Christo's Novelty Combo Demos
Christo's Novelty Combo
Check out some "Hot Hawaiian guitar and Jazz à la Django" by Christo's Novelty Combo!
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0:00/3:07
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Hot String Swing 3:330:00/3:33
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Kilika's Mele 4:230:00/4:23
Christo's Novelty Combo
"Hot Hawaiian lap steel guitar and Jazz à la Django!"
Christopher "Christo" Ruppenthal is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist whose professional music career started in 2003. His Novelty Combo presents a unique mixture of Jazz/Vaudeville era novelty infused hot Hawaiian steel guitar and ukulele playing from the 1910s-30s as well as the swinging sounds of Django Reinhardt’s 1930s and 40s guitar-driven Hot Club jazz. Christo is an avid recording artist and performer with thousands of gigs, both across the U.S. and internationally, to his credit.
Much of his Novelty Combo's repertoire comes from Christo's “Antique Aloha” series of solo recordings and his all original "Café Allongé" release. They also showcase a wide variety of steel guitar, ukulele, and guitar centered jazz standards and global music presented in a high-energy way. During concert performances Christo peppers in historical information about the vintage music presented and its huge impact on American and European popular music at the time to give it context.
Christo's groups have had extensive performance experience in many settings. These include large music festivals, outdoor concert series, nightclub gigs, and various private events. His Novelty Combo is equally as comfortable on the main stage as it is in an intimate living room house concert. Their unique and energetic sound is always met with rave reviews!
Christo's Novelty Combo can offer a concert of exciting highly varied early string music, a showcase of classic Hawaiian repertoire perfect for your next backyard luau, or sets of high class jazz that's perfect for parties and events!
During Novelty Combo appearances, Christo is typically accompanied by Gian Compuesto on rhythm guitar and Forrest Evans on upright bass.
Select Featured Past Performance Highlights
Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week and Festival - Waikīkī, HI
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association Festival - Waikīkī, HI
The Ark (Ann Arbor Django Fest) - Ann Arbor, MI
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assoc. Festival - San Francisco, CA
Portage Center for the Arts - Portage, WI
Concerts On The Creek - Rockford, IL
Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest - Fitchburg, WI
Aloha International Steel Guitar Festival - Winchester, ID
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association Festival - San Jose, CA
Baraboo Concerts on the Square - Baraboo, WI
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association Fest - Fort Collins, CO
Monroe Arts Center Concert Series - Monroe, WI
Strollin' Middleton Jazz Fest - Middleton, WI
Neenah Public Library Concert Series - Neenah, WI
Midwest Fire Festival - Cambridge, WI
Check Christo's Performance Calendar for Novelty Combo gig dates!
Django Reinhardt's Nuages on National Steel Guitar!
Django Reinhardt's "Nuages" on steel guitar from our gig at "Concerts On The Creek" (Rockford, IL)
Christo's Novelty Combo was invited to perform as a part of the 2022 "Concerts On The Creek" concert series in Rockford, Illinois. We're offering a recording of the performance, and you can pay what you want for the music. Any level of support is most appreciated!
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Hilo March 2:550:00/2:55
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Kilika's Mele 4:190:00/4:19
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Nuages 5:200:00/5:20
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Caprihina 3:450:00/3:45
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Água quente 4:100:00/4:10
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0:00/6:13
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Out Of Nowhere 6:270:00/6:27
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Café Allongé 8:080:00/8:08
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0:00/3:42
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Maui Nō Ka 'Oi 3:120:00/3:12
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Tango Innominado 5:070:00/5:07