Christine Collister

Christine Collister - Blue Aconite - 1996 - Fledg'Ling Records

"boundary breaking is routine for Collister and makes her one of the finest grown-up vocalists on the planet.": "so much soul you think she’d been signed by Motown’': "one of the world's finest". - Q

"Christine Collister can sing the birds down off the trees and send them back with a tiny flick of her vocal chords.” -Mojo

"a voice personally delivered by God." - The Times

"Christine Collister has a killer voice. As full as Dusty Springfield or as blue as Alison Moyet" - Froots

Christine’s career now spans an incredible 26 years! Over that bridge of time she has released 17 albums … a DVD celebrating 20 years in the business and a single with the BBC : the theme tune for “The Life and Loves of a She-Devil” in 1984. Throughout, she has mesmerized and astounded with her unique blend of soul, blues, pop, jazz, country and folk, and today she remains as powerful, subtle and effortless as ever. Solo albums recorded over the past decade or so have seen her convincingly interpret Smoky Robinson, Nick Drake, Robert Wyatt, Tom Waits, Paul Simon, U2 and Lal Waterson, amongst many others - whilst with every year, her own self penned or co-written compositions have developed a distinctive quality - one which connects on a very personal level. Christine Collister grew up on the Isle of Man. Her professional recording career began in the mid 1980’s but she first came to national attention singing the 1987 theme for the BBC Television series The Life and Loves Of A She Devil. Following a fruitful association with The Richard Thompson Band, Christine enjoyed a period of critical and commercial success in a seven-year partnership with Clive Gregson. She also toured and recorded with the female super group Daphne’s Flight. Over the course of her career Christine has become a familiar name on the UK ‘live’ scene and at all major festivals from Glastonbury to Winnipeg to Cambridge. With a gravity defying voice, assured and impressive live performances and great personal charm she is a phenomenal live act. In 1993 Hell Bent Heaven Bound: Barb Jungr, Christine, Helen Watson and Michael Parker toured a show called 'Money - The Final Frontier', a follow up to the first 'Hell Bent Heaven Bound' project which won 'Pick of the Fringe' the previous year. The project - 21 songs on the theme of money - played to great reviews across the country and the album, released only on cassette at the time, was highly praised. Now re-mastered for CD, this brilliant collection is re-released on Stereoscout records. It couldn't come at a more appropriate time, with songs like 'Wall Street Shuffle', 'One Meat Ball' and 'You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two' all given the HBHB treatment to create something both spookily topical and extremely entertaining. In 2005 the cd version of 'Love' – originally a vinyl specific project- was released on Stereoscout records- is the beautiful and amazing result of a particularly creative venture with Rega Research Ltd, a British hi-fi manufacturer of high standing. Christine’s live performances have always been wonderfully magical experiences and that same magic has sometimes proved elusive in the recording process; here in this special collaboration with Rega, her voice is captured whole and unadulterated, as close to those live performances as she’s ever been recorded – a real joy! © http://www.christinecollister.com/about.html

"Blue Aconite" is a great solo studio debut from the brilliant Isle Of Man vocalist, Christine Collister. Christine sings a fantastic mix of soul, blues, and folk. Her music has been influenced by many artists including David Bowie, Steely Dan, Sting, Dusty Springfield, John Martyn, John Mayer, Joni Mitchell, and Smokey Robinson. Two tracks on this album were composed or co-written by Christine. The remaining nine songs are covers and include versions of Jesse Winchester's "How Far to the Horizon?", Sam Phillips' "Private Storm", Anna McGarrigle's "Heart Like a Wheel", Tom Waits' "Broken Bicycles", and Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper's classic "Harvest for the World." The album features features guest appearances by Richard Thompson on guitar and Helen Watson on harmonica and background Vocals. Despite Christine Collister's stunning voice, and numerous album releases, she remains unfamiliar to many people. "Blue Aconite" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy her outstanding the "The Dark Gift of Time" album, and promote great music. Helen Watson's "Blue Slipper" album is another great album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 How Far to the Horizon? - Jesse Winchester 4:06
2 Private Storm - Sam Phillips 3:24
3 Can't Win - Richard Thompson 5:11
4 Paper Wings - David Rawlings, Gillian Welch 3:44
5 Kicking in My Stall - Christine Collister, Helen Watson 3:03
6 Heart Like a Wheel - Anna McGarrigle 4:46
7 Forever He Said - Christine Collister 4:56
8 Midnight Feast - Oliver Knight, Lal Waterson 3:39
9 Blue Moon on the Rise - Julie Matthews, Chris While 3:43
10 Harvest for the World - Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper 3:41
11 Broken Bicycles - Tom Waits 3:22

MUSICIANS

Christine Collister - Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Background Vocals
Richard Thompson - Electric Guitar
Howard Lees - Acoustic Guitar
Rory McFarlane - Bass Guitar, Electric Bass Double Bass, Fretless Bass
Anglin "Spector" Buttimore - Hammond B-3
Gerry Conway - Drums, Percussion
John Kirkpatrick - Accordion
Chris Leslie - Violin
Helen Watson - Harmonica, Background Vocals

BIO

Christine Collister is one of the most respected female vocalists in contemporary British folk-rock. Although she first attracted attention as a member of Richard Thompson's band in the late '80s and then in a duo that she shared with Clive Gregson, the former leader of British rock band Any Trouble, she's continued to make her presence felt since embarking on a solo career in 1992. Collister made her earliest mark as the singer of the theme song of the popular BBC television series The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. Meeting Gregson, who was playing backup guitar in Thompson's band, in 1985, she was quickly recruited as a harmony singer, touring with the group until 1988. Gregson & Collister's debut album as a duo, Home and Away, was a homemade cassette sold at their shows; it was later reissued by Flying Fish. Gregson & Collister released their first full-fledged album, Mischief, in 1987, following it with the all-original album A Change in the Weather in 1989, and Love Is a Strange Hotel, a collection of their favorite songs, in 1990. Their final album together, The Last Word, was released in 1992. Collister has continued to balance her solo career with a variety of projects. In 1992, she joined with Barb Jungr, Michael Parker, and Ian Shaw in a four-part harmony show, Hell Bent Heaven Bound. In addition to a crowd-rousing performance at the Winnepeg Folk Festival in 1993, the show was presented during a sold-out tour of the United Kingdom. After touring with Richard Thompson in 1995, Collister joined a supergroup of British female performers, Daphne's Flight, that also featured Melanie Harrold, Julie Matthews, Helen Watson, and Chris While. The group recorded a self-titled album in 1996. Collister's debut solo album, Live, was recorded during a 1994 concert in her hometown. Her solo studio debut, Blue Aconite, was released in 1996 and featured guest appearances by Thompson and Watson. Horizon was released in 1997. Collister's fourth solo album, The Dark Gift of Time, released the following year, featured guests B.J. Cole (pedal steel), Danny Thompson (double bass), Jacqui McShee (vocals), and John Surman (bass clarinet and saxophone), in addition to Thompson (electric guitar). Songbird appeared in early 2000, followed by Equal Love in 2002 and Into the Light in 2003, the latter two albums both released by Topic Records. Home and Love... were then released by the Stereoscout label in 2003 and 2005, respectively. Collister also formed a new duo with blues revivalist Dave Kelly; Collister and Kelly, with support from their backup band the Travelling Gentlemen, embarked on a 2005 U.K. tour, recordings from which were featured on their debut live disc, released by Beat Goes On the following year. © Craig Harris © 2011 Rovi http://www.allmusic.com/artist/christine-collister-p65803/biographyCorporation. All Rights Reserved