh Ride含羞草研究社� and a tap-style meets the blues version of 含羞草研究社淟ittle Drummer Boy.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭here will also be a lot of spontaneous humour,含羞草研究社� Strauss added. 含羞草研究社淥n stage banter is one of our trademarks as a trio.

含羞草研究社淚 think because we are all good friends and we see each other fairly often, whenever we get together it含羞草研究社檚 the same thing. We laugh a lot.含羞草研究社�

For example, he said they sometimes include audience participation as part of their shows and do musical improvisation.

含羞草研究社淥n the spur of the moment, we may ask for comments from the audience,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚f someone says something that catches us off guard, we may start jamming on it and make a song out of it.含羞草研究社�

Last year, the Smith, Funk and Strauss and Friends Okanagan Christmas came close to selling out.

含羞草研究社淲e had a really good time last year and it was really fun playing with other Okanagan musicians who joined us on stage,含羞草研究社� Strauss said.

This year the trio will be joined by renowned jazz, blues and roots guitarist Neil Fraser as well as bass guitarist Jim Ryan, formerly of the Cruzeros and numerous other groups, and currently playing with Dirt Road Opera. They will also be joined by Scotty Gamble on drums and percussion, and new to the band this year, Dean Salyn on the piano.

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e some of the best musicians in the valley,含羞草研究社� Strauss said.

Tickets for the show can be purchased online at or by calling the Creekside Theatre box office at 250-766-9309. The theatre is located at in Lake Country.