Josef Woodard

1 week ago | independent.com | Josef Woodard

By a comforting routine of calendar clockwork, the tail end of the Westmont College’s academic year brings with it various traditions, including a group show at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. It is the chance for senior art department students to publicly show their work in this respectable museum space, and generally, the exhibitions celebrate the vive la différence factor of each artist tending their own creative fires, unbound by common themes or materials.

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Josef Woodard

Classical music die-hards who prefer the standard concert protocol of music without stage talk had to suspend their bias in order to take in what legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma had to offer in his latest visit to town, at the Arlington on Saturday, April 5. And the suspension was for a noble and fascinating cause — a journey into this expansive thinking musician’s mind and heart. He uses both in ways that resemble his instrumental virtuosity.

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Josef Woodard

Inarguably, one of the contemporary highlights of the current classical season lands at Hahn Hall on Friday, April 11, with the sighting/sounding of Owls. Hosted by UCSB Arts & Lectures, this venturesome self-described “inverted” quartet outta Brooklyn will be making its local debut, also its West Coast debut. Adding to the “newness” factor, the group — with violin, viola and two (count ’em) cellos — released its debut album, Rare Birds, just last month.

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Josef Woodard

Father of the Latin Groove Pete Escovedo, Legendary Bay Area Percussionist/Bandleader, Brings His Orchestra to Santa Barbara’s SOhO By Josef Woodard Fri Apr 04, 2025 | 12:15pm Add to Favorites Pete Escovedo brings his orchestra to SOhO on April 12. | Photo: Courtesy Depending on what circles a music fan travels in, the Bay Area–based Pete Escovedo may be best known as the father of famed, Prince-propelled Latin-pop star Sheila E. The energized and multi-talented Sheila’s rise to fame helped...

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Josef Woodard

In a Mystical, Musical Japanese Garden Lotusland, Montecito’s Horticultural Landmark, Hosts a Special Japanese Garden Concert By Josef Woodard Fri Apr 04, 2025 | 11:49am Add to Favorites Lotusland Japanese Garden Pavilion | Photo: Courtesy Think of Lotusland, and we conjure up inviting visions of the uniquely fascinating, expansive Montecito estate turned into a world-renowned horticultural wonderland by the late Madame Ganna Walska beginning in the 1940s and open for public tours since 1993....