After his degree was completed, Christopher spent ten years working as an instrumental music teacher and spent six of those years as the Head of the Expressive and Applied Arts department. His critically acclaimed Beatles tribute recording, BLUE SUBURBAN SKIES, was recorded in 2001 at his home, with Christopher playing all of the instruments (save for one track). In 2002, he began a new path and became the Pastor of Worship at James Street Baptist Church where he focused his work not only around worship leading, but also on composition and freelance production work.
“Working at James Street has been a great joy. I have the freedom to create as part of my mission, and God has called me to lead people into worship through music. It is a great privilege that I love very much.”
Christopher desires to use his talents, whether leading in the church, producing a new artist or playing with a band in a pub, to praise God. “For me all music is worship music, because every time I play, I worship. I give thanks to Jesus for what He has done for me. It is as simple as that. Every time I pick up that guitar, I call on Him. My prayer is that I can become a man of integrity, and that my life will be a small testament to how great God is.”
In the fall of 2004, Christopher released A SIGN UNTO YOU, an album of entirely original music centred around the theme of Jesus’ birth. It was Christopher’s first album of solely original material in nine years. The album was nominated in 2004 for Best Religious Recording at the first ever Hamilton Music Scene awards, and the song SWEET, SWEET LOVE was selected for inclusion on the 2004 Hamilton Music Scene compilation CD Volume 7.
As part of his work at James Street, Christopher has been busy putting together Beatles tribute shows in order to raise money for their Challenge program. The program was begun by James Street in order to pay for the high heating and hydro costs incurred from outreach ministries such as the OUT OF THE COLD program and the Thursday drop-in lunch. In 2005, six concerts in three different venues raised $2500 for the cause, and won James Street and Christopher the 2005 Hamilton Music Scene Award for the BEST MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR BY PEOPLE’S CHOICE for the FOR GEORGE concert held in February of 2005. In 2006, Christopher was awarded again for his efforts in organizing IMAGINE PEACE 4, a JOHN LENNON tribute, by taking home the 2006 HMA for BEST MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR BY PEOPLE’S CHOICE. Yoko Ono even sent him a personalized Christmas card, thanking him for his kind thoughts in remembering John and organizing the shows celebrating the music of her late husband.
On March 14, 2006 Christopher released his seventh full-length album entitled, “SURRENDERING…EVERYTHING”. The album is his first official collection of worship music and was nominated again for a 2006 Hamilton Music Award for Best Religious Recording, and Christopher was also nominated for the prestigious Guitarist of the Year award. “I am so blessed to have been recognized by the committee and am so honoured to have been nominated. I am still thrilled that Colin Linden said my name on national television!”
2007 marked the 40th anniversary of one of Christopher’s favourite albums, SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND and to celebrate, he organized two sold out shows at James Street in June featuring the talents of NLX: Natasha Alexandra, Bob Bryden, Richard Cummins, The Dell’Untos, Matthew de zoete, Annette Haas, The Jamiesons, Kim Koren, A Sack of Yams, Alfie Smith, Fred D. Smith, and the great Mike Trebilcock. The two concerts received press attention, gaining articles in the View and the Hamilton Spectator, and Christopher was featured in a live interview on CBC Radio One’s “FRESH AIR” program on June 2 with host Jeff Goodes. The two concerts were the most successful of all of his Beatles tribute shows by raising close to $5,000 for Challenge 2007. He ended the second summer of love with four celebrated performances of Fabs music at the first ever Orillia Beatles Celebration this past September and was featured on the A Channel. And, accomplishing a three-peat, the “IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO TODAY” shows won for the Best Musical Event of the Year by People’s Choice at the 2007 Hamilton Music Industry Awards, his third straight win in that category. Christopher performed at the Music Industry Awards (being warmly introduced by Tom Wilson) for the first time performing his brand new song, LOVE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD, at the event.
2008 saw the undertaking of bringing to the stage one of the Beatles’ most complicated works: The BEATLES (also known as the WHITE ALBUM). The anniversary was celebrated with two sold out shows held on November 21 and 22 at James Street. Featuring a stellar back up band consisting of Jennifer Beehler, Bec Jamieson, Chris Jamieson, Jamie Jamieson, Steve Parton and Mike Rittenhouse, the event featured performances by Alfie Smith, Kim and Frank Koren, Fred D. Smith, Sonny Del Rio, Russ Wilson, Steve Parton, The Hamilton Guitar Summit, Mike Trebilcock, Bob Bryden, Hailey Gillis, Aaron Goldstein, Spider Murphy, Lianne Cranfield, Phil Rose, The Dell’Untos, Duncan Findlay. Deborah McIvor, Karen Johnson, Courtenay McClelland, AaLia Kesari, Kenny MacInnis, John Kossop, Lena Montecalvo-Smye, Salsa Dave Pomfret and the debut of one of Christopher’s new fave local bands that year, Jade Greenaway. The moneys raised (which were over $5,000) went to Challenge 2008. The after-party, held at the Three 16 Lounge on November 22, reunited most of the musicians from the two nights (see the photo to the right of the amazing backing band).
The album was also performed in it’s entirety (minus Revolution #9 due to time constraints) by the Kings of Marigold (Jamieson on bass, Parton on guitars and vocals, Clause on guitars, keys and vocals, Rittenhouse on drums and Barb Bloemhof on vocals) at the second annual Orillia Beatles Celebration the month before. For many fans, it was the highlight of the festival!!!
In 2009, Christopher’ most recent recording was released on February 7, coinciding with the Beatles’ first celebrated arrival in New York 45 years ago. Recorded live on a very hot night in July of 2008, LOUNGE SINGER: LIVE AT THREE 16 LOUNGE sums up the kind of music Christopher is performing right now in his solo shows: celebrated covers such as his tender version of George Harrison’s HERE COMES THE SUN, brand new songs such as SILVER SUN, NEVER AGAIN and the new anthem for a new age, LOVE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. Add two improvised instrumental works using his JamMan looper, SHEPHERD’S BUSH and EMMA AND RILEY AT THE BEACH, and you have what Christopher calls “A glorified official bootleg of one of my live solo shows.” The first fifty copies were a special limited edition hand signed and numbered by Christopher, and will be available in a regular edition this spring.
Christopher continues to do freelance production and engineering work, as well as perform in many side projects such as The Kings of Marigold with Chris Jamieson and The Psychedelic Orange Experience with Bob Bryden.
In November of 2009, the fourth Design Hope CD, LOVE IS EVERYTHING was released, produced by Christopher, Rob Lamothe and Amy King. Christopher spent the spring of 2010 mixing his long awaited and Hamilton Music Award nominated album, ROUND (with the song UNDER THE WEATHER receiving airplay on CBC radio), at Grant Avenue Studio with Amy King as remix engineer. Currently he and Amy produced the fifth Design Hope CD entitled, A PLACE IN MY HEART, which was officially released at a party at This Ain’t Hollywood on Sunday January 23.
2011 looks to be a year filled with shows promoting Christopher’s most critically acclaimed release to date including a special spring/summer tour now in the works. He also plans to complete a new worship album, as well as planning another Imagine Peace show in October and a tribute to the Who’s album WHO’S NEXT in August.
