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Hello Everyone,
Well, I am in my office and have Whitney
Houston's song, "Step by Step" playing in the back ground. I just
dropped a pretty blue champagne glass and broke it. Oh well..
I take that as a good omen. Breaking glass can be significant of
breaking strongholds and old ways that no longer serve us.
We are 15 minutes away from the New
Year... Jamie, my Mom, my Step Dad, Bill, Leigh Anne and myself
are about to eat some home made pizza's Jamie just prepared. My
Mom got us a bread maker for Christmas and Jamie has already made good
use of it. Jamie just came up to tell me everything is ready.
So I will make this fast. What a
year 2005 was! Whew! Lots of good stuff... Lots of
challenge. I had more media exposure than I have had in sometime
with the "Heaven's Tourist" NBC spot and I finally got to get my dream
album, "The Rhythm of Life" out there. ; ) Also me and a
group of awesome artists were able to bring just a little bit of triumph
and Light to such tragedy that came about from the terrible hurricane
season this year ... by releasing the Katrina CD. I am very proud
of that effort!
The worst part of this year for me was
the physical loss of Jamie's Mom. We miss her more than words can
express, but we know where she is. I just focus on what an
fantastic blessing it was to have had her in our lives! I am
thankful to God for that time we had to spend. And it has reminded
me to make the most of the time I still have with those left behind that
I care for. Thank you to all of you who cared for us during this
time. Jamie is doing really well this holiday season, the first
without his Mom. I cannot tell you how proud of him I am. He
has so much faith. I guess with
all the ups and downs, it comes down to who you are becoming.
After all that is what life is... a series of events that happen that
help sculpt our decisions and attitudes. If we don't let stuff get
us down, we rise above. I think 2006 is going to bring lots of
opportunity. Just like 2005, we will see things that challenge us
and things that are exciting. We just have to remember that God
works ALL things for good. God is blessing us beyond our
comprehension. I claim that with all my Heart.
Thank you to all of you who are my
friends. Thank you for your Love. Thank you for being in my
life and giving me the honor of being in yours!
I LOVE YOU ALL!
No matter what 2006 brings you, may you
know many moments of Laughter, Love and Joy!
God Bless You Always!
Your Christian |
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Katrina CD was just featured in the
Philadelphia paper, PGN: Sound of Q
By Robin Renée
PGN Contributing Writer
© 2005 Robin Renée
Artists’ tributes will assist
Katrina victims
Sometimes phrases like “compassion fatigue” are strewn around so easily,
just about as much as “peace on earth” this time of year.
I’d like to think that it’s not quite so easy to get tired of caring. I
know that my own mind wanders between the world’s problems: Here’s a
news piece on ever-quickening forward march of global warming. Now it’s
time to brace for the avian flu. Now there has been an earthquake that I
can’t begin to comprehend. Bombs in Baghdad fall on deaf ears as well as
human beings. Lt. Laurel Hester is dying of cancer in Ocean County,
N.J., and her life partner is denied the extension of her benefits.
I care. I am also overwhelmed. How can I help when
there is so much to do, and me with one little mind and body? Do I
suffer from compassion dilution? Compassion confusion?
Whatever it is, I think we all have a degree of it as
we go about our work and holiday plans, perhaps as much out of a
reasonable dose of emotional self-preservation as anything foreboding.
Still, doing nothing is just not an option.
I was pleased to find “The Katrina CD” by Recording
Artists For Hope. In the tradition of the Concert for Bangladesh and
Live Aid (and Live 8), singer Christian Andreason has skipped the
massive concert but preserved the music for a purpose. On the CD, 18
artists have contributed tracks; would-be profits go to agencies
providing relief to hurricane victims of the 2005 storm season.
The songs are an appropriately mixed bag -
Andreason’s own “Call My Name,” Cameron Dezen’s “Waiting,” offer
triumphant, inspirational pop, as does “Reach Out” — the official song
for the American Red Cross — performed by Steph Carse.
Eileen Faxas contributes a Latin beat with “Vivelo”
and “All That I’m Looking For” is cute and poppy with a sitar twist from
Kitten K. Sera featuring Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland.
Glenna Bell with John Evans give it a country feel
with “Tumbling Down,” Billy Porter’s “Hell or Highwater” kicks original
funk and gospel. R&B favorite Ari Gold lends his “Space Under Sun” to
the effort.
With such wide-ranging styles, something on the CD is
likely to appeal to just about everyone, and supporting the hurricane
recovery effort — and those who choose to act on their compassion — is
well worth every penny.
For more information, see Web site:
www.katrinacd.com
I was speaking the other day with a musician who said
emphatically that her show is about having a good time. “Who wants to go
to a show to be sad?” she questioned. It is the job of a musician to
make you let your hair down and forget all your problems, she argued. I
agree — that’s one of the best things that music can do. And there’s
that other side of the art-music can make us contemplate. Maybe we can
allow the pure joy of singing and dancing to wake something up in us,
not help us hide. Maybe music can be a vehicle to help save some lives,
or make things a little easier.
Yes, I do believe in the spirit of Christmas,
Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Yule: divine guidance, community, miracles, the
reemergence of light and all it signifies.
During the holiday season and all year round, most of
us really do want peace on Earth. Let music be one point of inspiration.
We start where we are.
Robin Renée is a singer/songwriter and writer
whose essays have appeared in "That Takes Ovaries! - Bold Females and
their Brazen Acts" (Random House) and "Blessed Bi Spirit: Bisexual
People of Faith" (Continuum Press). Her most recent CD is "All Six
Senses." Her Web site is:
www.robinrenee.com
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Hello Everyone,
Our very dear friend and fan of the year
(2004) Debbie
Waithe experienced the passing of her father this afternoon.
The event was sudden and unexpected. He had heart valve surgery a
few days before and was recovering. He was in his 70's.
Please join us in sending lots of
prayers and good energy to her and her family during this time of
transition. Thank you...
Love, Christian |
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Hello Folks!
Houston Chronicle did a rather big write
up on The Katrina CD last week. We are getting press in many other
places as well.
Check it out here:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/music/3484073.html
Or read below:
Nov.
25, 2005, 2:53PM
CD is a welcome relief
Local, national
artists offer victims hope through songs
By JOEY
GUERRA
For The Chronicle
The ongoing relief effort after a
record-breaking hurricane season inspired local and national artists
to contribute songs to The Katrina CD — Vol. 1.
The 18-track disc features original songs by a
number of popular Houston acts, including Glenna Bell, John Evans,
Cameron Dezen and New Orleans transplant Kim Carson. There are also
contributions from nationally recognized names such as Broadway star
Billy Porter and sexy soul singer Ari Gold.
Houston-based inspirational singer Christian
Andréason served as the project coordinator and executive producer. He
started compiling tracks just a few weeks after floods caused by
Hurricane Katrina inundated much of New Orleans.
Andréason postponed promotion of his own solo
album The Rhythm of Life because he felt
compelled to do something more than donate clothes and food to help
survivors.
"There are so many calling out for help right
now. So many feel forgotten," Andréason says. His rousing album
opener, Call My Name, is buoyed by
emotive vocal work, a solid backing chorus and a slick pop sheen.
All proceeds raised from CD sales will be
distributed among various charities.
The Katrina CD can
be purchased online at www.katrinacd.com or at Cactus Music & Video.
More outlets will be added in the coming months, and Andréason plans
several volumes, "as long as there is a need."
The disc offers a variety of sounds: Country,
pop, soul, rock and dance rhythms combine in an effortless sonic
blend.
Former KHOU/Channel 11 consumer reporter turned
quirky Latin diva Eileen Faxas snaps and crackles on the snappy salsa
ditty Vívelo, and San Marcos-based
favorite Terri Hendrix's My Own Place is
a sassy wish list of good-life necessities.
Singer/songwriter Jez leads youth praise and
worship at Lakewood Church and is the music director for Freedom
Fellowship in The Woodlands. His track
Prodigal is a whirl of jangly guitars and soaring vocals.
Florida-based singer Steph Carse's
Reach Out has been used by the Red Cross
as a theme for several relief efforts, and the shimmering anthem works
well in this context. Elegant ballads from Dezen and Katrina Parker
also provide moments of truth and grace.
Even better is the haunting simplicity of
Bell's Tumbling Down, a wistful duet with
country-rocker Evans. The pair's plaintive vocal performances give the
touching lyrics a hefty emotional punch.
"I have always wanted to use my music to help
people. This was the perfect opportunity," Bell says. "(Tumbling
Down) ... is a song of hope and reassurance that, through
interpersonal relationships, the human spirit can and will survive."
Inspirational pop duo Jason & deMarco preview
an upcoming album with the sultry dance track
Just in Time. The song was written and produced by Houston native
Alan Lett, whose From Now On (Second Chance)
is featured on The Katrina CD.
The kitschy Kitten K. Sera (formerly Pinque)
twinkles and shines on All That I'm Looking
For, a campy gem that features backing vocals from Destiny's
Child's Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. And budding dance diva Jenna Drey
kicks up the energy on the insanely catchy Why
Should I Believe You?
New York-based singer Gold sets a simmering
mood with Space Under Sun, and the song's
evocative mantra — "living in a room for everyone" — is one of the
disc's pivotal messages.
"Space Under Sun
is a song about the journey we go through to find out how we fit into
this world and allowing the universe to guide us," Gold says. "My hope
is that the song's message would lift the spirits (of Katrina
evacuees) and provide a message of hope and understanding."
The disc's most resonant moment comes from
Carson, who lived for 15 years in New Orleans and still had a home
there when Katrina hit. She now lives in Houston.
"I'm going back to Louisiana/I gotta get there
just as fast as I can," Carson sings on her country romp. And indeed,
the charismatic performer has already returned to check on friends and
perform for fans.
"I'm feeling so bewildered, overwhelmed, sad
and off balance," Carson says. "But it's also a unique time to be in
New Orleans — surrounded by so much love for each other with one
another helping and sharing what we have. Now we're just family."
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MY TRUE
HOME
By: Andy Harley
Drawn into tangible darkness,
Rushing high speed through a
tunnel.
I’m somewhere between two
worlds
Spiraling like water through
a funnel.
I see a pinpoint of light in
the distance,
Growing larger the closer I
get.
But for some strange reason
I’m not afraid?
And see it not as being a
threat.
Entering into a realm so
soothing
Of radiant, golden-white
light,
Peace and warmth pours over
my spirit,
It’s so beautifully
–
beautifully bright.
Moving with the flow of fine
silk,
My translucent body glows;
Like thousands of tiny
diamonds
They sparkle and superimpose.
A floodgate of knowledge has
been opened,
With infinite waves of love;
There’s a pageantry of
dramatic colors here
That just could never be
dreamed of?
I see miraculous mountains of
deep blue velvet
And spectacular valleys
galore;
A waterfall dazzles with
clarity and life,
This Elysian area I’d love to
explore!
Drifting next into a garden,
With swaying grass so crisp,
cool, and green;
The luminescent flowers
pulsate,
Their shades so completely
serene;
I hear music playing of
harmonic beauty
That rolls like a glassy
river.
Enchanting, mystical tones,
That would make any man alive
shiver.
Then suddenly, I see someone
in the distance,
Coming towards me to reunite.
This whistling persons
emanating glow,
Is such a comforting and
glorious sight?
When I can finally
distinguish who it is,
I realize it’s my Grandpa
Jack.
He tells me that it’s not yet
my time,
And that I must now . . . go
back.
I could stay an eternity at
this divine place
From just these few things
that I’ve been shown;
But I know one great day for
sure I’ll be back,
Because I believe this is my
true home.
This poem was
gifted to me by Andy and is taken from his new book of 62 poems, 'Till
The Dreaming is Done: "Poems Crafted For Thinking People" which is now
available on http://www.Amazon.com
(ISBN 1-4137-8232-9)
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The Katrina CD is in early! YEA!!!!
And it looks and sounds fantastic!
Go to:
www.KatrinaCD.com to get your
copy (or copies) now!
To All The Artists with me on Katrina CD:
Kitten, Beyoncé, Kelly, Steph,
Eileen, Michael (and the rest of the guys in Rollover Pass), Glenna, Jez,
Jenna, Alan, Katrina, Terri, Billy, Jeanie, Jason, deMarco, Cameron,
Kim, Ari and Joe
I want you each to know it has been an honor having ALL of you a part
of what was (at first) to be my personal CD single this fall.
Consider me a HUGE fan of yours now! : )
After doing my latest album in 2004, I guess you could say I have
been a bit on the broke side ever since. (Note to self:
When you spend tons of money to make an album, be sure to save enough
cash to promote it once it is out! - LOL!)
Anyway, I usually try to record and release SOMETHING musical every
year ... so this year I have been saving up (all year long) to put out
a dance club EP. Anyone who knows me, knows ... I ADORE good dance
music and I have for sometime believed that dance music is about to
make a come back, as recently illustrated by Madonna releasing her
first ALL DANCE MUSIC CD, "Confessions on a dance floor." Well,
while I have certainly released a good amount of dance stuff already,
it has always been a dream of mine to actually have a big-time
club hit! So I was gonna make a surefire hit Dance EP this year.
But when Katrina hit, it just did not seem right for me to appease
myself right now. Not when so many are in such need! So I decided to
do a really positive tribute single instead and see if I couldn't make
myself feel better by helping out.
Now, (two and a half months later) ... we ALL have "a record"
on a CD that is being marketed as, "18 potential singles!" I
just think that is so cool!
'Cause deep down I know: SOMEBODY!!! on this album is gonna get played
on radio ...
SOMEBODY!!! is gonna get much deserved recognition and get some new
fans...
And in the long-run, TOGETHER, we will help raise
much needed funds for this really important cause - doing what we all
do already!
I don't mind telling you that putting this project together has not
exactly been an easy process. There have been more challenges than I
care to recall ... But I tend to believe that when you work hard for
something, the more challenge you face and overcome, the more
you learn to value the experience of WHO you are being turned into.
Since pulling this project all together, I have developed a sense
of ONENESS with each of you. Because of this, I honestly feel that
what happens to you (in JOY & hopefully success) also happens to
me. And what a really awesome feeling that is! Especially in a
business where everyone is so darn competitive, ruthlessly ambitious
and self-focused these days!
Life goes by so fast ... and when it is all said and done ... all
that really matters is what we gave away. Funny how so many of
us have to live out our whole lives before we actually figure that
truth out. And even for those of us who have "dabbled" with "doing
good" our whole lives ... it is not until you see that it
is THE WANT TO BE GOOD that actually has you consistently DOING GOOD
in life! As always, what is done ... always comes back around!! This
is the law of cause and effect, or what some call, "Karma."
What I deeply believe that WE (the Artists) have to remember, is this:
God gave us this gift and caused us to create all this
music for a very important reason ... to help bring healing to the
people. Nothing heals people like music can or brings us all together
in quite the same way!
We are all God's Angels.
The question is ... how often will we choose to actually act like one?
Sometimes this business feeds the need to be LOVED BEST OR MOST and
that can bring out the very worst in folks.
It is my prayer that this CD helps bring out the Angel in everyone
involved.
As you go out to promote The Katrina CD, I encourage you to meditate
on the fact that many have died, many are still missing (spouses,
children, parents beloved pets still not accounted for) and recall
that many are still without a home, which once held so many beloved
treasures that took a lifetime to work for.
Also keep in mind:
Everyone on this CD is a brother and a sister to the other. We each
deserve great respect! All of us are greatly connected, just as we
are very connected with what happened to all those people when
they got hit with all those storms. Whether this CD is a big hit or
an inspiration to only a few thousand ... BE PROUD! Lets represent
the project well. BE A TEAM PLAYER ...and know that no matter the
outcome ... we have ALL been a part of something important!
Alright guys and gals,
Let me hear from you...
And don't forget to get me those mailing addresses where you want your
promo CDs sent.
Love, Laughter and LIGHT!
Christian
><C>
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Any day now the Katrina CD is gonna be
coming in! We expect it next week sometime. As soon as it
arrives we will be putting the official CD cover art up on the site and
take orders from
www.ListeningStore.com till the online distributors (CD Baby and
Orchard) get their shipment ... which should take 4 to 6 weeks. So
that should be right around Christmas time.
As for me, I have been catching up on
business at home, doing a few one-on-ones and taking care of career
stuff.
Guess what?
We have a Cafe Press merchandise site
up now taking orders! Go check it out and let me know what
you think. Also, I have released an EP of 2 new dance/radio mixes
of my song "Running Back to You" (finished this summer) on the site.
Go to:
www.CafePress.com/Andreason
And look, when you visit, please
understand that we are still very much
in the early stages, adding new stuff every week. So don't be
expecting a grand display! OK? But it is shocking to see how
much stuff is up on the site already (and what is up ... is not even
HALF of what I
have sitting here in front of me!)
On the eve of me releasing my first
retrospective (I Belong to You - 15 Years of Christian Andréason - due
out early next year), it is interesting to me looking back at the last
20 years of my life (or I should say my music career) and see how far I
have come. So much has changed in my life, and yet I have still
somehow
managed to keep the inner (and humor filled) kid in me alive! What a miracle!
Especially in today's world! I really feel so blessed for that... And yes!! I have actually been singing
publicly for almost 21 years!
Can you believe it? I barely can! While putting the site
together, we found old promotional pics I have not seen in years.
The first one was of me getting ready to sing in Paris at Notre Dam
church at 15.
As all the old career photos have been
considered, what is truly amazing is how from year to year I never look
the same! It seems I look like a totally different person in
just about every photo. I don't even look like I could be my own
brother in some of the shots! LOL! Personally I think
that is cool. Not only am I in a constant state of inner
metamorphosis, but outer as well! : )
Maybe some of you (who have been
following me and my career) will remember a few of these photos.
One or two (from my adventurous club days) are a total hoot! We even have some as T-Shirts, where
I am striking a sexy pose without a shirt ... one shot has me wearing a pink hat
and feather boa! (Of course that is from all those years of
hanging out with my dear friend Pinque (Pink) who now goes by the name
of Kitten since she sold her name to the now famous Pink. My
Pinque had such a funny flair for drama and it totally rubbed off on me!
The feather boa was hers by the way ... not mine!) LOL! Anyway, the shoot was supposed to be
for a cover I was doing (for some dance song I was working on) way back
when.
Man, how I miss my 31'' waist! I
actually miss wearing all those awesome clothes I have hanging in the
back of my closet ... for a 'maybe' someday. But to be
honest, I cannot stand the thought of another strict diet and I have
such a thing for fattening food lately! Jamie and I have found
this local BBQ place with the best baked potato with lots of bacon and
sour cream! Oh my gosh... I have never enjoyed eating so
much in my life! I keep telling Jamie I am gonna bring my
imitation bacon bits and no fat sour cream next time. LOL!
It is funny really, I have made a kind of peace with food I never
thought possible. If I do diet ... I don't do it to impress anyone
any more. If I do anything ... it is to be healthy and that is a
good thing!
: )
OK ... more later...
Hugs Everyone!
><C>
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Friday, the 14th we finally put the
Katrina CD in the can. Not the trash can (of course) the
duplication can. We hope to have the CD out and ready for order on
www.KatrinaCD.com by
mid November. Hurricane Rita slowed us down big time, but not to
worry ... we are back on our feet.
You know, as I look around this crazy
world ... I wonder how everyone does it? All the money issues ...
mounting more and more every day due to our very unsound government and
economy, this war, all the many terrible things happening to people all
around the world and the numbness of the people at large (especially in
this country) as it happens... I wonder how all the intuitive and
sensitive natured people are doing right now? Tons of Angels and
unseen hands must all be around us for sure. If not, the buzz
would be maddening. But the pressure is building and I see a much
bigger storm on the horizon than I have ever seen before. Sometimes I
wonder, am I the only one who sees it? I know (of course) I am
not. But from my place on this hill, sometimes I feel as if I am.
I wrote a poem today... I normally do
not write poems ... I leave those to LAM as she is quite the poet
master. ; ) But today I felt my Soul need to vent as I
listened to some pretty fantastic music on the web. I have
recently become aware of a man named Bryan Hughes. He and another
man, Corey M. Caballero have put together the most fantastic site where
very healing and meditative music sits for free! You must go
listen! www.RitualDance.org
The music reminds me quite a bit of what I sought to do with my New
Millennial Man album, which of course never got released to the public
at large.
Anyway, I cannot say enough about what
I feel from this man's tremendous Spirit. As I listened to the
music "WATER - DANCE" I felt a great inner stirring and this is what
came out:
wasted moments
all torn and tattered
scattered threads
must be redone
fragile egos
scared and hurting
stuck in time and cannot move
The Universe...
She is coming
can't you hear our Mother's steps?
with lengthened strides
and faster paces
listen hard
and hear her breathing grow
She is running
faster now
just to move us
from this place
it's no use ...don't try to hide
she can see us
our Light's are not as dim as thought
but we cannot stay here
we cannot linger
She is coming ... soon
to move us on.
I hear her calling...
Life is out there
And so is Love
You cannot stay here
You are done
><C>
October 17, 2005
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Well today marks the anniversary of 911.
Wow. What a day we will all never forget. And here we are
... dealing with something else ... KATRINA!
I have been very busy this past week
putting together a music project to help raise funds. Please go to
http://www.KatrinaCD.com and see
what I have been up to. I have pulled together some of the best
artists you either have or never have heard before. I am very
proud of this project and I know it is going to do a whole lot of good
for a great number of people! You can come back and preorder "The
Katrina CD Vol. 1" at my listening store once you have listened to all
the awesome clips. I think many of you are gonna LOVE some of
these artists, if not all! Let me know what you think!
I hand picked everyone and every song
myself. I wanted the CD to be very healing. It is easy to
forget that the music we listen to can heal us from trauma. That
is why I did this CD.
We hope to have it out by the first
week of October.
Keep me in your prayers...
Much Love!
><C> |
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Hello America and to my friends from
around the World... I desperately want
to do whatever I can to help others who have been overwhelmed by
hurricane Katrina, (so until further notice) please be advised that a
significant amount of the sales from my new album, "The Rhythm of Life"
will be going to the relief effort starting today.
Also, I am dedicating my song, "Call My
Name" to those feeling so lost during this time. Please know that
you are so loved! God has not forgotten you, nor have we ... your
fellow brothers and sisters!
Please stay strong, keep the FAITH
...
Together we will get through this!
Much Love,
Christian
><C> |
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Hello Everyone,
My producer Joe Hogue has just finished
remixing my single, "Running Back To You" ... which we are going to
start pushing to radio and the dance clubs next year. Expect an EP
to be released very soon of some new mixes of the song.
Been watching CNN and keeping up with
the storm. I am shocked how unorganized this whole mess has been.
This country (or rather our governing officials) better get their act
together. If this is how we respond to an emergency situation,
then it appears we have learned nothing since 9/11.
><C> |
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Dear Friends,
My heart truly goes out to all those
effected by the hurricane, Katrina. Please know that all of us
here (in my house) are praying and holding a space of good energy for
all our friends impacted by the storm.
Much Love,
Christian |
| Hello
Everyone, Jamie and I are
back home from Boston trying to regroup from the past 2-weeks of
dealing with the sudden passing of Jamie's Mom, Alyce. It
turns out the cause of death was an allergic reaction to a blood
thinner called, Heprin. I want to thank all of you who were so
kind as to call, send cards, dedicate prayers and send flowers.
Jamie and I truly appreciate each and every one of you.
Well, I barely made it back in time
to do my June 25th Pride gig and evening speaking/teaching event at
Centerpoint. What a whirl wind of a day that was! I am
happy to say that all went well. Thank you to all of you
who took my class. I really enjoyed everyone immensely!
I promise I will do another class real soon!
I am back to doing one-on-ones and
trying to catch up on all the cancelled sessions that occurred
because I had to leave town. I plan to continue my sessions
into the summer.
This fall, I will be starting a
small tour promoting the new album. If you have not yet heard
some of the clips, please stop on by
www.ListeningStore.com.
I would love it if you would pick yourself up a copy!
For those of you wanting to buy
your copy locally, here in Houston, "The Rhythm of Life" can be
found at one of my favorite record stores:
Cactus Records
2930 S. Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX (713) 526-9272
(The store in off the cross street
of Alabama - Right next to Bookstop.)
Also, starting July 12, 2005 ...
the new album will be available at most major online stores. While I
prefer everyone go to my site
www.ListeningStore.com
to get the album, you are more than welcome to pick up your copy
where ever you like.
Here are some stores you can order
"The Rhythm of Life" from:
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Amazon.com
CDNow.com
BarnesandNoble.com
Borders.com
Circuitcity.com
Sonicnet.com
Bestbuy.com
CDuniverse.com |
SamGoody.com
Yahoo.com
Virginmega.com
Artistdirect.com
Waldenbooks.com
Target.com
HMV.com
FYE.com |
Also, FYI ... for
those of you who like to download my music, I have been told it
should be available at all the digital stores sometime this August.
I will let everyone know via this
journal and my calendar when the music has landed in the digital
stores.
OK ... Talk to you real soon!
Take good care of yourselves!
Much Love,
Christian |
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Dear Friends,
Jamie's Mom, Alyce Carvalho, passed away
early this morning at 1:30am.
With all of our Heart, together Jamie and
I thank you for your prayers.
While we will desperately miss this
fantastic lady, I recall that God's plan is beyond our comprehension;
His ways always go toward a greater good that reach beyond our sight.
I trust God ... just as I Love and will miss Alyce.
God Bless All of You...
PS: I will be in Boston until
further notice.
With Love,
Christian |
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I just got a call from Jamie. I am
flying up to Boston tonight or tomorrow morning. Alyce is in the
process of losing the battle for her life. Please keep all of us
in your prayers. Thank you and God Bless...
Christian |
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Hello Everyone,
Jamie is still up in Boston helping his
Mom fight for her life. She has had one complication right after
another. Needless to say, after a week it has been a real roller
coaster of a ride. From pneumonia, to low blood pressure, to blood
clots, to her heart going into a-fib... Alyce is diabetic so her body is
not recovering well after her heart surgery. She has already had 2
very close calls where she almost left us. I am asking that you please
continue to pray for Alyce and our family at this time. I ask that
you send her Light and wrap her up in Loving thoughts. May the
Love you feel for me, go toward her right now. She really needs
it.
Who is to say what the outcome will be,
God knows better than we do and I pray that His will be done... however,
where Hope is ... there is ALWAYS a chance for life to continue.
My hope remains...
Thank you so much everyone!
I Love You,
Christian |
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WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED PRAYER ANGELS!
Alyce (Jamie's Mom) had heart surgery to correct a leaking
valve and did OK for the first few hours, but then had a massive
stroke. Now she is paralyzed on her left side. Days before, we knew
something terrible was lurking. An ominous energy of sorts... We held
several prayer meetings during the weekend and I am sure that these got
her through the procedure, however, there is obviously more prayer
needed. Jamie has flown up to Boston to be with his Mother and family.
She is not conscious as of yet.
I am NOT going to give up hope, nor am
I going to affirm anything but complete wellness and recovery. God
has a plan and will for all of our lives, yet I also know that fervent
prayer is always considered and certainly helps matters tremendously ...
as Angels will always come running and aid human hands willing to heal!
Please join me in the visualization of
seeing Alyce fully recovered and joyous!
Thank you so much!
Christian |
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Hello Everyone ...
Please make
sure you check my calendar. I have many events coming up this
month in Houston! Most notably is
my NDE event at CenterPoint Houston, where I will share details about my
near-death experience at 7pm on June 11th.
I will be speaking about my life before
the experience, how it happened exactly, about many of the things I saw
and how the NDE has changed my life and intuitive abilities now ... 10
years later. There will be a question and answers session toward
the end of the event and my new album, "The Rhythm of Life" will be made
available for the first time in public. For directions and other
info, please see my website calendar.
http://www.AllAboutChristian.com/calendar/index.html
Hope to see you there!
Christian |
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Hey Everyone!
I wanted to share that I just did a 4
minute segment for NBC (with Houston's KPRC) about my
1995 near-death experience and also to get the news out about my new
album "The Rhythm of Life" co-produced by Grammy/Emmy/Dove award
winning Joe Hogue. (www.ListeningStore.com).
The segment entitled, "Heaven's
Tourist" aired in Houston this past Monday and in other parts of the
nation (Miami, Detroit, Denver, Dallas, Phili, New York, ect) all
week long via NBC/Post-Newsweek affiliates.
Here is a link of the spot if you
care to watch...
I want to say THANK YOU to all
of you who have written to me after having seen the story and given
so much kindness and Love. I appreciate it so much!
Here in Houston (in conjunction with
the story) I was featured on the actual news at least 4 separate
occasions, my voice was all over radio and NBC/KPRC had my face
plastered in commercials going every 15 to 30 minutes (for 5 solid
days) due to the fact that the piece was intended to generate
interest for sweeps. From "Days of our Lives" to "Saturday Night
Live" to "The Contender" the commercials ran and ran. While I will
certainly admit I certainly appreciate any promotion I get, I have
to tell you ... it got really weird having the TV on in the
background and constantly hearing about "this man" who has been
to Heaven and knowing that "the man" was me. It is one thing
to share my NDE with friends and in ministry, but to hear it
broadcast over secular TV is a mind trip!
Then there was this one commercial
that was way over the top and totally
sensationalistic! Out of nowhere you would hear this announcer's
rather masculine/husky voice declare, "Do you know if you are going
to Heaven? Then you better listen to "this man" Monday at 10!"
I could not help but laugh-out-loud, shake my head and cover my
eyes! Yet, I knew all the play was doing its job when I ran into
Fiesta supermarket (by my house) for a pack of gum and saw eye brows
furrowing, eyes squinting and fingers pointing. Let it be said I
have had some really awesome and interesting conversations with
strangers since! : )
After the airing finally happened in
Houston, I was relieved that all those commercials were finally
over! The station was happy, as the spot had managed to raise
the market share a few points. (That means people
jumped from other stations to watch their Local NBC news.) I
understood that this is really good for sweeps and a great
indication that people are wanting more spirituality in their news.
AND TO ME THAT MAKES IT ALL WORTH IT! In the process, our
website got slammed with 30,000 hits in the first 6 hours and now I
have more e-mail than I know what to do with. As far as the
actual story, I thought it was (for the most part) not bad. Every
now and then there was some creative license taken that had me
holding my breath and closing one eye as I watched with the other,
but that is media for you. And then there was the evil
little thought that ran through my head as to why I hadn't started
my diet just a little bit sooner! But oh, well ... Time
to start a 12 step program over Mexican food! LOL!
A bit of focus went to the fact that I
also do a lot of intuitive/ministry/life-coach work with others.
I am not sure how many of you know about this, cause I choose to not
make that big of a deal about it, but I am an intuitive. This
meaning, I often see things clairvoyantly and have understandings
that help others figure out the crazy stuff that happens in life.
This is actually how the whole news piece began in the first place,
as I have been meeting one-on-one with folks from all over the
world for years now -- while also doing my music at the same time.
Since my NDE, God has had a funny way of making my life work.
When people ask me, "Christian, exactly what is it that you do?" I
have learned to just simply smile, go with the flow and say ...
"help people and sometimes sing to them!" ; )
Anyway, I wanted to share the good
news. It is not often one gets to launch a new independent
record campaign with exposure like this! I feel really
blessed right now and definitely watched over! Please
(when you have a moment) go to ListeningStore.com and listen to
some of the clips from the new album and let me know what you
think. As always, your thoughts are valuable to me.
Also if you feel led, your generous support is much appreciated!
PLEASE KNOW ... I THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LOVE!
xoxox
Christian
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Hello Everybody!
I had a great
time shooting for the NBC feature "Heaven's Tourist" that is airing
tonight for the first time (after Medium) on Houston's own KPRC/channel
2/channel 12 on Houston's Warner Cable. The segment goes to all
the affiliates all around the Nation this week. This is the
first time I have ever openly shared my near-death experience using TV
... and what is amazing is I did nothing to make it happen. It was
totally a God thing! As all things happen in life (arranged by
God) all the players just 'showed up' and put the segment together.
What started as a simple news story has now exploded into commercials
that run every 30 minutes and a spot that is going to be seen in just
about every major market. Only Heaven could pull something like
this off, and well, I guess it is time for me to go ahead and get out
there a little more than I have been doing. Please join me in sincere
prayer that what is put out on the airwaves lifts others to have a more
complete relationship with God's Love and that those who want to
experience more Love in their lives ... be blessed!
To see a clip of the segment (on and
after May
24th) go to:
http://www.Click2Houston.com
or
I want to thank Sarah Greer (the
segment producer) for all her hard work. **The network is
fortunate to have you Sarah, as I know you truly tried to tie in
everything that makes me "me" and get it in front of the people.
It was a joy to work with you!** Thank you Meranda for all your
great ideas. Thank you Ty (our camera woman) for being so fun and
easy to work with! Thanks to
Brian and Jeff of
www.SoundArtsRecording.com for supporting me (as you always do)
A very special thanks goes out to Michael
Castillo for getting the ball rolling for me! **Thank you for your
kindness and humility Michael.**
By the way, Michael has a very
important petition he is trying to get out there about parent child
abduction. His son "Ian" was taken from him over a year ago
(abducted by the child's Mom) and Michael has exhausted his funds and
person in a quest to get his son back. He is trying to get a Texas
law signed into effect so other parents will never have to suffer as he
has. If you feel so led, please assist Michael and other parents
who have been so unfairly treated by our court system.
http://www.petitiononline.com/tpcaa/petition.html Michael's story
on Ian appears here:
http://geocities.com/mcastillotx/IanCastillo.html
Other than that ... thanks to my precious home team Jamie and Leigh Anne
for working so hard to help me get things together so fast! I Love
You Guys! ><C> |
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Hello Everybody!
I just wanted to
give you an update on the progress of the new album. The online
release date (thru my site) has been bumped to June 2, 2005. As
far as Internet wide (Amazon.com, Target.com and such) that will happen
in August. Sorry for the delay, but I wanted everything just
right! We decided to go with a different album cover and it has
taken some time to get the new art work together. Plus, Leigh Anne
will be contributing some of her own art for the insert! I am
excited about that.
All of you who have preordered your CD,
please know as soon as we get the first box of CD's in ... we are
getting your order to you ASAP!
So while getting this CD together, I have been holding one-on-one
sessions in person and by phone. Fortunately, I have had the
luxury of being able to be at home in Houston this spring, (that has
been nice) so doing phone one-on-ones has been possible for me. I
am going to continue till around June, then I will take a break so I can
start touring and promoting the album. So if you want to get in
for some one-on-one time, give us a shout via the contact page.
We have a new member in our family.
Her name is Sierra "Puppy Love" She came to us this past February
as a stray puppy and most likely as a secret undercover Angel. ; )
I say that because she has been getting me out of the house more (as she
needs lots of walks) and God knows I really need the exercise!
Plus she really brightens my day... (Just look at that face! LOL!)
Jason Warner (while staying with me while working on his and deMarco's
new upcoming album) and I were coming back from an anti-war exhibit at a
local Quaker church by my house. As we drove off we saw this
little girl running alone beside the car. She had no owner so we
have adopted her. At 5 months now, she seems to be a mix of
SharPei and lab. Anyway, she is a
real sweet heart!
OK guys!
Much Love!
><C> |
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Hello Folks!
We will be
announcing the new fan of the year for 2004 soon, so keep your eyes
open! ; ) How is your 2005
year going so far? I am hearing some good news from lots of
people. My friend Lemya had a little girl (Lauren) last fall.
And!!! Congrats are in order for my fan of the year 2003, Kristen
Foley. She is with child (it will be her 2nd ... Katie **one of my
favorite Angel artists** is her first). I have a sneaky suspicion it is
gonna be a boy! ; ) We will see. Please keep her and
her family (John and Katie) in your prayers.
((((LOVE YOU KRISTEN!))))
I also want to send a shout out to all my
wonderful WAVES brothers and sisters! Thank you guys for all the
pre-orders for my upcoming CD! It has really made all the
difference! **By the way, the album is going to come out a
month late. We have moved the date to May.** I want to invite those of you who
frequent my site often to send me a "hello" e-mail to
christian@allaboutchristian.com Please tell me a bit about
yourself and what brought me to your attention. Also, tell me what
you like about the site and if there is something more you would like to
see, let me know that too! It is always good to hear from those
who support me and/or take interest in the things I seek to enlighten
the world with! Whether you are here for my music or for
inspiration ... I just want to thank you for dropping by! : )
As you might have noticed, it has been
over 3 months since my last entry. I promise to start making up
for it! To be honest folks, I have been other places mentally.
I have been doing one-on-ones and working a bit on my book. Also,
doing my album last year REALLY took it out of me and I am JUST NOW
feeling like I am coming back to myself! Spending almost a hundred
grand and living out of a suitcase for a year can really take it out of
a guy! LOL!
Last night my ministry manager, Leigh Anne
Marshall taught her first art class on Spirituality at Centerpoint here
in Houston. It was a fun evening. Every now and then I got
to put my 2 cents in. (Yes! I was invited to do so! LOL!)
Thanks to all the folks who came and joined in!
You know, since Leigh Anne asked me to
participate in her class I have been thinking a great deal about art
and exactly what it means to me.
Being a recording artist for the past ... oh gosh ... 20 years now!
I think I know a little something about being artistic.
But when I was young, I really never got
it. I was always the kid in art class that made D+’s at best! When asked
to color, I usually refused to stay within the lines. I was so bored
with art class, I usually drew my own pictures. Rebel? Maybe. Instant
art expert, definitely not!
But then I learned
that artistic talent could reveal its self in other ways too. The
day I learned that I could carry a tune was a mighty happy day for me!
While I was still a freshman in high school, I got to solo for a
prestigious Choir and in so doing, I got the chance to tour around
Europe and sing. The choir, (mostly comprised of champion high school
singers) went all the way to Paris, France and saw the famous museum,
"The Louvre"! I remember everyone running around the museum like
it is was some kind of a funhouse maze. All of us just wanted to
see one famous painting. We finally knew we got to the painting by
not actually seeing it immediately but by hearing all the and ooh's and
aah's coming from the people around it. Finally, I could not take
it any more … I pushed myself to the front and from behind 6 feet of a
box of plexiglass was this REALLY SMALL framed painting called, "The
Mona Lisa." I could not believe how small it was! For those of
you who have seen it in person I know you know what I am talking about.
It is shocking. It's like meeting Madonna for the first time (who
is so awesome and bigger than life in concert and in her videos) and
seeing she is MAYBE just a little bigger than 5' tall in person!
With this painting, I
thought they should put a sign up that said, "objects behind plexi might
appear bigger than they really are!" I was stunned that this little
picture was so famous all over the world! OK...OK... maybe it was
a nice picture. I did think her eyes were very interesting.
But I could not for the life of me understand why everyone was clamoring
to see it? What made The Mona Lisa so fantastic in relation to all
the other artistic renderings in this world famous museum?
And what I am now
ashamed to admit, I must confess… Because everyone else was doing the
ooh and aah thing. I did it too. But deep down (in truth) I thought Ms.
Mona was really boring!
“She looks so alive”
I heard someone say. Finally, I had to come clean so ... "She
looks pretty plain to me" came flying out of my mouth! Needless to
say, I started getting dirty looks. At 15, that was my first lesson in
realizing that when people THINK they love something … they want you to
love it just the way they do. Oh, and I also learned another thing
that day: I realized the power art had in gathering people together.
I realized that art did not really have to be spectacular to be
famous... it just had to generate the interest of enough people who were
made to believe it was fantastic by mass media commentary. I now
wonder just how many times I have been duped into loving something simply
because the media kept pointing fingers toward it? Think "Paris
Hilton" and you might get what I am saying here. What was it that
she does, again? If someone has the number of her press agent,
please forward immediately! LOL!
At the Louvre, to the
left of "Mona" was one rather large picture that caught my eye. It was
a huge wall sized painting of a bare breasted woman with big hair who
was obviously "with means" ... she had an expressionless face
and was pinching the
breast of another woman who also had an expressionless face ... and she
looked pretty well off too! Sounds tacky, right? I was thrilled!
I found the art outrageous and interesting!
OK, now enter the
really controversial art. (This was the piece that truly taught
me what art was all about.)
Now as most of you
know … I have made a life out of Loving and adoring Christ, so if I
anger some of you for saying this ... please forgive me ... but the first piece of
art I ever GOT was a picture entitled, "Piss
Christ" by Andres Serrano. Some of you may remember it
as a hugely controversial piece! For
those of you who do not remember, it is a photo of a crucifix (with
Christ on it) in a glass of urine.
At first (like a lot
of other Christians) I was out of my head with anger! And (at
first) I sounded like everyone else around me at the art exhibit.
“How could he (the
artist) do this.”
“Oh, he is soooooo
going to hell!”
"Ah! The very idea!”
Over and over I kept
hearing lots of slams from others, but then I found that while others
quickly turned away ... I could not stop looking at it! Something
deep within me found something extraordinary about this photo.
Actually, I found it beautiful. I realized … "Oh my gosh … how
true!" We as a world really do "TT" on Christ, especially those of
us who call ourselves Christian and then proceed to treat people and
ourselves so terribly! Why would we do that when Christ tried so much to teach us
how to Love!?
Here Christ had done all this work and even sacrificed his human life by
allowing it to be cut short ... and now, just how many of us really take
what he did in life seriously ... on a constant basis?
As I stared (with my
head held in a slight tilt) I actually remembered that urine is one of
the most pure substances created by the body and I soon found symbolism
in that. There was this study that was published years ago that
said if you peed in the shower you would kill athlete's foot! Isn't
that interesting? The longer I stood looking at the art, I kept thinking
of things I would have never thought of had I never seen the piece at
all. Then I realized … art should make us think!
In a world that is so
homogenized and commercialized, good art (as I see it) which makes you
think and question life does not really come along very often. You
know what I am saying? It is either not creative enough or has
little or nothing impactful to say. This especially goes for the music
of today.
Everyone is too busy doing the same thing everyone else is and in my
opinion greedy business people are mostly to blame for the state of
things.
Where it comes to
music, I have a lot of unresolved frustration for the urban/rap market and
what it has done to pop music today. All those ugly words and the
lack of musicality; Pop music used to be so fun! Now it is (for
the most part) so
crude and elementary. Pop music is not music to me anymore.
That is probably why I never give up making it and I typically bend my
sound toward that old 80's sound where pop music left us standing in the
dust. To me the 80's was when pop music hit its peak. Then
all this rage and violent speech stuff surfaced in our world and grunge and
gangster rap became THE market and flat out took over. Now,
understand ... I am all for
freedom expression! And in truth, I have no problem with rap, but
for everyone to be doing the same kind of music over and over and over
again! Ah, enough already!
Whether I am
successful or not at making music, I have always felt I had an
obligation to do music that really says something important. And
for those of you who (like me) ARE STARVING for music that moves you and
makes you reach in life ... I think you know exactly what I am trying to
say here.
Being a good
artist comes in steps
Step 1: Learn to let
God move thru you as an individual (in as unique a way as possible) Let
the sacred process of creativity happen. Creativity should always
be appreciated, especially when it evokes a beautiful feeling within.
Step 2: Learn how to
Love others enough by giving them what you know they Love about your
talent. So many of us have many different gifts, but there will
always be those gifts that others seem to appreciate more than others.
It is good to focus on and develop those talents so that we might
contribute something beautiful into the lives of others.
Step 3: Love others
enough to push them in their current seat of boundaries (using your
talent) in the way they are used to seeing something. What makes
life interesting is that it is always shifting and changing. Life
is about evolution and sometimes we can get stuck in our ways in how we
are used to having something appear to us. Therefore it is good to
every now and then do a little something different just for the sake of
doing a little something different. Do NOT be afraid to TRY
different things.
I always say that
good art is giving people a little bit of what they think they know and
then giving them a little something they don’t (or aren't expecting) and
mixing the two perfectly. To me, a person who can do this is a
true artist!
One more thing!
Support and encourage our
children to do art!
If our children are
to grow up balanced, art needs to be made important again. Art
teaches us how to express ourselves. Art does lots of great stuff
for the Soul. Even us grown ups need to do art every now and then!
I am really scared
folks, too many schools today do not hold art as important, so they are
cutting funding to artist programs in public schools. Folks, there
would be no Christian Andreason if it was not for art in school, (in
this case the art of music!) Please fight to make art a priority
in our world and do all you can to make sure art is being pushed in your
community schools.
Also, when you find
an artist you LOVE ... make sure you support them with verbal promotion
and money!
BY THE WAY ... did I
mention someone is about to release a new album soon? LOL!
(See next entry below!)
Love you!
><C> |
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