Christiane Page’ mixes folk, Quebecois for all that jazz

/ January 20, 2015
(From CD Cover)

(From CD Cover)

Christiane Page’, “The Road”
Hondo Mesa Records

Christiane Page’ splits time between New York and New Mexico, according to the liner notes to her debut CD just released by the Hondo Mesa label of Syracuse, N.Y.

A bit of research reveals that Page’ was a scholar and educator at Syracuse University, a natural discovery considering that Hondo Mesa is the label owned by Dennis Kinsey, a professor at SU’s Newhouse School and the gentleman who sent me this mixture of traditional folk and Quebecois folk.

Page’ is the voice behind the 11 interesting and entertaining songs, but Kinsey is most certainly all in, too, as the owner of the recording studio, co-writer of seven selections (six with Page’ and one with Dixie Shipp) and guitarist.

I thought Joni Mitchell takes a trip to Broadway, a small saloon that still allows smoking and a jazz club with circular tables of attentive listeners.

The album starts with “Ball of Rain,” with Page’ using a forceful vocal to play with John Engerman’s showy piano work. Engerman wrote the pop piece, too.

“On y Va,” brings Kinsey’s guitar in to dance with the piano, and introduces Page’s French lyrics as part of the ringing serenade, too.

From there she smooths out with “The Road,” a love song with some soaring, and then “Love Passes Him By,” the epic piece of the collection, with soft and sweet guitar and vocals velvety enough to provided the soundtrack for a movie romance scene.

“Diamond Bird” is a story song about a night in a club with observations and piano work sharp and soaring and a jazz lover’s dream.

“You Lied to Me” spotlights Kinsey’s bluesy swing guitar feel with Page’ vocals that carry a big bite.

“Jazz as a genre does not discriminate or compartmentalize excessively the way other musical styles do,” Page’ says in the CD liner notes. “My songwriting parallels my taste in art. Not much for realism, I am attracted to impressionism and abstract expressions of recognizable forms. What New Mexican artists with their vivid and personal interpretation of people and landscapes in the Land of Enchantment is a little of what I hope to do with my songs.”

Here’s a link to hear “You Lied to Me” on Soundcloud.

Here’s the link to Hondo Mesa Records’ Facebook page.

Is there a small label that puts out interesting artists that has attracted your ears? Have you heard of the style called Quebecois folk or “chansonniers” such as Felix Leclercs? Page’ lists her influences at Joni Mitchell, k.d. Lang and Dolores O’Riordan of Irish rockers The Cranberries. Who do you like the most of those three?

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25 thoughts on “Christiane Page’ mixes folk, Quebecois for all that jazz”

  3. I like folk and jazz, this would be such a great record to listen to. You are so great to feature this too. I am a big fan of this style, new as it seems it seems to have a little bluesy sound, too. Maybe?

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  4. Of the 3 you put up there Mark, my favorite is Joni Mitchel. She’s a sound from my time and place in life, and one that my sis and I could cover in our own gigs. I’ve never heard of this genre, but like most music, I take what I like and leave the rest. There are artists and music from every genre that I love, as well as some I hate to listen to, so it just depends on how I like it when I listen. As far as what I like, there are artists and songs from almost every genre that I love, as well as some I can’t handle at all. The latter, of course is the kind that gets caught in my pea-brain and I sing it over and over all week until I’m ready to explode from pressure buildup. We do have a small label here, but I’m not sure of the name. I’m thinking it is Sun Records, but wouldn’t stake my life on that.

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  5. wow, what a sound. i’ve never heard of that genre, but i like it! i listened to early avert brothers when they were doing their own thing, and loved them already, though they did make a big leap when they hooked up with rick rubin –

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  9. Ahh Mark you take me back to my place of birth and the folky sounds of Quebec. You know you can walk into a coffee shop in Montreal and if you’re lucky there may be someone with a guitar serenading you while you sip on your latte.
    Diana xo

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      • Have you ever visited Montreal Mark? Old Montreal is amazing, lots of talent and colour. Did you know that Cirque de Soleil got its start by doing street performances in Vieux Montreal?

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      • I visited Montreal twice, but way back when I was in college. I went from friends’ houses in Northern New York, once from Massena and once from Malone. I was teenager, really too young to aprreciate the architecture and artistry of the city. The first time I went to a Montreal Expos baseball game at Olympic Stadium and the second time I went to a Carole King concert at the Forum.

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      • That’s a mighty big building to burn down, Diana. 😦 OK, muy Carole King concert story: I’m a kid from Morrisville College sitting on the side section with my buddy digging the concert and I should out between songs something like “You’re cooking, Carole” and she looks and says “I’m cooking? You must be a New Yorker.” With the same big accent I still had back then, of course. My friend starts pounding my shoulder ……

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