Laying down good vibes one note at a time, Carlo Sto Domingo is a Toronto-based musician who’s basis as a bassist creates bases for other musicians to shine. Working through his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and performer, Carlo’s fascination in music began in his childhood, where he was raised amongst a musical family. Carlo learned how to play the ukulele from his father, who himself was also a multi-instrumentalist and singer. This interest expanded to other instruments, namely the guitar and the bass. Exposure to music from The Beatles, Stevie Wonder and D’Angelo and J Dilla fuelled his fascination in music. Carlo would seek to emulate the styles of these artists, and in high school he honed his skills playing in the school’s pop and concert band ensembles. Carlo worked with his friends to form bands that performed in school and around his locale of Scarborough, playing pop, rock and R&B. Within his high school’s music program, Carlo learned the basics of music production and recording, and has recorded productions since. Carlo distributes his work on Soundcloud under the moniker Curlow.
Carlo has gone on to study at York University, working towards completing his Bachelor of Music degree. He has focused his studies in the jazz stream, learning from notable professors such as Artie Roth, Sundar Viswanathan and Michael Cado. His proficiency as a musician has been honed playing in various ensembles in the program, including the York University Jazz Orchestra, The New Directions ensemble and the York University Gospel Ensemble. Most notably, he plays bass in the program’s esteemed Oscar Peterson Ensemble, performing at the York Alumni Awards in the pit band. Currently Carlo is the bassist for dedicated bands in the local Toronto scene, for an array of genres. Numerous jazz groups have enlisted him, such as Bureh BK and The Shop, The Tiago Cardoso Trio and The Mumbo Jumbo Quintet. Toronto dancer Rumi Jeraj has hired Carlo to accompany his free improvised music and dance acts. Carlo continues to play classic rock with The Salida Project, and has been conscripted to accompany esteemed vocalists Julia Fauvretto and Jenna Marie Pinard. He has performed for audiences for various venues, festivals and shows, namely The YorkU Alumni Awards Show, the Beaches Jazz Festival, YYZ Live at Pearson Airport and the Jazz Bistro. For a lot of his life, Carlo’s goal has been to hold the groove down, and he hopes his sounds can continue to make waves for years to come.