Julie Christensen

Versatility has never been a problem or a pose for singer JulieChristensen, whose voicefound a home in the L.A. post-punk band Divine Horsemenand, for years, as a spotlightedsinger with Leonard Cohen. With Something Familiar, her thirdCD, she adds another genrefeather to the cap: jazz. Singing standards, and in her ownsignature style, is actuallynothing new for the vocalist. In her sundry travels,geographically and musically, she hasdipped into the Great American Songbook for years, from hernative Iowa to years spent inAustin and Los Angeles, and onto her current life, based inOjai, California. SomethingFamiliar is more than a standards festival. The album title itselfis taken from a fascinatingJimmy Webb-penned rarity, “Just Like Marilyn,” There is alsothe original “Hard to Love,”and a gritty-bluesy workout, “Today I Sing the Blues.” Withher keyboardist and longtimecreative cohort Karen Hammack, Christensen tracked inBrooklyn with noted jazzdrummers Jeff Ballard and Kenny Wollesen, alongsidebassists Mary Ann McSweeney andDon Falzone. Back on the west coast, trumpeter Jeff Elliottand pedal steel guitarist-of-note Greg Liesz added their spices to the mix. The end resultis a fresh twist on oldmusical values, something familiar yet also otherwise.

Christensen’s first solo album should have been released in1990, after she worked on itwith producer Todd Rundgren at his Bearsville studio. Alas,the album got caught up inrecord company snafus and it has remained on the shelvesall these years. Meanwhile,Christensen took the DIY route and made two fine albums,Love is Driving (1997) and SoulDriver (2001), on her own Stone Cupid label.
AmongChristensen’s present musicalactivities, her connection to Leonard Cohen’s world continues,as a featured member ofthe Cohen tribute projects produced by Hal Willner. Thetribute’s Sydney Opera Houseconcerts became the core of the acclaimed documentary,Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,featuring Christensen and her longtime ally (and fellow Ojai-an) Perla Batalla on the classicCohen song “Anthem.” The Came So Far for Beauty concertseries in fact just held twoperformances in Dublin, Ireland on October 4th and 5th, andJulie again participated,along with Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Nick Cave, BethOrton, Jarvis Cocker and manyothers.

Christensen’s re-entry into her solo career is coming onstrong. Where the Fireworks Are,a companion album worked on simultaneously with SomethingFamiliar, is in the finishingstages.

Gear

I write songs on an Acrosonic acoustic piano or my Larrivee Parlor guitar.

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