Christine is the Winner of the 2004 USA Songwriting Competition/Jazz Category and is a pianist,singer-songwriter whose N.Y. group performs her vibrant, multi-faceted vocal and instrumental material that fuses styles and rhythms of Brazilian/Latin with Pop and Jazz.
Christine released her new and 2nd CD, "My Spanish Dream" in November, 2007. It is a rich Brazilian/Latin/World fusion offering that dances blithely between jazz and pop. It highlights Christine's songwriting artistry leading listeners through experiences real and imagined in a way that creates a deep connection. Christine writes so that the listener feels. Her beautiful, heartfelt voice and sizzling performances are complimented by Elliot's Spero's compelling sax solos with Mike Woinoski on bass and Jody Sumber on drums. Her lush vocals and daring arrangements transport the listener to a loftier place. The December issue of Recording Magazine featured Christine in their Artist Profile. This can be viewed at: www.taxi.com/transmitter/0611/headlineB0611.html She is the Winner of the 2004 USA Songwriting Competition in the Jazz category for her song, "He Wasn't Always That Way" and Finalist with "Caribbean Nights" in 2002. Her piece "Therapy" has been published by Wild Whirled Music for use in film and television. The group was a semi-finalist in the Discmakers Northeast 2006 Independent Music World Series.
The Christine Spero Group was one of the headliners at The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz in July 2006 and will be returning in the summer of 2008. They opened for Blood, Sweat and Tears and The Charlie Daniels Band at Harborfest July 2007. They have opened for such notables as: The Woody Herman Orchestra, Kim Waters, Walter Beasley, Ray Vega, Bobby Matos, Steve Davis, Clark Terry, Mike Phillips (from Prince), pop icon of the 60's and 70's-Melanie, Andrea Brachfield and T.K.Blue. Christine has performed on Time Warner Cable's "Poughkeepsie LIVE!" and has been written about in USA Today, Billboard, Jazz Times, Keyboard and Recording Magazines, ASCAP Playback.
Each one of Christine's pieces is a unique vehicle for creative improvisation. Add to that her evocative, soulful singing and you've got a smooth runway for the piano, saxophone, bass, drums and percussion to take off!
Christine is the Swedish/American granddaughter of classical pianists. She recorded her first songs on RCA as a teen, then moved from New York to San Francisco to further study music and botany. She was a member of Bob Braye's Peace and Rhythm Unit. Her eclectic and personal style of composing was influenced by many classical and jazz musicians. She has performed with her own quartets and sextets over the years and now lives in the Catskill Mountains of New York, where she continues to write, record, and perform with her band.
Saxophonist, percussionist and producer Elliot Spero founded his own ensembles in San Francisco and opened for Bobby McFarrin in the Bay Area. He engineered and produced Christine's CD's, "We Call It Music" and "My Spanish Dream" and owns a recording studio in New York.
Currently our rhythm section is:
Cuban drummer T. Xiques-(Savoy Brown, Mike Maineri, Larry Coryell, Jewel,Garth Hudson, Robbie Dupree) and
bassist, Charlie Kniceley who has played with Ron Carter, Joe Beck, Jack DeJohnette, Warren Berhardt
Rave Radio Reviews are starting to come in from around the World! :
" My Spanish Dream" is just that. This is a rich Brazilian/latin/World fusion that makes the "A" list from the very first track. Christine Spero has exceptional writing skills and a voice to match. Gloriously groovy arrangements full of wonderful textures, imagination, and musicality. Spero's song "He Wasn't Always That Way" won the jazz category of the USA songwriting Competition in 2004; and "Caribbean Nights", one my favourites on this album, was a finalist in 2002. Spero is brilliantly supported by Elliot Spero's sax & percussion with Mike Woinoski on bass and drummer Jody Sumber. Produced by Elliot Spero this second album clearly announces a new talent. Already headlining Festivals and performing with Blood Sweat & Tears and Charlie Daniels in 2007, The Christine Spero Group is set to go far. So let "The Festival" begin!! "Helen Simons The JazzXpress Caravan 94.1FM Jazz Radio Gold Coast Queensland Australia
" Dynamic vocals. Christine's writing abilities are very evident throughout this musical project. What a musical festival! "
Leon Reyes KVMR 89.5 FM Nevada City/Sacramento Ca Host: Leon's Jazz In A Box
" Fantastic Album. Great stuff for our Radio Station. "
Alex Pijnen/BRTO Radio-The Netherlands
" We really love this stunning cooking sophisticated Jazz. Christine's style is powerful, evocative and very subtle. The choice of material backed up with a cooking band is marvelous and gels together into a big sound tinged with a wonderful Latin Groove that has you wanting more and our audiences most certainly will love your sound. This is a CD made to be heard, in fact, demands to be heard for it's infectious groove has one wanting to dance and party. It certainly struck us as one extraordinary CD and one that will be very well received by our astute audience. "
Peter Merrett- Music manager for PBS FM 106-7 Melbourne, Australia (one of the country's leading music stations.)
Our station has over 400,000 listeners per week and over 6 million hits per month on our web site.
" A wonderful recording and I have no hesitation in adding it to my current play list. "
Dick Hughes-Jazz Action Productions/Sydney, Australia
" The charactor of the music style presented gives this CD a unique feel, with an individual personality presented inside it's contents. Great work! "
Graham J Barclay/Soundwave FM-New Zealand
" Excellent material! I am interested to present more in the future. "
Vasja Ivanovski Jazz Spaces, Skopje, Macedonia
" A truly wonderful CD that I'm looking forward to reviewing! " Serge Kozlovsky-Minsk/Belarus
" Fresh and relaxing singing with a latin touch.! "-Pascal Dorban Radio ARA, Luxembourg
" I like the cd very much. It is so very interesting and of great quality and very advisable for lovers of good music. " JOSEP PALMADA RED HOT BLUES RADIO VILAFANT SPAIN
" Great work on this disc full of wonderful song's and music. One to be proud of. " George Young
country club productions pty ltd, Australia
" What a great sound you have, we have played several of your tracks to date and plan to schedule more in future programs. Keep up the good work and please keep us up to date with your progress ". Michael Criddle OzRadio (President Radio Triple H-FM), Australia
