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Island jazz and pop singer releases jewel of a Christmas Classic

If you are a lover of traditional Christmas music but like to hear it made anew, then Bowen’s sweet-voiced Christie Grace has a welcome addition to your musical stocking.
GRACE

If you are a lover of traditional Christmas music but like to hear it made anew, then Bowen’s sweet-voiced Christie Grace has a welcome addition to your musical stocking. Just in time for the holidays Grace has released a unique and sensuous version of the Irving Berlin classic, ‘I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm.’

In addition to Grace, the recording features many notable Canadian artists and together they’ve created a version that is slower and more heated than traditional covers. It retains the song’s distinct charm – the band is subtle but superb - and despite slowing it down, Grace loses none of the melody.

Also a jeweler, the island songstress is no stranger to the studio and has three albums to her credit. Her second, ‘Contemplation’ (2007) gave her the chance to reunite with musicians from her home town of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  One of those home-town musicians on the album is Paul Shaffer. For years, Shaffer was the musical director of The David Letterman Show.

Her most recent album, ‘Golden Thread’ was introduced at a bravo live performance at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Pyatt Hall in September of 2016; some of that evening’s performance can be viewed on Youtube.  The songwriter has called ‘Golden Thread’ her most personal work.

Along for much of Grace’s musical journey has been keyboardist and producer Chris Gestrin, a winner of numerous music awards, including 9 Junos. Gestrin, who trained at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, is also an accomplished songwriter and he and Grace often write together.  He engineered and produced ‘I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm’ and plays keyboards on it.

Other players on the Christmas offering include guitarist Daryl Jahnke, Steve Kaldestad on sax and the eclectic MacDonald, who is one of Canada’s finest percussionists and has performed and recorded with the likes of DOA, Johnny Cash’s former guitar player Bob Wooten and a long list of jazz and Latin-influenced bands.

You can download Grace’s version of ‘I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm’ by viewing her blog on her website at christiegracemusic.com and clicking on the link provided.