Artist's BIO By Andrea Canter

Vocalist Christine Rosholt likes to celebrate. She’s celebrated the songs of Harold Arlen, Blossom Dearie, Johnny Mercer and “Girl Singers of the Hit Parade.” She’s celebrated the release two (so far!) acclaimed recordings. But mostly, Christine celebrates life and music every time she takes the stage or grabs a microphone.

What makes Christine stand out in a deep pool of contemporary jazz vocalists in a region brimming with talent (the Twin Cities) is what renowned jazz critic Scott Yanow describes as "a subtle but powerful voice, one that sneaks up on the listener and makes a surprisingly strong impression." That impression is enhanced by a background in theater that is reflected in Christine’s ability to take the listener by the ear and pull him or her onto the stage to become part of the music, part of the story. A graduate of the Minneapolis Children's Theater Company & School, Christine went on to earn a BFA in performance art and photography from the Art Institute of Chicago, and worked for many years as a fine art photographer. Her vocal education has included the prestigious Yale Cabaret Conference, Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp and studies with local diva Lucia Newell.

Focusing on jazz singing for the past eight years, Christine has performed at many local venues, festivals, fund raisers and corporate events. She had regular gigs at Café Havana in Minneapolis and at The Norton's Restaurant in Red Wing; has been the featured vocalist with Beasley's Big Band; has regularly performed for swing dancers at the Wabasha Street Caves for the past five years; and has been heard frequently at the famed Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, Club Saratoga in Duluth, and at many other clubs and night spots. Her resume also includes the Minnesota Orchestra Symphony Ball with Tony Bennett and Macy's Day of Music on the Orchestra Hall main stage; "Girl Singers of the Hit Parade--A Salute to the Great Female Vocalists of the 50s" at Old Log Theater, Lyric Arts Main Street Stage and the Mable Tainter Theater (Menomonie, WI); "My Shining Hour: A Tribute to the Music of Harold Arlen" at the Bloomington Art Center, part of the Twin Cities Jazz Society's "Jazz From J to Z" concert series; "Jazzed Fridays" at the Ordway; "MinnRoast" (for three years) at the Pantages Theater; and a concert putting the words of Shakespeare to the music of Ellington, Strayhorn and more at Macalester College's Janet Wallace Concert Hall. She is also included in Scott Yanow's compendium of the nation's top jazz vocalists, The Jazz Singers. Currently Christine is a featured statewide performer for Minnesota's Greatest Generation, a partnership between the Minnesota Regional Public Library System (MRPLS) and the Minnesota Historical Society.

Christine sites diverse influences ranging from Anita O'Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Blossom Dearie, and Frank Sinatra to Connie Evingson, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, John Pizzarelli , Joni Mitchell, Tierney Sutton and Karrin Allyson. A longtime fan of standards from the 1930s and 40s, tunes of that era adorned her debut recording, Detour Ahead. This first effort earned a nomination from the Minnesota Music Awards as Jazz Recording of the Year (2005). She followed with a live recording session at the Dakota Jazz Club, releasing Lipstick to wide acclaim in 2008, filling the tracks with favorite songs, both standards and less familiar tunes, mixing high energy swing with sweet ballads. And recording live seemed perfectly natural for the former theater student. "My mother said that I came out talking," says Christine. "I really love connecting with all of the people that come to my gigs. It is a huge part of why I like to perform."

Most recently, Christine has been working in far less familiar territory, the songs of British pianist/songwriter Kevin Hall. Crossing jazz and pop boundaries, Christine dubs this music "pazz." In addition to their collaboration in the studio, where they have now finished recording to be released in late 2010, Christine has performed Kevin's songs on Twin Cities Public Television ("Minnesota Originals") and on Baby Blue Arts, and has teamed with Hall on live performances during the pianist's Twin Cities visits.

One of the busiest musicians in the Twin Cities today, Christine Rosholt’s audience is growing as fast as her press clippings:

"Her phrasing has a dewy freshness that helps define classic tunes from the likes of Jobim, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, and Fats Waller with sparkling clarity." --Rick Mason, City Pages

"An unstoppable force on the club scene..." --Tom Surowicz, Star Tribune

Christine enjoys playing at weddings, private parties and special events. She also has played at many restaurants and clubs in the Twin Cities and beyond. Here is a comprehensive list:

• 50th & France Business Association 
• AAUW-American Association of University Women
• A Taste of Downtown Minneapolis 2004-Benefit for Habitat for Humanity
• American Cancer Society Ball
• American Heart Association Benefit-Millennium Hotel
• American Swedish Institute
• Applewood Rustic Grill
• Art-A-Whirl-the largest open studio & gallery tour in Minnesota (spring)
• Art Attack- the largest open studio & gallery tour in Minnesota (fall)
• Babalu Restaurant
• Baby Blue Arts
• Bar Lurcat
• Barnes and Noble-Jazz Appreciation Club-Burnsville store
• Barnes and Noble-grand opening celebration-Minnetonka store
• Barnes and Noble-grand opening celebration-Maplewood store
• Beasley's Big Band-Featured Vocalist-Band Member
• Batcher Block Opera House-Staples, MN
• Bayfield Pavilion - Bayfield, WI
• Black Dog Cafe
• Blaisdell Manor
• Bloomington Jazz Festival 2009 @ the Normandale Lake Bandshell
• Boston Health Care Systems Inc
• Boston Scientific
• The ButterBall-Second Harvest Heartland-food bank charity event
• Cabaret Participant – 7th Annual International Cabaret Conference @ Yale University, New Haven, CT
• Café Havana
• Camden Music School - Scholarship Fundraiser
• Carmichael Lynch
• Center Field
• Champps Americana
• Children's Cancer Research Fund - Benefit
• Church of St. Albert the Great
• Cinema Ballroom
• City of Richfield Concerts in the Park
• Club Saratoga - Duluth, Minnesota
• Commons on Marice
• Como Pavilion
• Conga Latin Bistro
• Dakota Jazz Club
• Dakota County Music Cafe
• Discover Service-Salem Lutheran Church
• DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)
• DIVA Fashion Preview 2004-Le Meridian Hotel
• Donaldson Company
• Downtowner Woodfire Grill
• Duluth - Superior Pride - Fundraiser
• Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop
• Eagles Club - TC Swing: Third Saturday Swing Dance
• Ecolab
• Edinborough Park
• Emergency Foodshelf Network
• Enjoy!
• Fireside Pizza
• Fireside Pizza
• First Thursday Happy Hour
• Fitzgerald Theater
• Four Points by Sheraton Minneapolis
• French Press Jazz Cafe
• Friendship Village
• Fringe Festival 2007
• Gale Mansion
• The Gallery @ Fox Tax -- Gallery Grooves, a collaboration between KBEM/Jazz 88, Applause Movies and Music & The Rake Magazine
• General Mills
• Gesthemame Church
• Great Hall - Carleton College, Northfield, MN
• Golden Valley Country Club
• Graves 601 Hotel
• Greysolon Plaza Ballroom - Duluth, MN
• MN Fringe Festival-Fringeville performance
• Hat Trick Lounge
• History Theatre
• Honey
• The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer
• Hosmer City - Senior Citizens Home - Hosmer, SD
• Hot Summer Jazz Festival 2004, 2005 & 2006
• Hudson Golf Club - Hudson, WI
• Hyatt Whitney Hotel
• Ingredients Cafe
• International Market Square
• "Jazzed Up Fridays" St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN
• Jazzmines
• Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Macalester College-Concert
• Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp
• Jax Cafe
• Jensen's Supper Club
• Jon Oulman - Second Sundays with Jon Oulman
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
• KBEM Jazz 88 guest host with Michele McKenzie  during pledge drive 2007
• KFAI Radio - Guest on Dee Henry William's show
• KMOX The Voice of St. Louis  radio interview with Dick Wolff (KMOX broadcasts in 44 States plus Mexico and Canada)
• KQQL/KJZI Smooth Jazz Radio & Surdyks Liquor Fall Wine Party
• KQQL/KJZI Smooth Jazz Radio & Surdyks Liquor Holiday Wine Party
• Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan Law Firm
• Kitty Cat Klub
• LaClair Insurance
• Lake Harriet Bandshell
• La Bodega
• The Lexington
• Listening House Silent Auction (University of St.Thomas)
• The Lodge On Lake Detroit, Detroit Lakes, MN
• Loring Pasta Bar
• Luther Memorial Lutheran Church
• Lyric Arts Main Street Stage
• Mable Tainter Theater,  Menomonie, WI 
• Mackenzie & Hallberg Law Firm
• Majestic Oaks Golf Club
• Make A Wish - Benefit
• Maplewood Community Center Wine & Jazz Festival
• Matty B's Supper Club
• Mayo Clinic-Rochester Minnesota
• Marquette Hotel
• McNamara Alumni Center - U of M Campus
• Mental Health Association of Minnesota - 70th Birthday Celebration
• Mental Health Association of Minnesota-Benefit
• Minikahda Vista Neighborhood Association - National Night Out 2007 & 2008
• The Minneapolis Club
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts-multiple member events
• Minneapolis Golf Club
• Minneapolis Hilton Hotel
• Minnesota Historical Society
• Minnesota AIDS Walk-Headliner/Opening Ceremonies 2003, 2004 & 2005
• The Minnesota Opera Opening Night Gala
• Minnesota Orchestra - Day of Music 2007
• Minnesota Public Radio Holiday Show-broadcast Christimas Day 2005 7-9 pm
• Minnesota Museum of American Art/exhibition closing party
• Minnesota Music Cafe - Chick Singer Night
• Minnesota Original - A Twin Cities Public Television Production
• Minnesota State Fair
• Minnesota’s Greatest Generation (featured state wide performer) A new partnership between the Minnesota Regional Public Library System (MRPLS) and the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) made possible by MRPLS’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Funds
• MinnPost.com First Annual Fundraiser - Graves 601 Hotel
• Mixed Blood Theater
• Natural Resource Group
• Nautilus Music Theater-Rough Cuts
• Neiman Marcus - Holiday Party
• Nesbitt's Nursery & Orchard
• NCS Pearson, Inc.
• Neiman Marcus-Bobbles & Bubbly-Ordway Circle of Stars Charity event
• New Richmond, WI downtown revitalization program fundraiser
• Nick and Tony's Tavern and Grill
• Nicollet Island Inn
• Nicollet Island Pavillion
• Nochee Restaurant and Bar
• Nordstom Department Store
• North Coast: An American Restaurant & Bar
• North Oaks Golf Club-many member events
• Northfield Historical Society Ball, Northfield, MN
• Northrop Auditorium Summer Concert Series 2006 & 2008
• Northwest Community Television - NWCT
• No Name Jazz at the VA
• Oeuvre Magazine Launch Party - Duluth, MN
• Old Gem Theater-New Richmond Wisconsin
• Old Log Theater
• O'Gara's Bar and Grill
• O'Neill's Pizza Pub in Rochester Minnesota
• Open Book-Minnesota's center for reading,writing, and book arts (& concerts)
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute-Vocal Jazz presentation
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - Tribute concert to Anita O'Day & Blossom Dearie
• Pantages Theatre
• Phillips Eye Institute Benefit
• Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
• Piper Jaffray - Holiday Party
• Radisson Hotel
• Ramada Plaza Hotel
• Redstone American Grill
• Red Ginger Asian Bistro
• Regions Hospital
• Re/Max Results Holiday Party
• River Ridge Arts
• Rossi's Blue Star Room
• S-Vincent Jewelry Design Studio - multiple in studio performances
• Sage Wine Bar, Mendota Heights, MN
• Saint Paul Saints Baseball/Pre-Game Ceremonies & National Anthem
• Sample Night Live
• Schmitt Music - Concert Series
• Shack Smokehouse & Grille - Superior, WI
• Sixth Avenue Wine & Ale - Alexandria, MN
• Smile Network International - Benefit
• Sophia
• Solera
• Southern Theater
• Sommerfest - Peavey Plaza - Orchestra Hall
• St. Anthony Main Event Center
• St. Anthony Main Free Outdoor Concerts
• Stone's Restaurant & Lounge, Stillwater, MN
• Suburban World Theater
• Sugar Room-Mankato Minnesota
• Summit Manor Reception House
• Surdyk's Liquor Store-Private Party for Jim Surdyk
• Surdyk's Liquor Store-several in store events
• Tapestry Folk Dance Center-Benefit for Tapestry Folk Dance Center
• Terlizzo's
• Textile Center - A National Center for Fiber Art - Benefit
• TC Swing-numerous dances at Heart Alive and Tapestry Folk Dance Center
• The American Swedish Institute
• The Basilica of Saint Mary
• The Bloomington Cable Channel 14
• The Craftsman Restaurant & Bar
• The Norton's Restaurant-Bay City, WI
• The St. Paul Town and Country Club
• The Times Bar & Cafe
• The Twisted Grille-Hudson, WI
• The Varsity Theater
• The Vintage Restaurant and Wine Bar
• Theatre de la Jeune Lune annual fundraiser 2007 & 2008
• Thistles
• Tryg's
• Twin Cities Jazz Society's JAZZ from J to Z Concert Series for 2006-07
• Twin City Jazz Society - 30th Anniversary Party @ the Dakota Jazz Club, guest appearance
• Twin Cites Public Television - "Minnesota Original" segment
• Twin Cities Rise
• University Club of St. Paul
• Venus Lounge-Mankato Minnesota
• Vic's - On the Mississippi Riverfront
• Vincent - A Restaurant
• W Minneapolis - The Foshay
• Wabasha Street Caves
• Walker Art Center
• Walker Elder Suites
• WCCO TV Take It Out Side Series
• Wentz Concert Hall - Naperville, Illinois
• Windows on Minnesota
• Woman's Club of Minneapolis - Cocktails and a Concert Series
• Woman's Club of Minneapolis - VIP (Vision Loss Resources luncheon)
• Zander Café
• ...and others

  To book Christine and her band, click here.