Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7:30 PM

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Jazz at the Lobero Ovation Series presents Charles Lloyd 85th Birthday Celebration on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7:30 PM. This show is part of the Lobero's Ovation Celebration, created to commemorate the theater's momentous sesquicentennial, with some shows that mark poignant milestones for a number of the artists as well. Initially founded in 1873, the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara is the oldest continuously operating theater in California and the fourth oldest performing arts theater in the country.

Charles Lloyd is an NEA Jazz Master, Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the prestigious French honor, l'Ordre Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. At 84, he remains a vital and creative force in the world of music and arts. The critical consensus is that Lloyd has never sounded better. The artist felt that the world needed more tenderness and invited pianist Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Brian Blade to join him in making an offering to humanity. This super group of musical genius will have its World Premiere at the Lobero during the celebration of its 150th Anniversary, which serendipitously coincides with Charles' 85th birthday.

"Charles Lloyd is an international treasure." – Carlos Santana

"He's expansive in his musical discourse yet without a wasted note." – Wall Street Journal

"Follow the career of Charles Lloyd, and you see a map of great jazz across half a century. His shows, full of momentum and intuition, perfectly represent the idea that the best jazz needs to be experienced live." – The New York Times

The iconic jazz legend remains one of America's most influential, experimental, and spiritual musicians. The depth of his expression reflects a lifetime of experience. Lloyd has a renowned history in the music world, and could certainly be in a position to slow down and rest on his laurels. But looking back has never been of great interest to this tender warrior; "Go forward" is his motto, as he keeps shifting to a higher, well calibrated gear. His concerts and recordings are events of pristine beauty and elegance, full of intensely felt emotion and passion that touches deep inside the heart. This is not entertainment, but the powerful uncorrupted expression of beauty through music. When music vibrates, the soul vibrates and touches the spirit within.

Lloyd maintains an active performance and recording schedule with the New Quartet, Sangam, Maria Farantouri, The Marvels, and special projects around the world. In celebration of his 80th birthday in 2018, Blue Note Records released a limited-edition box set, 8: Kindred Spirits (Live from the Lobero), which included a CD, LP, and DVD of the concert, along with a 96-page book of photos commemorating Lloyd's life and legacy. Lloyd and Jason Moran were commissioned by Alonzo King's Lines Ballet to compose the score for a new ballet, Azoth, which had its world premiere in 2019. Lloyd's sixth recording for Blue Note Records was Tone Poem (2021), and once again, featured the Marvels. His latest masterwork, Trio of Trios (2022), is an expansive project that encompasses three albums, each a deft change of musical context that presents him in a different trio setting.

Jason Moran is one of the most influential and innovative pianists in jazz history. His activity stretches beyond the many recordings and performances with masters of the form – including Charles Lloyd, Bill Frisell, and the late Sam Rivers – and the artist's work with his trio, The Bandwagon, has resulted in a profound discography for Blue Note Records. Over the years, Moran and his group have challenged the status quo in every category that matters, earning the reputation as "the future of jazz." The scope of his partnerships and music-making with venerated and iconic visual artists is extensive. The pianist, composer, and performance artist has collaborated with such major figures as Adrian Piper, Joan Jonas, Glenn Ligon, Stan Douglas, and more. Moran was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2010 and is the Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center.

As one of the most admired, accomplished bassists working in jazz today, Larry Grenadier has been praised as "a deeply intuitive" musician by The New York Times and as an instrumentalist with a "fluid sense of melody" by Bass Player Magazine. The artist has created an expansive body of work in collaboration with many of the genre's most influential musicians. His trademark upright bass work has been a longstanding fixture in the bands of pianist Brad Mehldau and guitarist Pat Metheny, and has graced albums by a broad array of prestigious artists, including Paul Motian, Charles Lloyd, Enrico Rava, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter, and more. Grenadier has toured extensively and performed with Charles around the world.

Accomplished drummer, composer, and bandleader Brian Blade makes music that exists beyond borders. The Louisiana-born artist was nurtured under the watchful eyes of Ellis Marsalis and New Orleans Dixie-drum masters Johnny Vidacovich and Herlin Riley. Adept at diverse jazz contexts as well as cross-genre exploration – from albums and tours with Joshua Redman and Kenny Garrett, to recordings with Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, and hero Joni Mitchell – Brian has shown deep musical instincts and a phenomenal gift for playing music texturally, both thick and thin, on the drums. Along with his own work, Blade has earned GRAMMY® Awards for his playing with Wayne Shorter and as a member of the Chick Corea Trio on Trilogy. The line-up of Brian's band, Fellowship, is as potent as its leader's musical skills.

Tickets for Charles Lloyd 85th Birthday Celebration are on sale now at Lobero.org and at the Lobero Box Office 805.963.0761. $126 - VIP (includes premier seating and a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d'oeuvres, 1 hour prior to curtain), $69 Section A, $56 Section B. (Ticket prices include a per ticket Lobero Facility Fee; other fees may also apply.)

ABOUT THE LOBERO THEATRE

Renowned for high-quality programs presented in a welcoming intimate atmosphere, the Lobero has been the heart and rhythm of Santa Barbara for 150 years. Originally founded as José Lobero's Opera House in 1873, it is the oldest continuously operating theater in California, and the fourth oldest performing arts theater in the country. The opera house was rebuilt in 1924 in a Spanish Colonial Revival style designed by architects George Washington Smith and Lutah Maria Riggs. Registered as a state and city historical landmark, the Lobero is recognized as one of Santa Barbara's architectural jewels. Today, the theater is managed by the Lobero Theatre Foundation, who works to maintain, improve, and operate this notable treasure as a performing arts theater and cultural asset to the community. The Lobero is Santa Barbara County's first certified Green Theater and the first historic building to earn this designation. http://www.lobero.org

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