Shows - Christo's

The 4 Kings

Thu, Jul 30

The 4 Kings are marching into town on a hot Saturday night! The kings in question are the one and only Sean Holmes on vocals, the sultan of saxophone Renato Caranto, boss of the B3 Louis Pain on the Hammond organ and master of backbeat Edwin Coleman III on drums. Organist “King Louie” Pain and vocalist Sean Holmes both moved to Portland from the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986, but they didn’t cross paths in either music scene until one afternoon in 2010 at Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival. The two got in a casual conversation that day and discovered that they shared a home town. But it also turned out that Sean’s mother—vocalist/violinist Carol Stallings—had gone to high school with Louis’ singer/songwriter brother Duncan, and that Duncan and Carol had later played with some of the same legendary Bay Area musical artists, including drummer Joe Provost (Maze) and Carol's saxophonist brother Ron "Rev" Stallings! Following that conversation at the blues festival, Louis began inviting Sean to be a part of his popular “Portland Soul All-Stars” soul tribute shows at Jimmy Mak’s. Several years later, Sean returned the favor, including Louis in a Ray Charles tribute set at the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. Since then, Louis & Sean have been working together semi-regularly. This dynamic duo has great fun making music together, and audiences can’t get enough of them—whether they’re playing funky dance music or mellow background sounds! When the dynamic saxophonist Renato Caranto is added to the mix, the group is dubbed, "The Three Kings." And when exciting drummer Edwin Coleman III joins the group, they're "The Four Kings!" Sean grew up in San Francisco and the Los Angeles area in a family of working musicians – Mom, Dad, uncle, grandfather, cousins. Sean had some of his first recording sessions with his mom, Carol Stallings, at Hollywood Sound Studio in LA and at the Jackson Family's home studio in Encino, CA. (Carol recorded and toured with numerous famous artists, including Joe Cocker and Englebert Humperdink.) Sean arrived in Portland Fall of 1986 on a basketball scholarship at Concordia College. He soon traded in his hoop shoes for a choir robe, studied voice, and began working with local musicians. Sean has worked with many top local and national artists, including Linda Hornbuckle, the Portland Jazz Orchestra, David Byrne & The Oregon Symphony, Bobby Torres, Esperanza Spalding, Obo Addy, Brian Blade, Mel Brown, Thara & Tahira Memory, Liv Warfield, Curtis Salgado, Taj Mahal, Soul Vaccination, 5 Guys Named Moe, Steve Miller, and Jarrod Lawson. An Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductee dubbed "Portland's boss of the B-3" by The Oregonian, Louis actually hails from San Francisco, CA. Beginning in the 1970’s, Louis played and recorded with a wide variety of top Bay Area musicians, including members of Tower of Power, the Ray Charles Orchestra, Santana, Steely Dan, the Doobie Bros., the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and B.B. King. Since moving north in '86, Louis has continued the trend, working with visiting legends including Martha Reeves, Solomon Burke, Phil Upchurch, and Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, as well as with a “who’s who” of local blues & jazz artists, including Mel Brown, Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones, and the late great “Sweet Baby” James Benton, Paul deLay, and Linda Hornbuckle. He’s performed dozens of times at the Safeway Waterfront Blues festival and innumerable times at other NW venues, including approximately 1,500 performances at Portland’s Jimmy Mak’s. In the 1990’s, Louis played on and co-produced four Paul deLay Band CDs released on the Evidence Records label. In recent years, he’s produced and performed on a series of critically acclaimed CDs on his own Shoug Records label, including “Rock Me Baby” with vocalist LaRhonda Steele, “Live at Riverhouse Jazz” with a trio of vocalists, and the all-instrumental, all-original release “It’s About Time,” featuring the King Louie Organ Trio. All three CDs received 4-star reviews in Downbeat and were featured in the magazine’s annual “Best Albums of the Year” issues.

Willamette Saxophone Quintet

Thu, Aug 06

Delighted to have the Willamette Saxophone Quintet grace the Christo’s stage for the first time! They feature FOUR saxophonists, being Randy Kem, Greg Angeloni, Kat Kem & Andy Kronser, backed by Ulysses Kem on drums. They’ll be playing some jazz, latin and many beautiful standards, uniquely arranged for multiple saxophones.

David Friesen Circle 4 Quartet

Thu, Aug 13

David Friesen presents a new spin on his Circle 3 Trio, with the Circle 4 Quartet! David has performed and recorded with countless jazz legends, including Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Chick Corea, and Philly Joe Jones, to name a few. And lest we forget the two other incredible players in this trio, powerhouse drummer Charlie Doggett and explosive saxophonist Joe Manis. The great John Nastos will be joining them on alto saxophone! Great musicians, terrific original compositions and unique arrangements! "It’s been said of David Friesen that he does for the art of bass playing what Pythagoras did for the triangles." Patrick Hinely/Jazz Times "Saxophonist JOE MANIS has made a name for himself, not only in the world of jazz, but through performances and collaborations that have reached into the realms of classical and world music…" KLCC "JOHN NASTOS John is Portland, Oregon-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. While living in New York City, he studied at the Manhattan School of Music with Dick Oatts, Bob Mintzer, and Steve Wilson, completing the 4-year degree program in just 3 years. He has toured internationally as part of Diane Schuur’s band and has had his orchestral arrangements played by orchestras all of the globe. In 2011, Nastos released Metronomics — an innovative metronome app for iOS geared towards professional musicians. He currently maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule in the Northwest." bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com "CHARLIE DOGGETT, drummer/percussionist, is one of the most enigmatic drummers in the Portland and the greater Northwest music scene. He is a creative and versatile musician who makes himself heard." Origin Records Artists

Danny Wold Trio ft. Bo Ayars & Dennis Caiazza

Thu, Aug 20

After many years we are pleased to have the Danny Wold Trio return featuring the great Dennis Caiazza on bass and Bo Ayars on piano! Not only is Danny a great drummer but also is talented singer and tap dancer to boot, both of which will be showcased over the course of the night!

Bo Ayars is a man who wears many hats and has literally “performed, arranged and conducted” himself around the world, in concert halls in Europe, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Canada, and here in the US, including 2 Christmas seasons at Radio City Music Hall, Disney at Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl. The highlight of his career was conducting and arranging for Mr. Showmanship, Liberace. Though Lee has left us, Bo is still involved as an advisor to the Liberace Foundation. After hearing a performance of David Saffert paying tribute to Liberace, Bo became the Music Director for the popular Liberace & Liza, Live!, a tribute to Liberace and Liza Minnelli, performed by Jillian Snow. “They’re excellent performers, capturing the talent and spirit of these two show business legends.”

Originally from Rochester, New York, Dennis Caiazza earned a Bachelors of Music in Classical Guitar from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. After graduation he directed both elementary and high school band programs at Rochester area schools and was invited to direct the all-county concert and jazz ensembles. He resumed his education, studying the upright bass, attending the Jazz Studies Program at The Eastman School in Rochester. Dennis then left the teaching profession to pursue a performance career and has been a full- time professional musician, arranger and bandleader for over 30 years. He played regularly in the Rochester area with the Gap Mangione Jazz Trio and Big Band, also performed with jazz greats Clark Terry, Red Holloway and Joshua Redman, as well as many other blues, funk, rock and pop bands. He has also worked in many shows, touring broadway musicals and in backup bands for performers like Regis Philbin, Tommy Tune and Don Rickles. In 1992 Dennis moved to Atlanta and during his ten years there his playing and personal singing style kept him in great demand for local and national recording sessions, orchestra work, club dates, shows and concerts. In 1996 Dennis formed Atlanta's "Swing Factory," an eight-piece swing band that played in and around the Southeast, they recorded two internationally acclaimed CD's and remained a popular force on the jazz and swing dance scene for over three years. July 1, 2002 Dennis moved to the Northwest and has since been working throughout Oregon, Washington and down the West Coast.

Machado Mijiga Trio

Sun, Aug 23

Multi-instrumentalist and Portland native Machado Mijiga wears many hats, both literally and metaphorically. Classically trained, jazz-weathered, and eclectically inclined, Mijiga left the proverbial creative “box” at a very early age, with access to many instruments and a diverse musical background brought about by an intercultural heritage. Mijiga is a musical polymath; composer, producer, bandleader, educator, gear fanatic, and audio engineer, to name a few. Authenticity and uniquity assume the locus of Mijiga’s artistic identity. Self-expression is the prime directive and the medium of choice changes like the weather.

He's got a great band with him featuring Dario LaPoma on piano and Patrick Golichnik on bass. Don't miss it!

Mel Brown Trio

Sat, Aug 29

Always a thrill to have the one and only Mel Brown and his trio featuring pianist Jof Lee and bassist Tim Gilson come down to Christo’s!

Mel Brown is known as Portland’s ultimate timekeeper and ‘Mister Groove.’ An Oregon icon in jazz, Mel Brown has been labeled the ‘Gentleman of Jazz’, with a career spanning over 40 years. Mel first made his mark as a Motown staff drummer, recording and touring with Martha Reeves, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and others. He subsequently spent ten years working with Diana Ross and other pop acts before giving up the road in 1991 and returning home to his first love – jazz.

These guys are world class players and not to be missed.

Christo's's Upcoming Shows