Christine Tobin
Romance and Revolution
BDV 2454

A CD of 2004 on BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz Line-Up'
Nominated ‘Best Vocalist' 2004 BBC Jazz Awards

Horses
God Only Knows mp3
Black and Blue
He's Not Anyone
Shelter From the Storm
Go Down Easy
Muse of Blues
Young Woman's Blues
Brandy and Scars mp3
Can't Help Lovin' that Man
My Boat's Ready
Fragile Dance mp3

Press Quotes

" She sings it like she owns it. A decisive step by a very talented singer and musician which delivers a fully mature creative vision.” **** - CD review Keith Shadwick, Sept 2004

“A 24-carat voice” - John L Walters

“What draws me to her is her sound” Mike Figgis, director of Leaving Las Vegas etc.

“The Tobin voice is simply peerless” - Jazzwise

“Forthright, self revelatory, eclectic and experimental” - The Guardian

Christine Tobin, through her music, opens herself up completely to the challenges of contemporary existence: a burning love and a restless defiance pervade her work over five albums for The Babel Label. That same passionate aesthetic reaches its peak on this, her sixth album aptly titled “Christine Tobin’s Romance and Revolution”. It follows on from a period of huge critical acclaim: a nomination for a BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist this year, her highly touted 2003 album ‘You Draw the Line’ (charting at no. 4 in The Guardian ‘101 things to do, buy and see at Xmas’ 2003) and her vivid interpretations earlier this year of Bessie Smith for film director Mike Figgis’ ‘Red White and Blues’ documentary. When she recently performed with Figgis live, John Fordham was moved to describe her as a “blues preacher of stately power”. Christine holds a unique place in the world of jazz as a songwriter and interpreter always looking to find fresh angles and break new boundaries with a set of her lyrically-incisive trademark originals, and on her own expressively unsentimental arrangements of material by Bob Dylan (a soul-jazz version of ‘Shelter From the Storm‘), Brian Wilson (‘God Only Knows’), John Martyn (‘Go Down Easy’) and Bessie Smith (‘Young Woman’s Blues’) with original music set to the lyrics of poets Paul Muldoon and Eva Salzman. With an intimately pared down approach highlighted by the atmospheric South African percussion of Thebe Lipere, Tobin reaches beyond original jazz principles into intensely soulful singer songwriter territory with her “24-carat voice” (according to John L Walters) sounding better than ever. The album was recorded over the course of just two days at Eastcote Studios in May this year. Christine Tobin has been a dominant innovative and creative force for UK jazz singing and writing, in recent years, performing increasingly in Europe, such as at jazz festivals in Berlin, Spain, Bulgaria, Ireland and Poland. With the new CD, Christine confirms her status among the cream of UK contemporary vocalists.

Christine Tobin Biography Irish-born singer/songwriter Christine Tobin has been living in London since 1987. Her work is firmly rooted in a tradition that emphasizes storytelling on a musical bedrock that creatively blends blues, folk and jazz; a territory that is occupied by such luminaries as Joni Mitchell, Cassandra Wilson and Nina Simone. Her innovative and expressive style has led the Guardian to call her the “Bjork of Euro jazz”. She has recorded six albums for Babel , one of the UK 's most dynamic and creative indie labels. Her music has been described as authentic, streetwise, radical and romantic. John L. Walters of the Guardian says she possesses a "24-carat voice" and Jazzwise hail her as "probably the most adventurous jazz singer of her generation in this country, with the ideas and willingness to push back the boundaries and explore new territory with each new album." 

Christine works regularly on the UK jazz scene, appearing at Ronnie Scott's, The Pizza Express Soho Jazz Club, Jazz Café and many reputed international festivals. Her earlier work includes stints in Django Bates' Delightful Precipice, Tim Garland's Lammas, and she has worked in bands with Julian Arguelles, Kenny Wheeler, Joe Locke, Clark Tracey, Gary Husband and Billy Childs amongst many others.

Christine's back catalogue is infused with the rich, dark layers of her probingly intense original songs, as well as her unique, sharp-edged interpretive powers on a diverse field of standards from Leonard Cohen through to Cole Porter. Christine's debut album on Babel ; Aililiu was released in 1995; Yell Of The Gazelle in 1996; House Of Women in 1998 and Deep Song in April 2000. The first three albums focused on Tobin's original material while the fourth, which was recorded in New York , is a tribute to the great American song tradition and concentrates on interpretation and creative arrangements. It also features the legendary American drummer Billy Hart, Austrian double bassist Peter Herbert, guitarist Phil Robson and the highly acclaimed U.S. saxophonist Mark Turner. You Draw The Line , recorded in 2003, saw a return to a majority of originals as well as imaginative covers of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen; it was no. 4 in The Guardian's ‘101 things to do, buy and see at Xmas'.

2004 saw Christine nominated for Best Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards, and her vivid interpretations of Bessie Smith were featured in film director Mike Figgis' “Red White and Blues” documentary in the Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues series. Christine's sixth critically acclaimed album – Christine Tobin's Romance & Revolution - was released in December 2004 and consists of seven of Christine's lyrically incisive trademark originals, including settings of poems by poets Paul Muldoon and Eva Salzman, as well as her own expressively unsentimental arrangements of material by Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, John Martyn and Bessie Smith.

On November 11th 2005 Christine will launch her new seven-piece band “Christine Tobin's Big Deal” at The Vortex, Dalston on the opening night of the London Jazz Festival.   Featuring some of the UK 's most exciting and skillful musicians, they will perform a programme of slammin' originals, unique arrangements of Leonard Cohen, Dylan, Steve Lacy and some Brazilian songs. Alongside Christine, the band features Kate Shortt (cello), Liam Noble (piano), Phil Robson (guitar), Dave Whitford (double bass), Thebe Lipere (percussion) and Simon Lea (drums). 

On December 18 th 2005 Christine Tobin has been invited to perform with The BBC Big Band at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds . Internationally renowned arranger Mike Gibbs has been commissioned to write new arrangements for this special occasion. Mike, who has written for Joni Mitchell, Gary Burton, John Scofield and Carla Bley, to name but a few, will be conducting the music on the night. The concert will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 2's Big Band Special programme later this year. 

THE MUSICIANS

Phil Robson, needs no introduction being one of the leading improvising guitarists on the UK scene. With his album Screenwash released on Babel with international NY star drummer Billy Hart and bassist James Genus, Phil has shown he can ‘hold his head up on any stage’ (The Guardian). Graduating from Middlesex University and the Guildhall School of Music Dave Whitford is one of the most sought after and widely respected double bassists on the London scene. Parisian resident drummer Steve Arguelles has released three albums on Babel, one with saxophonist brother Julian and has established his credentials internationally especially in Paris of late on the electronic club circuit producing and djing on his own Plush Label. Master South African percussionist Thebe Lipere is an innovative experimenter who originally came to fame with Loose Tubes, but is well known as a leader of a variety of pan-African groups and a collaborator with drummer Louis Moholo.

More press quotes

"A singer who refuses to be boxed in by convention." Clive Davis , The Sunday Times

"Definitely one of the country's finest musicians." Linton Chiswick ,Time Out

"House Of Women confirms her as one of the most creative vocalists on the contemporary scene." Jazz UK

“Above all the voice is a killer” . Froots

Tobin's voice is commanding and poised throughout and her husky scat singing is a delight. She's occupying a niche that's her own and the possibilities are enormous." Mike Barnes, The Wire

"Tobin has a talent for writing complex but cogent melodies and supplying appropriate words and re-settings for existing jazz tunes”. Chris Parker, BBC Music Magazine

Babel Discography Aililiu (1995); Yell Of The Gazelle (1996); House Of Women (1998); Deep Song (2000); You Draw The Line (2003)