Jane Christie

Info, pics and gig lists for vocalist, Jane Christie

It’s a long journey indeed from being the little girl singing her heart out in front of the bedroom mirror (with her hairbrush as a microphone), to the full-grown woman standing in front of a BBC orchestra (this time with a real microphone) fronting a live recording session. But jazz singer, Jane Christie has made that journey with style.

Jane was born in Bristol UK (where she now resides) into a family of musicians. Her late father John Christie was a professional pianist and songwriter who instilled within her a love of music, and in particular jazz. Then there were her musician brothers Andy Christie (drums & piano) and John Christie Jnr (bass) to keep her firmly on the musical straight and narrow.

Jane’s early musical experiences were fronting the family band, and her brothers both perform on her brand new CD On Reflection (arranged and produced by Andy), along with saxophonist, Andy Kinsman and drummer, Andy Tween (apparently it is preferable to be named Andy to gain admittance to this superb outfit!).

As well as being featured on Michael Parkinson’s BBC radio program, Jane has been a firm favourite on other BBC programs, including Humphrey Littleton's Monday Night Jazz Programme on Radio 2. This is not surprising as Jane is no stranger to recording - during the London-based part of her career she did numerous BBC Radio 2 sessions with the Radio 2 Big Band conducted by Barry Forgey, the Midland Radio Orchestra, the Brian Lemon Trio and the John Pearce Quartet . These recordings were featured on programs like You, The Night and The Music, the John Dunn Show and the Ray Moore Early Morning Show. During this period Jane was also regularly gigging in London jazz venues like Pizza on the Park with musicians such as Brian Lemon.

Jane has been no stranger to film and TV either, singing the title theme to the film version of the hit TV series Man About the House as well as making many regional television appearances. Musicians are drawn to the affecting sounds she makes, and in her earlier years she was nurtured by and performed with jazz guitar legend Ike Isaacs and was more recently featured on a new CD by guitarist, Roy Sainsbury.

With her new CD, On Reflection, Jane is ready for the next chapter of that far-reaching vocal journey that is far from over.

Acclaim for Jane Christie:

Here is a singer whose flute-like vocal quality is applied with musicianship and style to the Great American Songbook; a singer who is not afraid to simply sing the songs, all the while putting her own mark on some of the great melodies and lyrics of all time.

...Anthony Cherry, producer of Parkinson’s Sunday Supplement on BBC Radio 2.

Jane has a directness and honesty in her singing that casts away all pretence and offers the listener (and for that matter the writers of the classic songs she interprets) a precious gift in her telling readings of the material she chooses. Although, like many other great jazz singers, she eschews “scatting”, her interpretations are unmistakably the work of a real jazz artist by virtue of her highly inventive jazz phrasing, melodic shaping and her wonderful feeling for fluid yet uncompromised rhythm.

Above all the clarity of her vocal sound and impeccable intonation ensure there is no disturbance to the melodic thread, which she delivers untarnished and enhanced by the personal touch she brings to everything she does.

...Pianist/Composer Mark Isaacs.

...more information about Jane Christie coming soon.

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