PERFORMANCES FOR SENIORS
“Thanks for lighting up our residents’ day yesterday! They LOVED you guys! We look forward to having you back in July!” —Laura McCormack, Life Enrichment Director, Cogir at The Quarry
“We have had King Louie here to play music for our senior community several times. As an activity director, I feel I am exposing our seniors to really hip and cool music when King Louie is here. I suspect very few of them ever listened to live jazz music before. It makes me happy that they ask me to book King Louie again and again. Our residents really look forward to his concerts here because the music makes them feel they've been transported to a swanky jazz nightclub. I strongly recommend Louie to anyone who appreciates jazz music and wants a spectacular event.” —Marti Earhart, Director of Resident Programs, Vancouver Pointe
“So glad you and Renato enjoyed playing for us! Our residents have been emphatically asking for your return. They said it was truly incredible.” —Joshua W. Warren, Live Enrichment Coordinator, Touchmark at Fairway Village.
“Thank you so much Louis and Renato for coming to play for us and for being so wonderful with the residents! They really love being able to ask questions of our guests and you both were so open to letting them talk with you throughout the performance. It was a great event and I am excited that you will be coming back !!!” —Christine Burroughs, Live Enrichment Manager, Willamette View
“King Louie & Renato Caranto”
Louis greatly enjoys playing music for seniors and has been doing so for a long time. But it only became a regular thing in early 2022 when Louis began putting the word out that he was interested in bringing his entertaining, high quality professional music to Portland-area retirement communities.
Since that time, Louis has performed at numerous local communities as a duo with his fellow Oregon Music Hall Of Fame inductee--saxophonist Renato Caranto (Esperanza Spalding, Merle Haggard)--or with the wonderful vocalist Sean Holmes. Both Renato and Sean have a wonderful knack for connecting with senior audiences, and the response from residents and staff alike has been overwhelmingly positive. As a result, the guys are already booked for return engagements at each of the eight communities they’ve performed at to date!
Rate for 1-hour performances:
- Introductory rate for initial appearance: $250
- Subsequent performances: $300
When King Louie & Renato Caranto or King Louie & Sean Holmes play for seniors, the music always starts low-key. But the performances often end up feeling more like nightclub gigs or even parties than senior concerts! This pair of videos taken by Louis' wife Tracy captures the fun:
At one 2022 retirement community performance, a straggler broke into song as Louis and Renato were packing up. That turned into a fun impromptu sax/vocal performance!
“King Louie & Sean Holmes”
Louis first started performing for seniors from 2011-14, when he worked with the late Jim Miller’s Golden Harvest Music. Miller made successful presentations to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and to Oregon Health Sciences University, scientifically demonstrating the restorative power of music with seniors. From Jim, Louis learned conversational tools and techniques to further enhance the cognitive benefits of performing nostalgic music for seniors.
Louis also performed for seniors with the late great vocalist “Sweet Baby” James Benton--a senior citizen himself--who was a strong believer in musical outreach to senior communities.
