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The Christopher Brown Quartet
featuring local talent Minntah Haefker!
June 25, 2023 @ 5:00 pm
CHRISTOPHER BROWN
Born and raised in Portland, OR, Christopher’s life in music was cultivated at an early age between his father Mel Brown and the healthy culture of Jazz that surrounded him in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. And as such, he’d go on to garner numerous local, state, and national awards, one of which was having been a part of a trio that won the top high school small group award by Down Beat Magazine in 1995. And other memorable events included things such as sitting in with the Wynton Marsalis Quartet at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, as well as being cast as an extra in the 1993 movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” starring Richard Dreyfuss.
Christopher holds two degrees in Jazz studies from Rutgers University, followed by a four-year appointment as a professor of Jazz theory and history from his alma mater. He’s currently the Jazz drum instructor at Portland State University, and teaches a course entitled “Business Innovation Through Jazz Improvisation” within Portland State’s MBA program.
Christopher Brown is a drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator who seeks to be a voice within the advocacy of Jazz music and American culture. And through the expansive range of groups that he has assembled and/or performed with—which range from duos to Jazz big bands to military marching bands and orchestras—his musical and personal experiences have led him towards an interest in synthesizing the principles of Jazz with the day-to-day practicalities of life. Which as he likes to say, “we’re all in the same business…the people-trusting-people business. No people, no business.
PERFORMANCES
Over the course of Christopher’s career in music, he has had the pleasure of performing and or recording with many of the world’s top recording artists, such as Beyonce, Esperanza Spualding, Liv Warfield, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Ray Charles, Jimmy Heath, Ralph Bowen, Ralph Peterson Jr., Conrad Herwig, Steve Turre, Paquito D’Rivera, Claudio Roditi, Charles Fambrough, Benny Golson, Bobby Watson, Terry Gibbs, Buddy Defranco, Vincent Herring, Javon Jackson, Stanley Cowell, Antonio Hart, David Sanborn, Geoff Keezer, James Genus, Don Alias, Don Braden, Victor Goines, Anthony Wonsey, Delbert Felix, Vic Juris, Lonnie Plaxico, David Leibman, Sean Jones, Marquis Hill, Arturo O’Farrill, Randy Brecker, Chuck Israels, George Colligan, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, John Pattitucci, Kamasi Washington, Orrin Evans, Cyrus Chestnut, Mel Brown, and many more. Christopher has also been in front of the camera between commercials for Master Card and the History Channel, as well as Beyonce’s “Count Down” video, and the big budget film “American Gangster,” starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
MILITARY
Following high school, Christopher would enlist into the U.S. Marine Corps as a drummer for four years, followed by 16 in the Army National Guard as a principle saxophonist and drummer between two different units before his retirement in 2017.
EDUCATION
Christopher holds two degrees in Jazz studies from Rutgers University, followed by a four-year appointment as a professor of Jazz theory and history from his alma mater. He’s currently the Jazz drum instructor at Portland State University, and teaches a course entitled “Business Innovation Through Jazz Improvisation” within Portland State’s MBA program.
GREG GOEBEL
From straight ahead jazz, funk and pop, to the avant garde, Greg Goebel is considered one of the Northwest’s first call pianists.
Praised by critics for “manifesting his ideas with the immediacy and sureness of a master craftsman” (Jazz Times) and as “a force that is stretching known boundaries and moving the music into new territory” (Larry Koonse), pianist Greg Goebel shows himself as firmly rooted in tradition while simultaneously proving to be a unique voice among a new generation.
“Greg has personally done more to elevate the performance level of our students than any other person, graduate or undergraduate, who has attended the University of Oregon in at least the last fifteen years,” said the school upon his graduation.
In 2013, Greg’s first album as a leader, Rainy City, was released to critical acclaim.
“Goebel deserves all the praise hereabouts. He’s a burner!”
George Fendell/JSO
“Greg Goebel is one of about half a dozen pianists that are redefining the instrument, the literature and the useful purpose of the piano and doing it with the skills of a master. 5 Stars!”
Brent Black/@CriticalJazz
JOHN NASTOS
Multi-instrumentalist John Nastos was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he found his love of music while exploring the vibrant local music scene.
In 2004, Nastos graduated from high school and moved to New York City on a scholarship to study jazz at the acclaimed Manhattan School of Music. In 2007, John completed the four-year degree program in just three years.
Since returning to Portland, John has performed with the who’s who of the Portland scene, including the Mel Brown Septet, the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera, the Third Angle New Music Ensemble, 45th Parallel, Darrell Grant’s On the Territory, the Damian Erskine Project, and the Christopher Brown Quartet. He has recorded with the Chuck Israels Orchestra, Intervision, Drew Shoals, Obo Addy, Ezra Weiss, Damian Erskine, Chance Hayden, Ben Darwish’s Commotion, Tony Glausi, Jessie Marquez, and others.
He has toured extensively with Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Schuur, playing performances with her in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has also toured with the Grammy-winning artist Esperanza Spalding.
Nastos is currently on faculty at Portland State University and Mount Hood Community College, and maintains a busy performing, recording, and teaching schedule around the Portland area.
John Nastos performs on: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, soprano (Bb and A) clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo, and EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument).
GARRET BAXTER
Garrett Baxter is one of the many young and exciting musicians in Eugene’s jazz scene. Garrett earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies: Bass Performance in 2020. In June of 2020, he was chosen for the Outstanding Undergraduate Jazz Performer award. In addition to performing as a bandleader, he also had the opportunity of performing in the Javon Jackson Quartet at the Jazz Station. Through his time at the University of Oregon, Garrett has shared the stage and taken lessons with some of his musical inspirations, including Linda May Han Oh, Ben Wendel, Walter Smith III, Kendrick Scott, Terrell Stafford, Josh Nelson, Jay Thomas, and more. At UO, he was a member of the Oregon Jazz Ensemble, UO’s premier large jazz ensemble, as well the JazzArts Oregon Combo, UO’s top small ensemble. He was also a member of the UO Symphony Orchestra.
In 2017, Garrett began studying privately in Portland with Chuck Israels, great bassist best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1961 through 1966.
MINNTAH HAEFKER
Minntah is a talented vocalist that has grown up in both Portland and Astoria. She spent her early years primarily studying piano with Mike Van Liew and voice with Lisa Nelson at the Astoria Conservatory of Music. Minntah is now a junior at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon and is the OSAA state champion in the soprano category. She currently studies voice with mezzo-soprano Angela Niederloh and often performs as a guest artist with the award-winning band 3 Leg Torso. In March, Minntah opened a legislative session for the Oregon State Legislature with a Puccini aria followed by a delightful interview by Raúl Gomez on All Classical Radio in April. This summer Minntah plans on expanding her jazz, pop, and classical repertoire while sipping on some delicious bubble tea and playing in the sun.
REVIEWS
Christopher Brown is home now…like father, like son…making music to appeal to the next generation.
– Ken Boddie. Portland, OR. KOIN 6 News Anchor
Coast-hopping, Jazz-drumming, Chris Brown is back in town!
– portlandtribune.com
Brown has gained a stellar reputation as one of the bright new talents on the scene, working with a who’s who of Jazz artists.
– portlandobserver.com
This quartet is so amazing on so many different levels…go see ’em whilst they still exist in PDX. I really think this one could go a long a way in the Jazz world!
– Bob Stark, Producer/Sound Engineer
Kung Fu Bakery Studio, Portland, OR
He is a uniquely talented performer and educator, and a man in whom I trust and for whom I hold great admiration.
– Conrad Herwig, New York, NY. Director of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, NJ, and three-time Grammy-nominated artist.