Christine Vaindirlis: Right at Home a Long Way from Home

Christine Vaindirlis is living proof of our contention that, musically speaking, all roads lead to Brooklyn. Having called London, Milan (where she trained under La Scala supervision) and most notably Johannesburg home, she happily planted her South African roots in Brooklyn soil five years ago. “It’s a place where Old World flavor meets cutting edge taste,” she says. “The musical culture is so rich and diverse here ; there’s everything you can think of and one act is better than the next.”

A singer, composer and arranger, Christine creates music that is infused with syncopated rhythms of traditional jazz and South African-style horn and vocal arrangements. Although clearly influenced by jazz, funk and world music, she doesn’t like to think in terms of genres. “What I focus on is writing good songs with strong melodies that stick with you throughout the day, that create a mood and make you travel.”
Christine thrives on the great freedom of expression she has found here, noting that, “Most countries like to identify an artist with a genre, so if you play jazz you’re not spontaneously hired to play for a pop or world music event or venue, even if your music clearly crosses over. As an artist in Brooklyn I believe you can build your own identity and people are more willing to accept the diversity, what you stand for and what you have to offer. “

The Brooklyn music scene has also pushed her creative buttons and inspired her to keep honing her craft. “On any given night you can walk out and hear a number of outstanding bands doing their thing, and then I think, ‘I have to go home and write something…or practice.’ That’s my inspiration and I’m sure many [Brooklyn] bands have had something to do with my creativity in some way or another.”

Christine likes that Brooklyn is both a gateway to “the incredible dynamic energy and craziness of the city” and a retreat where one can “live in a community setting, at a slower yet youthful pace, where you can take a breather and take advantage of all the happenings” at nearby venues.

She has “a few favorite spots and a few on my ‘to do’ list, like Barbes, Puppets, Southpaw and BAM Café,”  as well as the many outdoor events including what she calls “last year’s highlight,” the Fort Greene Music Festival. Being from South Africa and “needing a little bit of my own home community in Brooklyn,” her favorite hangout, also in Fort Greene, is Madiba, a unique South African experience replete with history, culture and good food. “It’s a place where people leave their workday behind to have a good time, listen to great music and recharge,” she says. If you can’t make it to Madiba, Dance Mama!, Christine Vaindirlis’ infectious debut CD, is also a great way to “recharge.”