The Jazz at the Lobero series has become one of the most reliable registers of how developments in music can represent truly transcendent levels of achievement at the moment, and the 2011-2012 concert season is no exception. The series begins on Tuesday, October 11, with renowned vibraphonist Gary Burton and his New Quartet, which features guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez. Sanchez has the lightest, most refreshing touch of any drummer in jazz; Colley is a formidable composer, as well as a powerhouse bassist; and onetime child prodigy Lage, now 23, may wind up outshining them all.
Regina Carter, the violinist who will be performing on Friday, February 24, 2012, offers a striking example of a major artist who has accepted the challenge of not only playing but transforming the music of jazz through her work. After she was recognized by the MacArthur Foundation with one of its “genius” grants in 2006, Carter chose to use the opportunity to study African music and to produce a record and create a project—both titled Reverse Thread—comparable in ambition and achievement to Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project. Carter will be making a triumphant return to leading her traditional jazz quintet with this gig, but expect the unexpected, as her African experience was no doubt a transformative one.
Tierney Sutton has long been a favorite of Lobero audiences, and on Friday, March 23, she returns for a special, intimate trio concert featuring flutist Hubert Laws and guitarist Larry Koonse. Reports on this trio’s appearances thus far have been ecstatic, with Sutton pushing herself to new levels of spontaneity and receptivity.
Finally, on Wednesday, April 18, Montecito resident and jazz immortal Charles Lloyd will unveil his new project, which merges his acclaimed quartet with the work of Greek singer Maria Farantouri in something Lloyd calls “Amarando.” The group will be augmented by Sokratis Sinopolous on the Greek lyra, and the concert should be genuinely unforgettable.
Subscribers to the series get great seats, a 25-percent discount over the single-ticket price, invitations to other Lobero events, and much more. For tickets and information, call 963-0761 or visit lobero.com.