简介：JazzvocalistChristianaDrapkinhasbeen performinginNewYorkandontheEastCoastforovertwentyyears.Shenow makesherhomeintheWashington,DCarea,butkeepscomingbackforgigsin theBigApple.Sheisnotedforherlyricalandhighlypersonaldeliveryof balladsandforherabandonedyetartfulscatimprovisations.Christiana's singingisdeeplyimmersedintherichtraditionsofBillieHoliday,Ella FitzgeraldandCarmenMcRae,aswellasinthevocalesefireworksofAnita O'Day,AnnieRossandEddieJefferson.WithherfocusonJazzStandards,she highlightsimprovisationandharmonicdevelopment,carryingonanddeveloping thetraditionofBebopandmusicianslikeCharlieParker,LesterYoung, TheloniousMonk,LennieTristanoandDizzyGillespie. Christianacame totheUSasaFulbrightexchangestudentfromGermany,studyinginNewOrleans whereshegotherfirstimmediateexposuretoJazz.MovingtoNewYorkprovided herwithheridealartistichome,whereshebecamepartofavibrantlocaljazz scene.ShestudiedjazzwithpianistCharlesSibirskyandvocalcoachBarbara Feller.Christianahasdrawnalotofinspirationandsupportfromworkshops withSheilaJordan,MarkMurphy,and,morerecently,TierneySutton. IntheWashington,DCareasheoftenpartnerswithguitarist MikeGellar.Together,theyreleasedaCDofStandards,BossaNova,andBebop lines,"GottheWorldOnaString,"withBobShannonbass,Dominic Smithondrums,andChrisBattistoneontrumpet.Astheyarecontinuingtheir musicaljourneytogether,Christianaisalsodelightedtoperformwithother fabulousDCmusicians,RobReddonpiano,PaulWingoonguitar,andDave Mosick,tonameafew.SheperformsregularlywithNewYorkmusicians,like pianistsMichaelKananandCharlesSibirsky,guitaristJohnMerrillandRyan Blotnick,bassistsStephanieGreig,PatO'Leary,andMurrayWall,drummers MichaelPetrosinoandBerniceBrooks,andothers. Christiana'snewproject,"Shakespeareandallthat Jazz,"celebratesthepowerandbeautyofShakespeare'spoetry,setto musicinjazzarrangements.Thishighlyuniqueandbarelyknownmaterialproves tobeatreasuretroveofdiscovery,andhasstruckaresponsivechordwith theiraudiences.ThecompositionsarebyDukeEllington,BillyStrayhorn,John Dankworth,ArthurYoung,KennethGreigandothers,rangingfromhaunting balladstouptemponumbers,celebratinglove,lifeanddeathwithdelightful immediacy. Forthepastcoupleofyears,Christianahascontinuedthe developmentofherintriguingduocollaborationwiththeBrooklynbassist StephanieGreig.Together,theyrecordedaminiCD,"AuPair",whichfeatures theirexplorationsofjazztunesatbothendsofthepitchspectrum.Stripped downtothebareessentials,withoutachordalinstrumenttoprovidecomfort andsupport,theyarediscoveringthepoweroftheirtwovoicesintertwiningin harmoniccounterpoint.Theyarepushingtheboundariesofthegenre,extending theirrepertoirefromMonk,Miles,Bird,throughthegreatAmericanstandards ofHoagyCarmichaelandEllington,tosuchsurprisingchoicesasErikSatie, KurtWeill,andcontemporarycomposers. HernewCD"SongsAboutYou"was releasedonIanaRecordsin2004(seereviewsunderthe"Press"tab).It featuresseveraloriginalcompositionsbypianistCharlesSibirsky,guitarist AndyFite,andsaxophonistCharleyKrachy,roundedoutbyherfresh interpretationsofStandardsfromtheAmericanSongbook.CharlesSibirskyison piano,MurrayWallonbass,JohnMerrillonguitar,andCharleyKrachyon saxophone. Fiveyearsearlier,ChristianarecordedherdebutCD "TheManILove"onIanaRecords.Therecording includesStephenLemboonpiano,SteveDoyleonbass,andBerniceBrookson percussion.Thequartetasawholeconveysachemistryandfreshnesswhich resultsfromagroupofmusicianslisteningtoeachotherandenjoyingeach other'scompanyastheycreatetheirjoyfulmusicaldialog.