"Wonderfully seductive, Christine Flowers will set jazz lovers aflame…" - (Le Méridional)

"I'm not into categories. I can be moved by pop or bop, depending on my mood."

"I think jazz found me or at least kept jabbing me from time to time. It's an eternal music; it doesn't date like a lot of other styles. It's always fresh and spontaneous, and SCARY, and even though I'm a big scaredy cat, I do love a thrill. There is nothing better than jumping off that high-dive to see where the spin is going to take you. This only happens when you decide to turn the song into your own. Or follow where the musicians go with their groove. It's a challenge to find something new and fresh in that same song you do every night and it's a rush to turn it into another entity."

Always on the look out for unsung musical legends, Christine recently found inspiration in the history of Henry Grimes, legendary bass player from the New York jazz scene in the 1960's. He put his bass in the shop to be repaired and when he didn't have the cash to retrieve it, he started doing construction work and teaching English. He didn't pick up a bass again until three years ago at the age of 68. He's now doing world tours!

"Now, that's humongous love and tenacity! His story helps me remember, 'It's never too late to become what you might have been.' "

Other influences include: "Abbey Lincoln for her soul and the depth of her songs. Her music and lyrics are so importantly true and poetic. Oscar Brown Jr., for the same reasons. Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae for their incredible phrasing and of course Billie. Bonnie Raitt, Aretha and Chaka. John Coltrane, Jon Hendricks, Thelonious Monk. They are limitless, really."

Christine's rich and varied life experience, from the south of America to the south of France and upon the ocean that lies between them, creates a sound that is both moving and captivating as she sings its story.

"When I sing, it is of the utmost importance for me to get into the song, especially ballads, and find its' vibration in order to tell the story. Words are very important to me. I can't sing lyrics that I don't relate to because I don't know how to get inside them. I know I'm in the right place when I feel like I'm hovering above myself and letting something bigger take over. "

Finding her voice as a singer has been a singular journey. This apple fell quite far from the tree. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, her childhood did not include the music that has become her soul's passion.

"I come from a poor background that didn't offer much exposure to the arts. There wasn't a lot of music, we didn't go to the theatre or visit museums - I don't even remember many movies. As a single parent raising three children, I imagine that my mother had more pressing concerns than our cultural education."

Most performers can recall a single experience that changed their lives and opened their spirit to the call of art. For 11-year old Christine, it was experiencing the magic and wonder of a Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey's Circus performance. "I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer spectacle of it. It was probably the first time that I'd seen a performance of any kind, really. That day, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was something there for me, that I had to be a part of that."

Instead of joining the circus, Christine returned to school in Atlanta and chose guitar as an elective course. That guitar class introduced her to Dr. Billy Densmore, a musical director who quickly recognized her passion and talent. He wisely suggested that if Christine were to develop her vocal skills, she'd have to choose between cheerleading and singing. She gave up her pom-poms on the spot.

As Christine's talents matured, Densmore invited her to join his prestigious program at the Northside School of Performing Arts. It was with Densmore that Christine showcased in a musical review which toured the Eastern seaboard. These early experiences shaped her craft as a musical performer. It was clear she had 'something special'. She was going to be a singer. It would not take many years for her to discover the voice that would set her apart from others.

During the racial integration of Atlanta schools, Densmore personally bused his students to Dr. Ralph Abernathy's Big Bethel Baptist Church. There, Christine discovered gospel music and African American culture. Those Sunday field trips not only exposed the young singer to the cradle of America's civil rights movement, they also founded the love for gospel music that she still carries today. At the age of 16, Opryland USA came to Atlanta to audition potential performers. Success. Christine landed her first professional gig.

Against the advice and will of her mentor and instructor, she secured an early high school diploma and headed for Nashville to try her luck as a singer. She performed for two years in the show, 'I Hear America Singing.' Her time in Nashville also included working with Charlie Rich and Tammy Wynette. To be an artist, it has been said, that aside from talent, it is timing and luck that determine success. Despite some promising gigs, the time was not right and at 19 years old, Christine left Nashville and her dreams behind to set sail for other horizons - literally.

After a two-year stint working on a yacht as a cook, she decided to go to university in Long Beach. It did not take long for Christine to realize that California was not home. She headed for the 'City of Lights'. "With $200 in my pocket and no student visa, I headed for Paris to finish school at the Sorbonne. To say that I was a bit naive in my endeavors would be a vast understatement."

The culture and art of France were a reawakening for Christine and her music. This time it would be jazz. She was given the opportunity to play local clubs such as, the Hollywood Savoy, Harry's Bar and Le Petit Journal. When French audiences received this young jazz talent warmly, Christine found a place to call home.

"It was here in France that I fell in love with jazz and where I also learned to appreciate my Native American heritage. The French have such an appreciation for cultural roots and their interest opened my curiosity about my own Cherokee blood. The reception of jazz is more alive here. In America, I felt isolated. I love the lifestyle in France. It just seems more real to me as an artist."

On holiday in the south of France, Christine met a group of musicians who invited her to jam with them. That impromptu session led to the formation of a musical group that toured the country's jazz clubs and festivals, featuring Christine Flowers as vocalist. The seeds that Christine had planted for years were about to come to life. This flower was ready to bloom. There were a series of festival circuit gigs that would follow, including opening for: Dee Dee Bridgewater at the 'Feria de Nimes', John McLaughlin at the 'Jazz Comme Un Image' Festival, Irakere in 'Jazz à Mèze', Calvin Russell at the 'Festival de Blues St. Gely' and the Festival Radio France Montpellier.

Christine laid down roots in Paris, acting in stage shows, working as a voice actor on cartoons and ads, all the while steeped in the jazz scene of Paris. After making a name for herself playing with local notables, Christine discovered a group of musicians that seemed to speak her language. Hearing them play and hanging with them for several months, Christine knew she had found her musical family. "I'm so grateful for the amazing talents that have recently come into my life. These guys inspire me. They nourish me with their music. It's such a delicious challenge and honor to share the bandstand with them.

Here, she is speaking of the pure synergy and joyful delight that she has on stage with the very talented trio of drummer John Betsch, pianist Jobic Le Masson and bassist Peter Giron. There was always a beacon light calling out in the distance to this voice. It was the vibe, the groove, the life and the love of a great city. Paris. The city where this Kitty Cat has roots that go right to her heart and soul.

"Wonderfully seductive, Christine Flowers will set jazz lovers aflame…" - (Le Méridional)