In the era of instant information, who knows what will be said about an artist beyond the work she provides?  The questions she asks and answers she provides are all left to be interpreted by the sages, auto mechanics, archeologists and birds on the wires.   All I expect from the visitors to this website is that I hope you feel something.  Preferably something new that you might not recognize.  Myself and the band of fearless artists that help make these 3 ½ -minute artifacts will continue exploring and sharing, so stay tuned and be surprised! 

Danette Christine

 

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Danette is a musician, producer and music historian, fourth generation Los Angeleno, still living in California.   She has produced entertainment for four U.S. Presidents.

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Allow me the possibly heretical thesis statement, but I’ll argue that few musicians of any generation have not been impacted by the Great American Songbook. I’m certainly no exception. But while I adore the lyrical twists, the melodic surprises of Cole Porter, I submit that there’s music of my lifetime that feels just as iconic, swingin’, swoony and witty as that of the greats who came before.  So I’ve set out to explore what I affectionately call the New Testament of the Great American Songbook.  The stuff that came after. Presently, the Gospel According to Nilsson.    

Harry Nilsson is still not in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.  Their loss.  In my view, he is the post-modern son of Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers. He had a wit and whimsy with words, more minimalist than his forefathers, and he brought a fresh-whipped dollop of rock ‘n’ roll swagger and irreverence to his own soaring melodies and sparkling chord choices.   His life, his work, his reputation is all so sweet, sour and a bit naïve.  Perhaps that was what took me down the rabbit hole during the pandemic.  The catharsis of processing our world with my own take on sweet and sour naivete. 

Then again, as one woman famously said, “It takes a village,” and I would not have made this album without a community of musicians who have gathered each year in Los Angeles—and more recently, on Zoom--to pay tribute to Nilsson on his birthday.  Every year like a summer Christmas toy, I would unwrap, disassemble and reassemble one of his songs and re-arranged it to my liking. Over the years, I came to wholly relate to Harry’s childlike spirit and how he reminded me that we play music.  Not “work” on music.   That feels like a bygone era, indeed!  

This album of artisanal music, hand-crafted with locally sourced musicians observing strict Covid safety protocol kept me sane, and I hope it makes you crazy!    Nilsson was my perfect pandemic pod. 

Danette Christine

September 2021 

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