CD aimed at melting away holiday stress
For those weary of the hussle and bussle of the holidays, Ann Louise Christensen suggests listening to her new CD, “Spirit of Christmas.”
While other holiday-themed recordings are more on the sacred side, hers is more of a reflective album, the Glendale resident said.
“It’s very peaceful, serene, calm and quiet,” she said. “It’s nice to listen to when you are writing Christmas cards, wrapping or unwrapping gifts or looking for a way to release the stress that comes along with the holidays.”
Among the 17 holiday carols are “Away in the Manger,” “Silent Night,” “Greensleeves,” “The Christmas Song,” and one of the singer-songwriter’s original tunes, “Adagio.”
“It has all the familiar melodies,” she said. “It touches an emotional part of people and brings back sweet memories, and I wanted to keep it simple to the sensibilities of the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of peace.”
Christensen began studying piano at age 6 in Rochester, Minn. She started with classical training and expanded to more popular styles. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in French literature from the University of Minnesota in 1984, she came to Los Angeles in 1987 to study songwriting.
She began performing internationally as a vocal/piano solo act in 1989 and worked extensively in Japan, Europe and Scandinavia, as well as major cities in the United States. In 1997, she recorded her first album of jazz standards, and in 2005 she recorded a solo CD “Spirit and Soul” featuring her songwriting and singing. It was pop adult contemporary style with jazz influence, she said.
At her Glendale recording studio, she teaches while maintaining a busy performing schedule, including international performances, she said.
She is the staff pianist at the Arcadia Nordstrom and has appeared at Jax Bar and Grill in Glendale, La
Cañada Country Club, La Crescenta Baptist Church and the Smoke House in Burbank.
Her new CD is available at her business Christensen Music Studio in Glendale. For more information, visit www.annlouisechristensen.com.