Songwriter Challenge

I recently participated in a songwriter challenge for The Latest Noise Wine and Song where I composed an original song to a spoken word poem. I was sent the poem only – I wasn’t told who wrote it and didn’t have access to the poet’s reading. Two other songwriters were sent the same poem. The result? Three very different song interpretations! The poem is “Disbeliever” by Sandra Ann. Check out my version in the video below. 

If you want to see the complete segment with all three song interpretations plus the poet’s reading, check out the full Wine and Song video below. In case the link doesn’t start in the correct spot, go to 14:20 to see the beginning of the challenge.

Raindrops and Watercolors – Available Everywhere

Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors released our very first EP in Late November 2020 – Raindrops and Watercolors. You can stream it or download it everywhere now! 

Click on the image above or on this link to be taken to all of the streaming and download options – https://linktr.ee/thetollcollectors.

Listen to Two Toll Collectors Singles Now

The first two singles are out from our forthcoming EP, entitled “Raindrops and Watercolors.” You can listen to “Whatever Gets You Through” and “Where the River Flows” now pretty much anywhere you can listen to music. Here’s a handy link that will get you to many of the place quickly! Please follow Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors and add us to your library and playlists!

Listen now >>

Hope you enjoy them! The full record will be coming soon. 🙂

New Exclusive Track

I’m excited to announce I have a new song available – “Think It Through.” It’s a reflection on all of the politics that has erupted around the COVID-19 pandemic and a reminder that we should look out for each other and try our best to keep each other safe. I recorded it at home and played all the instruments on the track.

It’s available exclusively by donating to the Spondylitis Association of America. Earlier this month, I participated in the virtual Banding Together Webathon benefit organized by Lazlo of blowupradio.com. He hosts the benefit each year as it’s a cause near and dear to his heart – his wife suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis. Donations are used to fund research as well as programs and services for the community.

To receive your compilation of 65 exclusive songs from the NY/NJ music community, including my song, you can donate here – https://spondylitis.org/webathon

Thank you for donating and I hope you enjoy the compilation!

“Whatever Gets You Through” Lyric Video

Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors have a new EP coming out. We tracked it live in the studio and we’re super proud of it. The first single is called “Whatever Gets You Through” and is now available on all of the platforms – check it out here https://linktr.ee/thetollcollectors. You can watch the lyric video for it on YouTube right here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydEl8B18jss

Howlin’ and End of the Innocence

I’m just catching up with some posts that should’ve been up months ago! But never too late. Here are two songs from a virtual Wine and Song event back in June. One is an original – “Howlin’.” The other, a cover of Don Henley’s “End of the Innocence.” Hope you enjoy!

Howlin’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztAfXimKCgU

End of the Innocence – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ivyPPcmPNk

Toll Collectors Cover the Toll Collectors

I hope everyone is staying self and healthy.

We had an interesting idea. Since everyone in Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors is also a singer/songwriter, why not cover a song that someone else in the band has written? So here are my two covers.

“Stone Meets the Sea,” one of my favorites by Christina Alessi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydFleq5aDyY

“Seventy Degrees,” by Jonathan Andrew. The song that is always stuck in my head in the best way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZeDJ7QoEpQ

Hope you enjoy them!