Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"...her own brand of rock singing and wailing..."
-James R. Oestreich - New York Times
"Opening with an acoustic guitar that sounds nothing like an acoustic guitar and closing with the vocals of just one person--Christina Courtin--even though it sounds like a 100 person choir, Perfect Nonsense utilizes the abilities of great musicians and the awesome power of today's studio technology to create a track that stands out in the current musical mold"
www.indiemusicbeat.com - IndieMusicBeat 101 Best Songs
"Christina Courtin has command of a very fine voice. Rich, strong and soulful, on one extreme evoking Dido, on the other Ani DiFranco. The musical arrangements are tight, inventive and have a sense of "easy" that is just priceless. The songs never force their point; never outlast their welcome. There's real craft displayed here."
-Conrad Teves
www.demorama.com - Demorama
"Courtin's bluesy delivery takes cues from Plant and Joplin and slams down on territory that is all her own. Highly recommended."
-Bryan Baker
www.gajoob.com - Curtain Number Three
"Curtain Number Three is a short (only thirty minutes) short display of the talents of Christina Courtin. Courtin sings, writes, and plays the violin. On this record she is accompained by some fine musicians to create her own little world.
Opener Perfect Nonsense is a benchmark for the rest of the record, with some backward sounds, casual drums and bittersweet lyrics. Courtin's voice is definetaly unique and sounds just like her lyrics.
Although I am not a big fan of "jazzpop", I have to say Christina Courtin has won me over. The album is a short display of what we may expect of her in the future: bitter lovesongs with some inventive musical structures. Look out for her."
Jeroen
Kick Start Sounds - Kick Start Sounds
"When a band is likened to Dave Matthews Band these days, a wrinkle between the eyebrows usually forms, and slight hemorrhaging of the musical artery that pulses inside every diehard fusion/pop/rock auteur commences. It's not that DMB is a poor, or unworthy, band to be compared to. It's that usually its comparison is an unfair link. It's like calling American Idol winner Ruben Studdard the next Stevie Wonder.
But then again, sometimes a band falls from the sky upon the local scene, and sparks of excitement fly rampant. Prioress, led by violin-and-vocal phenom Christina Courtin, is one of those bands. Their latest release, "Curtain Number Three," not only lives up to the most casual of Dave Matthews Band references, it explodes with a uniqueness not usually included on other supposed knock-offs.
All tracks are written by Courtin, who spends time outside the studio at the esteemed Juilliard School in New York City. A full discourse of Courtin's stringed talent is not the highlight of the disc, unfortunately. But with a wealth of vocal hormonies, all provided by Courtin, the occasional absence of her violin wizardry is gladly excused.
Leading off with the perfectly likeable "Perfect Nonsense," a cool reversed riff opens the pleasing chord progressions, something each song benefits from. Rich with multi-layered track trickery, producer Dan Castellani offers sophisticated work right off the bat. If the concluding chorus of Courtin's rich harmonies isn't enough to immediately push repeat, nothing else on the CD is likely to please.
With little chance to breathe after such a warm opening reception, "Someone to Love" continues the pleasure the band's happy-go-lucky mood setting. It's too bad the summer has already passed; this track is what speeding down the highway, singing along at embarrassing volumes is all about.
The disc is a big ole pile of fun, and while the eight tracks are not nearly enough to satisty, they spin a pleasing 30 minutes of musical webbing. Perhaps a next step in Prioress' career should be an attempt at a less produced, more organie sound. It's not that "Curtain Number Three" offers too much of a good thing, but no artist shoud sound so professional so early in their career."
Benjamin Siegel
Arts & Life Editor
spectrum-arts@buffalo.edu
- UB Spectrum
Discography
Curtain Number Three (Slice Records, 2003)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Christina Courtin and the Makers is a unique blend of classical, jazz, traditional, acoustic, blues and soul that has snowballed into a developing and living ensemble based in New York City. Their approach to music is forever changing, adding new sonorities and instruments to provide audience members with fresh interpretations of the songs and arrangements. Trained in violin at Juilliard, Christina brings classical harmonies and concepts to the mix while Kyle and Mathias' jazz/world music influence takes the listener to a spontaneous and alive place which is always original. Although Christina's voice has been put up against Janis Joplin, Jeff Buckley, Brad Nowell, Robert Plant and Ani DiFranco, she has developed her style into something that is quite special and her own. "Rich, strong, and soulful," (Conrad Teves) is one way of putting it, but seeing and hearing Christina live is an experience in itself. Christina Courtin and the Makers plan on releasing their first album as a group in early summer 2005.
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