So excited to welcome Allison Wheeler for the first time to Christo's! She is on tour from the from the Czech Republic with her quartet featuring Alex Sjobeck on piano, Robert Rodriguez on double bass and Petr Nohavica on drums. Allison Wheeler, vocalist & songwriter from Salinas, California, is a “composer of great sonic imagination” (Peter Quinn, Jazzwise UK) and a versatile voice with a love for creative challenge. After being named Undergraduate Vocal Soloist of the Year by Downbeat magazine in 2018, she relocated to Prague, where she has broken free from her straight-ahead roots and is forging her own path. Her debut album Winterspring was released on the London-based label Ubuntu Music in 2022 and was hailed as “one of the strongest collections of songs in the last few years” (Jan Hocek, JazzPort). She cites influences such as Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple and Gillian Welch and has been compared by critics to artists such as Becca Stevens (Jazz Times) and Gretchen Parlato (Jazzwise UK) — yet she creates a world uniquely her own. Her music seamlessly crosses genre lines, drawing influence from her jazz roots, love of bluegrass/folk tradition, and her talent in the visual arts to construct a realm of imagination fueled by improvisation, nostalgia and a love for impressionism. Growing up on the California coast, Wheeler was involved in the Monterey Jazz Festival’s education program and appeared on the festival with their honors vocal group in 2014 and 2015. She moved on to study jazz voice at the University of Northern Colorado with Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh. At UNCO, she was a part of their premiere vocal jazz ensemble “Vocal Lab,” with whom she won three graduate-category Downbeat awards and performed with artists such as the New York Voices, Aubrey Logan, and Vertical Voices, and also sang on the international Jazz Education Network (JEN) conferences in 2016 and 2018. Since moving to Europe, she has notably served on faculty at the Czech Jazz Workshop (2020, 2021), Lomnice Choir Workshop (2024, 2025) and appeared with Lizz Wright at the Prague Sounds Festival (2021). Her well-received debut as a bandleader, Winterspring (2022, Ubuntu Music), weaves tales of love, light and loneliness into a unique blend of styles driven by sweeping vocals and colorful accompaniment. The album is a glimpse into Wheeler’s inner world, brought beautifully to life with the help of musicians Daniel Bulatkin (piano/keyboards), Max Makagonov (double bass), Petr Nohavica (drums) and guests David Dorůžka (guitar) and Luboš Soukup (soprano sax & clarinet). Currently, she is working on a second album with new instrumentation. 

Heather Keizur brings her warm, expressive voice to Christo’s for an intimate evening of timeless standards. Raised in Canada and now based in the Pacific Northwest, she sings in both French and English, blending her love of American jazz standards and authentic French chansons. Whether caressing a ballad or leaning into a playful swing tune, Heather is known for her passionate, deeply felt presentations that draw listeners in. In 2008, Heather returned to her love of jazz and entered the Portland music scene, performing with many of the Northwest’s premier musicians. She has led ensembles featuring Seattle guitarist Milo Petersen (formerly with Eartha Kitt) and Bay Area pianist David K. Mathews (Santana), and appeared in Seattle, New Orleans, Vancouver, BC, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. For 17 years, Heather has shared a close musical partnership with pianist Steve Christofferson — a collaboration rooted in deep listening, trust, and a shared devotion to European and American jazz traditions. Their work together is marked by intuitive interplay and elegantly crafted arrangements, allowing each song to unfold with natural phrasing and emotional clarity. Whether in a hushed ballad or an up-tempo swing, the duo creates performances that feel at once spontaneous and finely detailed, shaped by years of musical conversation on stages throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Their duo recording Moon River received praise from the Jazz Society of Oregon for its “great feeling and musicianship,” noting the pair’s rare sense of intimacy. DownBeat critic Scott Yanow highlighted Heather’s artistry, describing her as having “a great voice, filled with emotions, power, and wistfulness.” Michael Elliot, a Hollywood orchestrator, arranger, and composer writes, “Heather Keizur is a wonderfully talented jazz singer... mindful, or respectful of the lyrics, making them her own personal story.... dipped in a little French Au Jus sauce to add a hint of European style. It's kind of a dreamy feeling.” At Christo’s, Heather presents Favorites — songs from Henri Salvador, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Tony Bennett — an evening of timeless melodies, romance, and classic elegance. Joining Heather and Steve are Tim Gilson on bass and Todd Strait on drums. 

Dmitry Matheny and his all-star band join forces with Holly Pyle for another west coast tour! Celebrated for her “soulfully graceful, liquid-like voice” (Phoenix New Times), the classically trained Los Angeles vocalist Holly Pyle tours and performs with leading jazz and Americana groups, and appears regularly as a solo a-cappella act using electronic looping to build masterful sonic creations. Flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music). An honors graduate of Berklee College of Music, Dmitri Matheny vaulted onto the jazz scene in the 1990s as the protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, releasing eleven CDs and touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Matheny “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.” For a decade Dmitri and Holly have toured the western states, delighting audiences with their creative collaborations. Popular programs include The SnowCat, an original theatrical production for kids and families, Jazz From The Silver Screen, The Brazil Project: Bossa Nova & Beyond, and deep dives into the songbooks of Burt Bacharach, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder. According to All About Jazz, the Dmitri Matheny Group is “an all-star jazz band featuring some of the most accomplished musicians in the western United States.” Holly Pyle on vocals, Joe Bagg on keys, Eric Gruber on bass, Tyson Stubelek on drums, Dmitri Matheny on flugelhorn.