BrandonLee Cierley Quintet: “Be Water, My Friend” Album Tour Pt.II

Sat, May 24

Saxophonist and bandleader BrandonLee Cierley brings his fantastic quintet to Christo's as part of the tour supporting his new album "Be Water, My Friend." Featuring Machado Mijiga on drums, Chris Clark-Johnson on guitar, Dario LaPoma on keys and Patrick Golichnik on bass. BrandonLee Cierley is an up-and-coming saxophonist born in Tacoma, WA and currently based in Portland, OR. His sound effortlessly blends jazz, hip-hop, lo-fi, and groove-driven influences, reflecting a wide musical palette and a deeply personal voice. BrandonLee studied at Pacific Lutheran University, where he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science & Music. Dedicated to mastering his craft, BrandonLee has studied with notable instructors including Tracy Knoop, Braxton Cook, Steve Tresler, and Todd Delguidice. As both a bandleader and solo artist, he has collaborated with a range of exciting producers and artists such as Farnell Newton, POSY, EyeLoveBrandon, Braxton Cook, Machado Mijiga, and Jonny Tobin, among others. In 2018, he expanded beyond his core genre as a guest artist with EDM duo Two Friends, performing at sold-out festivals Lucky and Paradiso. He has also shared the stage with world-renowned saxophonist Mike Phillips at the 2023 PDX Jazz Festival. BrandonLee has performed throughout the Pacific Northwest and has been featured on Portland’s KMHD Radio as well as Seattle’s KNKX 88.5 Live Studio Sessions. Most recently, he performed under his own name at the 45th Annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival in July 2025. His debut album, Here Comes a New Challenger (2020), has garnered over 20,000 streams and earned KMHD’s Best Single of the Year. In July 2023, he released the highly anticipated EP Thank You for Waiting, featuring Braxton Cook, which landed on Spotify’s Editorial Playlist All New Jazz, surpassed 2 million streams, and received praise from Abe Beeson of KNKX’s The New Cool. His sophomore album Camaraderie, released via Portland-based label LofiJazzSoul, received critical acclaim from All About Jazz and the Jazz Society of Oregon, along with placements on major Spotify editorial playlists including All About Jazz and Fresh Finds: Jazz. With a growing international presence, BrandonLee’s catalog has earned him a release with Belgian label Stereofox, including his debut label EP Pathways as well as accumulating over a 7M streams on all digital platforms. His third studio album, “Be Water, My Friend” is out now.