Christine Lavin’s performances are hyperbole-proof. They are sooooo entertaining. She absolutely captivates her audiences with her wit and humor, her sensitive and right-on-the-mark songs about the wild, wacky, and unsettling world we live in.

Lavin’s many albums are chock-full of humorous (sometimes rib-splitting) songs as well as keen and tender observations on human nature. Whether it’s an ode to Prince Charles or to sensitive new age guys or a ballad about the night John Lennon died, Lavin will evoke a smile or a tear.

The singer/songwriter’s latest project is uniquely Lavin-esque: “One Meat Ball,” a 19-artist, 96-page CD / cookbooklet produced by Christine Lavin, showcasing music by Dave Van Ronk, Pete Seeger, actor Jeff Daniels, The Accidentals, Grammy-winner Julie Gold, and a dozen other terrific singer/songwriters (and amateur chefs). The reviews have been stellar for both the music and the recipes.

Lavin’s newest solo CD, “folkZinger,” her 17th release, emphasizes all of the craziness of life in this land of extremes. Christine’s songs often portray little theatrical slices of life and she generally infuses them with improvisational anecdotes and audience participation. Another of Lavin’s solo CDs, “I Was in Love with a Difficult Man,” elicited the following comment from a critic in the Washington Post: “Lavin knows how to keep her audience guessing, thinking, and laughing at the same time.” Christine calls this album her “dream album.” Typical of Lavin’s unique point of view, she says of the title song (which is a reminiscence of a type of man that nearly all women are familiar with): “If you are a woman you are probably thinking ‘been there/done that’ — if you are difficult man you are probably thinking ‘more proof that chicks dig us.’ ” Legendary folkie, Tom Paxton, says this about the new album: “If you ever doubted that the best artists just get better and better, listen to this CD. Christine Lavin is unstoppable.” If the CD isn’t enough for you, there’s a DVD called “Girl Uninterrupted” that includes many of the songs from the CD.

Lavin’s shows are never ever boring affairs. She always has something up her sleeve to entertain her legion of fans. She’s been known to toss a glow-in-the-dark baton, wear a miner’s helmet complete with flashlight, or use a high-tech gizmo that duplicates her voice so she can sing along with herself. Christine has also been known to share books from her lending library and do manicures on audience members during intermission. Her “wireless” shows turn any size concert hall into an intimate living room type performance.

Lavin’s website is a thing of wonder. Not only can you find vital information about Lavin and all of her recordings but you can check out her favorite recipes, recommendations about other singers and books, and socially conscious links that reveal what is important to her. Once you start clicking, you can’t stop!

 

 

Her lyrics combine the wit of poet Ogden Nash, the crazy viewpoint of the Roches, the sensitivity of Judy Collins, and the voice of Joni Mitchell. Performance Magazine