Chrissy Gardner
New Haven, Connecticut, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Chrissy Gardner possesses the independent music scene triple threat – singer/songwriter/instrumentalist. This Chi-town native’s debut album Alabaster Room showcases her immense talent in each of these distinguished qualities. Gardner’s lyrics and arrangements are intelligent and she surrounds herself with distinguished musicians that add texture to her well-produced debut. The most colorful guest artist on Alabaster Room is pianist Professor John who adds his whimsical playing to the title track. Gardner’s voice is breathy as she croons the quirky jazz-like melody like a tipsy Norah Jones as Professor John duets with the dirty muted growling trombone and then adds his own flair on mouth trumpet. The next song the two join forces on is “Whiskey Wednesday” that has Professor John dancing up and down the keys and Gardner exhibiting a much stronger vocal projection as she pushes her chest voice to a cute hiccup then purrs into the ending vocal flourish in the coda. “Church Stones” features a cello that adds long pedal tones under Gardner’s playing and singing. The bass instrument helps build the crescendo into the bridge where Gardner sustains a dramatic long clear vocal line. Gardner has a lovely voice and exquisite tonality no matter what style she is singing. She can delicately accompany herself on piano in “Mother Come Quickly” and confidently sing over a grooving backbeat in “Come Closer.” All ten original songs on Alabaster Room are a pleasure to listen to and hopefully the future has much in store for the talented Chrissy Gardner.
Kelly O'Neill - ReviewYou.com
Chrissy Gardner brings versatile and excellent musicality as singer, pianist, and guitarist to her solo show, which has a format more rock concert-like than traditional cabaret. Gardner has a strong voice with an expansive range and lets it travel smoothly from top to bottom. She moves like a rock star, often reminiscent of Tina Turner. This buff young woman looked beyond attractive in the stilettos and the black mini dress with the shimmy tabs. In a show mainly of original compositions, musical numbers reflect rock, jazz, folk, Dixieland, and more. While most of her songs are in quick rock/jazz tempi, her lyrics are reflective. “Where She Goes” is a particularly good journey about desire and pain that comes with an attraction to someone the admirer can’t have. “Citrine,” written about Gardner’s daughter, incorporates images from nature to explain the intense connection between mother and child. Guest Clara Reaves, becoming a better focused artist with each appearance, added clean harmonics to several of Gardner’s numbers. Accompanist and opening guest, Professor John, brought his unique jazz/blues sensibilities to the funny “Just an Average Guy” who is “overworked, underpaid, and overlaid.” He also joined excellent sidemen on guitar and trombone offering a musically rich experience.
Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
August 1, 2009 - Cabaret Scenes
Discography
Alabaster Room (all original debut album)
A Song For You (all original meditation cd)
Photos
Bio
BIO:
Chrissy Gardner is a singer/songwriter/pianist who began her career in Chicago, Illinois where she recorded her debut album, "Alabaster Room", in 2008. With her incredible array of originals and favorite covers, Chrissy puts on a show that is a cross between a belly-laughing cabaret, a mind-blowing rock concert and an old school coffee house gig. Her passion, conviction and real-ness onstage is captivating. When Chrissy opens her mouth to sing or touches the keys, jaws drop, and when she chats and giggles between songs she makes her audience feel like close friends hanging out in her living room.
Chrissy is the queen of gathering a powerhouse team of musicians to join her on stage. Most recently, Chrissy has begun collaborating and performing with the incredibly talented Abigail Zsiga. Abigail has had extraordinary success as both a vocalist and songwriter including receiving awards for Best Album, Best Female Vocalist and Best New Artist which followed her debut album, "Feel Good". Her singles “Let the Joy Rise” and “If It Don’t Fit”, soared to the top of the dance charts. Abigail released "Home ... Again" in 2006, a stunning display of her voice and songwriting prowess, and "Be Still My Soul", a collection of hymns in 2010. (www.abigailzsiga.com) Be on the lookout for Chrissy and Abigail as a team; a collaboration between these two divas is destined to go far.
When touring in Chicago and for special occasions, blues master Professor John joins Chrissy Gardner's team. With many accolades of his own, including a 4 star rating from Downbeat Magazine for his critically acclaimed album "Big Hands", bandleader Professor John lends his unique style, raucous back-up vocals and truly spectacular piano playing to Gardner's already engrossing and exciting live show.
THE BAND:
Chrissy is backed by Connecticut's finest musicians including: brilliant drummer, David Keith (Mighty Purple, Eight to the Bar); Chenot on bass and backup vocals who doubles as the lead vocalist and songwriter for New Haven's best electro-pop band Mission 0; and local legend, Robert Messore on guitar.
Chrissy and Robert often perform as a duo for house concerts and smaller venues.
DEBUT ALBUM:
Chrissy Gardner released her debut cd of original music, “Alabaster Room”, in the spring of 2008. Of the album, Kelly O’Neill of ReviewYou.com says, “Gardner possesses the independent music scene triple threat – singer/songwriter/instrumentalist”. The album “showcases her immense talent in each of these distinguished qualities. Gardner’s lyrics and arrangements are intelligent and she surrounds herself with distinguished musicians that add texture to her well-produced debut … Gardner has a lovely voice and exquisite tonality no matter what style she is singing.” Her original song, "Where She Goes", a track from Alabaster Room, placed in the Top Ten of Mike Pinder's songwriting competition, Songwars.
GIG/RADIO HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2011-2012
-Performed on Hi5tv's First Thursday
SEE CLIP HERE: http://blip.tv/Hi5netTV/chrissy-gardner-live-from-hi5nettv-s-first-thursday-little-lady-6221563
-Opened for National Act, Jill Sobule, at The Outer Space
-Opened for National Act, Pamela Means, at Cafe Nine
-Co-hosted WPKN show celebrating female musicians in Connecticut.
-Appeared on WPKN's Connecticut Rocks
-Radio play on Women of Substance Radio, WPKN, WAPJ and 104.1
OTHER PROJECTS:
Chrissy Gardner's songwriting reaches beyond her solo career. She is a founding member of A Broken Umbrella Theater in New Haven, CT. She has written the music for three very successful original musicals, "Short Story by a Tree", "iMarvel" and "Head Over Wheels". In 2011, Chrissy wrote and recorded music for a meditation cd, Song for You, which will be available for purchase in the summer of 2012.
Chrissy will be back in the studio to record her next album in the Fall of 2012.
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