Music
Press
"...Christine Rosander, who possesses a very clear and appealing voice (along with a wide range), can hold long notes without wavering, improvising with subtlety while uplifting the material she performs. Well worth seeing!"
- Music Connection
"A seductive singing temptress with a natural captivating power, Christine Rosander warms the soul and spirit with true life messages — proving that singing is like life... either you feel it or you don't."
- International Critic, Discographer and Journalist
"If there's any justice, the world will be hearing more from this lady."
- San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune
CHRISTINE ROSANDER
Review by Scott Yanow
Christine Rosander is a major talent with a distinctive and haunting voice. Her debut CD, Smooth Ride, offers a wide variety of influences and inspirations blended together to create some very personal, heartfelt, and memorable music.
“Originally Smooth Ride was just going to have a few originals,” remembers Christine. “But after I met pianist Jane Getz through Louis Taylor, she encouraged me to write more material. The project took on a life of its own and it went in a different direction that I had originally planned. Jane also wrote a few songs for me to sing and persuaded me to play piano more. The CD fell magically into place without too much planning. It just seemed natural.” Christine’s ability as a songwriter had really blossomed in recent times and this project had brought out the very best in her very expressive singing.
For Smooth Ride, Christine Rosander is joined on various selections by Jane Getz (whose early career in New York as a jazz pianist was followed by a lengthy and very successful period in pop music before she returned to jazz in more recent times), pianist Deron Johnson, bassists Anders Swanson, Dan Lutz and Chris Colangelo, drummers Frank Wilson, Scotty Lund, Chris Blondel and Michael Barsimanto, percussionists Rich Mangicaro and Cassio Duarte, saxophonist Louis Van Taylor and trombonist Wendell Kelly. “I want to especially mention Bob Tucker who was co-producer, engineer and played all the guitars and even pedal steel on the album. He had a huge part in the sound and feeling of the record. I’m spoiled after working with him; he really knows how to record vocals as he showed on earlier recordings for the Temptations and India.Arie.”
While the supporting cast is strong, the focus throughout is on Christine’s vocal, her music and her storytelling. “There is an autobiographical theme that runs through the CD. There is a reflection of me in the songs, I now realize, about yearning and looking for relief. Many of the originals on this album have gospel influences and evoke a spiritual quest or journey” The program begins with the title cut, “Smooth Ride.” “It’s about wanting a little comfort, a smooth ride. This song was fun to sing, showing off my country gospel roots.” The cheerful lyrics are a request for love and stability.
“Kitten” is an upbeat love song that has a catchy melody and celebrates the joy of passionate love and “finding a little piece of sunshine.” “Cattle Press” was inspired by an NPR interview of an autistic woman, Temple Grandin. When she was a teenager, she noticed cattle being put into a squeeze machine so they could be doctored. When she saw how peaceful they became, she begged to be put into the cattle press too and immediately felt a calmness and relief. She had since become an animal scientist, designing more humane cattle presses used by both cows and autistic people. “This was so intriguing to me. I thought what would that be like to crave that pressure and find relief in it?” Christine’s song, which she co-wrote with Jane, says “Baby I need pressure, like a cattle press. Put your arms around me, squeeze out my regrets.” “Good Boy”, co-written with Ronnie Shelton, discusses the sadness of separation.
“Sailing,” which was co-wrote wither her student, Sarah Chernoff and her husband Jeff Whitley, is about trying to repair a relationship before a couple drifts completely apart. The quintet spontaneously gave the song a reggae feel behind the vocals and the optimistic interpretation makes one believe that Christine’s plea will be answered. “I really enjoy singing Jane’s ‘My Heart is a Ghost Town.’ It is like a little movie, creating a strong atmosphere of a place and time with a lot of images. It also has the feeling of loss and yearning.” Jane Getz also wrote “The New Route 66.” Christine shows the influence of early Rickie Lee Jones on this nostalgic look at the beat generation.
“Boxer” is based on a real story about a troubled boxer, using a lot of his words and talking about how he finds release from the past. Linda Jackson’s background vocal is a major asset.
Jane Getz’s song “My Own Little World” is about finding a little place to call one’s own, even if it is just a dream. “Put Your Mind On Me,” one of the first songs written for the CD, also with Shelton, is an inspirational song that says, “Close your eyes and imagine a place where you can go, far away from cares that bind you and all the pain you know. You can have something deeper, just reach out your hand, put your mind on me and you will understand.” “Balm In Gilead,” is a hymn that Christine has always loved. “I heard this growing up in church and it meant so much to me. The word ‘balm’ sounded so strange, but I could feel the power in it, the comfort and the encouragement. I wanted to tap into that, and give the song a joyful groove and make it my own.” Smooth Ride concluded with the heartfelt “Traveling Mercy.” The song was inspir - Music Connection
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Biography of
CHRISTINE ROSANDER
From the first fiery note to the last whispery phrase, Christine Rosander’s sultry voice grabs hold and doesn’t let go, stirring up yearning and desire long after a song has ended.
Her debut CD, Smooth Ride (Devcat Records), produced by Jane Getz and Bob Tucker, introduces Christine as an emerging voice of tomorrow’s music with sounds that cross cultural, ethnic, and gender boundaries to span generations. A one woman melting pot, her style melds pop, rhythm and blues, rock, jazz, folk, and country into a unique, powerful, and sensitive musical identity. She sings stories of human existence and her own life, and retells the sorrows and joys of being alive.
“With my singing, everything is instinctive…everything,” says Christine. “It’s a reflection of my feelings, memories, and intuition.”
Smooth Ride is what Christine calls “an accidental concept album” because its diversity of styles and emotions makes a statement. "As I found myself moving though different styles of music, I found I was traveling through different emotions, memories and places from my past -- from my development as a musician and a person. I'm hoping to share this trip with audiences looking for fresh experiences, and the familiar seen from a different point of view"
Her strong and sexy style blends playful to poignant influences including the emotion of Rickie Lee Jones, the folk voice of Joni Mitchell, the sophisticated blues of Nina Simone, the storytelling panache of Billie Holiday, the rock-jazz feeling of Donald Fagan, the country pop attitude of the Dixie Chicks, and powerful songwriting influences such as the Beatles, CSNY, Bread, and many more. Each becomes undeniably her own.
Smooth Ride came together like a slow avalanche. Christine started recording with Louis Van Taylor on two of the more jazz oriented sides; he then suggested that veteran keyboardist Jane Getz take over. That led to the involvement of Jane’s husband, noted producer, recordist, and musician, Bob Tucker. They began to record in Bob and Jane’s new studio. Jane’s writing for Christine suggested new possibilities. Christine’s own writing began to reflect more influences, so that her style was enriched and transformed. The album emerged over a long development arc. It ends with the first songs recorded and begins with the last written, the title track “Smooth Ride.”
Christine began singing solos publicly at the age of five, encouraged by her mother, a choir director and music teacher. She studied classical piano and was fascinated by gospel. Later, Christine earned her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and commercial composing and arranging from Cal State Long Beach. She went on to receive a master’s degree in music from USC. A professional musician, singer, and performer, she expects to continue teaching voice and piano while she presents her new music to her growing aggregation of fans.
“Christine Rosander is a major talent with a distinctive and haunting voice. Her debut CD, Smooth Ride, offers a wide variety of influences and inspirations blended together to create some very personal, heartfelt, and memorable music.”-Scott Yanow, writer for The Music Connection and author of nine jazz books, including Jazz On Film, Swing, Bebop, Trumpet Kings, and Jazz On Record 1917-76.
“A seductive singing temptress with a natural captivating power, Christine Rosander warms the soul and spirit with true life messages—proving that singing is like life…either you feel it or you don’t.”—Dr. Herb Wong, International Critic, Discographer and Journalist
“If there’s any justice, the world will be hearing more from this lady”—Ken McCall, San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune.
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