Christo's's Upcoming Shows

Paula Byrne brings in her fantastic quartet featuring Brandon Nelson on keys, Tim Gilson on bass and Brent Follis on drums. Paula Byrne's voice is like chilled champagne on a hot summer day. She moves easily between songs that are lush and beautiful to highly rhythmic, wild rides. Her sense of humor, revival of obscure songs and new twists on old standards keeps the audience engaged and enraptured.

Brandon Nelson began his piano studies at the age of 12 in Mount Vernon, WA. He graduated from Washington State University in 2016 with a degree in Piano Performance with a Jazz Emphasis. During his studies, Brandon studied directly from renowned musicians Brian Ward, Gerald Berthiaume, and Greg Yasinitsky. Brandon is a prizewinner in multiple competitions, including the Washington State Music Teachers Association's District One Recital (2011), Phase I Scholarship Competition (2012-2016), and The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (2015 and 2016). In 2016, Brandon was also selected as the pianist to play at Hamp's Club. Currently a working musician, Brandon is playing with jazz and rock groups around Vancouver and Portland.

Tim Gilson has been a mainstay in the Northwest for many years. In 1985 he joined the Mel Brown Quintet with which he recorded the award winning 'Gordon Bleu' CD. During this time Tim had the opportunity to play with many nationally acclaimed artists including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. In 1988 Tim won 2nd place in an international bass competition in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter substituted for John Clayton with 'Slide Hampton and the New Jazz Masters' in a concert in Sacramento. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet; then in 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and substituted on a regular basis with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Since returning to Portland in 2002 Tim plays regularly with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artist such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. Tim has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson, Ingrid Jensen and Wynton Marsalis during their tours of the Pacific Northwest.

Raised on a farm in Southern Illinois, the first thing Brent Follis can remember is picking up a pair of wooden spoons, and tapping out rhythms on some old popcorn tins. Since then, his journey has led him cross country and around the globe, performing music for thousands of people, while in search of inspiration and culture. After receiving his degree in Advertising and music performance from Southern Illinois University, he transplanted himself in the fertile soil of the Pacific Northwest. After receiving a call from a friend and musical writing partner on the East Coast, and needing to fulfill his yearning for diversity, culture, and thin crust pizza, he moved to New York City. After a decade of performing, traveling, and immersing himself deep within the trenches of NYC, he made the sojourn back to the Rose City, where he maintains a busy recording and performance schedule, and can be found backing up many talented singer-songwriters, jazz and pop artists.

We are so excited to announce that we will be having a monthly open jazz jam on Sundays in our lounge!

The sessions will be hosted by Salem stalwart drummer and friend of Christo's Jason Carter, and he is joined by pianist Marcus Harbaugh and bassist Ken Anoe.

Jazz musicians of all skill levels are welcome to come and add their name to the sign up list to join the jam session!

Doors open to the Lounge at 6:00. Jam runs from 6:30-9. No cover charge, seating is first come first serve (IGNORE THE "SOLD OUT" BUTTON). Full dinner service will be available.

Keyboardist Galen Clark (Trio Subtonic, Anna Tivel, Outer Orbit) and fantastic vocalist Sarah Clarke (The Motet, Portugal The Man, Outer Orbit) join forces with an incredible rhythm section feat. Damian Erskine (Peter Erskine, Skerik, Outer Orbit) on bass and Charlie Doggett on drums. The music ranges from stripped down funk and soul originals to beautiful ballads that pay homage to artists such as Emily King and Betty Harris. Don't miss it!

Sarah Clarke - vocals

Galen Clark - keys

Damian Erkine - bass

Charlie Doggett - drums

Jack Radsliff is on the short list of jazz guitarists in the Pacific Northwest. As a bandleader, his trio has become a fixture at clubs throughout the region. As a collaborator, Radsliff is a first-call for many; frequently playing in the bands of Ron Steen, Michael Raynor, Cyrus Nabipoor, Galen Clark, Christopher Brown, Chuck Israels, Alan Jones, Kerry Politzer, George Colligan, Dan Balmer, Idit Shner, Kathleen Hollingsworth, Torrey Newhart and many more: a veritable who’s who of Oregon’s jazz musicians. In addition to his steady work around the PNW, last year afforded Jack opportunities to work as sideman to Jonathan Pinson, Greg Ward, Domo Branch and Charlie Brown; release his sophomore record “Barefoot” (PJCE Records) featuring Randy Porter, Todd Sickafoose and Alan Jones; and tour the west coast extensively with Ian George, Cyrus Nabipoor and the Jack Radsliff Trio.

Jack’s playing can be heard on more than a dozen records to date. His own records, “Migration Patterns” (2017) and “Barefoot” (2024), have been well received; both making it onto critics “best of” lists. In his relatively short recording career, Jack has contributed to releases from Cyrus Nabipoor, Tony Glausi, Martina DaSilva, Dan Rossi, Machado Majiga and Pablo Rivarola. With more and more music coming out, follow Jack on instagram (@JackRadsliff) to stay up to date.

Jack Radsliff, guitar + compositions

Christian Ramirez, bass

Micah Hummel, drums

Charlie Porter is back on tour from NYC with an incredible band featuring Nick Biello on tenor sax/flute, George Colligan on piano, Garrett Baxter on bass and Christopher Brown on drums! This one you truly cannot miss!

Charlie Porter is a GRAMMY Award–winning jazz trumpeter and composer who has been active on the international jazz scene for over two decades. He has released six albums as a leader, including Immigration Nation, which was named one of the Best Albums of the Year by DownBeat. As a performer and bandleader, Porter has appeared at major jazz festivals worldwide and at leading New York venues including The Blue Note, Smalls, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, and The Jazz Gallery, among many others.

Of Lebanese, Greek, Italian, and British ancestry, Porter brings a naturally cross-cultural perspective to his work, shaping projects that merge musical traditions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and narrative design in ways that continually push the boundaries of jazz. He has collaborated and performed with a wide range of artists across generations of the music, including Joe Zawinul, Orrin Evans, Chuck Israels, Kenny Washington, Paquito D’Rivera, Winard Harper, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, among many others. His work emphasizes long-form composition, ensemble interplay, and concept-driven projects that often expand the possibilities of traditional jazz presentation — from live collaborations with visual artists to immersive, narrative-driven releases. DownBeat has described his playing as “fluid, expressive, and magnificent.” In addition to his work as a recording artist, he continues to develop new projects that explore the evolving language of modern jazz.

Charlie’s current work includes the upcoming release of his seventh album as a leader, Sci-Fi Standards, Vol. 1: The Future We Knew, due this summer. The project reimagines music from classic science-fiction cinema through an original jazz lens, blending composition, improvisation, and ensemble interplay. Following boundary-expanding releases such as Cipher and his Sketches project — which featured live collaboration with visual artists — the album continues Porter’s ongoing exploration of new creative frameworks. Its release will coincide with tours throughout the East Coast, West Coast, and Asia.

As a composer, Porter has been commissioned by the Doris Duke Foundation and Chamber Music America. He is currently Professor of Trumpet at New York University.

Welcoming back to Christo's, the SoulJazz Collective! Featuring the amazing vocal stylings of LaRhonda Steele, and featuring keyboardist Nick Milo, guitarist Richard Smith, bassist Kevin Deitz and drummer John Bishop. They'll be doing classics and originals from the Great American Soul Songbook.

Nick Milo's career has brought him into the role of long-time music director for legendary musicians from Joe Cocker and Maria Muldaur to Tower of Power. As a composer Nick has worked in film and television and has composed for many top artists on the global R&B and soul scene, including Greg Adams and East Bay Soul.

LaRhonda Steele is a Blues and gospel singer and songwriter, is recognized as one the region's best rhythm and blues vocalists. She has been dubbed "The First Lady of Portland Blues”—a title of leadership that she lives up to as she shares songs that carry forth directly from her soul and spiritual life-force. She currently fronts the LaRhonda Steele band, is music director of the non profit Portland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and is music director of Portland Center for Spiritual Living. LaRhonda regularly lights up the stage at the Waterfront Blues Festival, Alberta Rose Theatre, and clubs around town. LaRhonda’s voice can be enjoyed on recordings of national and international artists including Gino Vannelli, Curtis Salgado, Lloyd Jones, Mary Flower, and Norman Sylvester, to name a few.

Kevin Deitz is an educator, a composer/arranger, and multi-instrumentalist who has performed with the Portland Opera Company, Portland Chamber Orchestra, Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Mose Allison, Frankie Avalon, Dave Brubeck, Terrence Blanchard, Andrea Bocelli, Paquito D’Rivera, The Eagles, Kurt Elling, Benny Golson, Ill Divo, The Moody Blues, Kenny Rankin and Brian Wilson amongst many others. He is an artist/endorser for Conklin Basses and Sidewinder strings and his album of original compositions, Skylines, is on the Origin Arts label.

As a drummer, educator, record label owner, graphic designer, and festival presenter, John Bishop has been one of the primary voices in Northwest Jazz for 40 years. He has performed in concerts and clubs with Lee Konitz, Slide Hampton, Benny Golson, Bobby Hutcherson, Ernestine Anderson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Sonny Fortune, Herb Ellis, Gary Peacock, Buddy DeFranco, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, and countless others. He’s appeared on more than 100 albums, including sessions with Hal Galper, Larry Coryell, Ernie Watts, Mark Murphy, Joe Locke, Bud Shank, George Cables, Ralph Towner, Teo Macero, and Jerry Bergonzi. He was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame in 2008 and was named a “Jazz Hero” by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2019.

Richard Smith is a Los Angeles based recording artist and music professor at USC. His last 3 singles (2021 and 2022) have landed him in the most-played category on Sirius XM. His recordings feature Jeff Lorber, Kenny G, Vinnie Coaliuta, Alex Acuna and members of Tower of Power. He is a member of Greg Adams and East Bay Soul and helped pen the title cut of their last CD ‘The Real’