The prodigious pianist and composer will kick off A&L’s jazz series with an ebullient, gospel-influenced trio performance
SUMMARY
- UCSB Arts & Lectures presents pianist and composer Matthew Whitaker
- Santa Barbara Debut
- Whitaker, now 21, is a prodigy who opened for Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame at age 10, and became the youngest Yamaha Artist – a stellar group of jazz pianists – at age 15
- Presented in association with UCSB Global Engagement as part of International Education Week
- Thursday, November 17 | 8:00 p.m.| Campbell Hall
- $30-$45 General Public / $15 UCSB Students (Current student ID required)
- Tickets & Info: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu, (805) 893-3535
“What this prodigy can do better than anything else, and arguably anyone else, is play piano, organ and keyboards.” – DownBeat
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents pianist and composer Matthew Whitaker, Thursday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall. At 10, Matthew Whitaker opened for Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame. At 15, he became a Yamaha Artist, the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists. Now, the 21-year-old composer and pianist – one of the hottest new names in jazz – makes his Santa Barbara debut following two acclaimed albums and a feature on CBS’ 60 Minutes. “I am a musician, who happens to be blind,” says Whitaker. “I have been blessed with a God-given gift and my prayer is that I can continue to be a blessing and inspiration to others.”
Watch the EPK for Matthew Whitaker’s latest album, Connections, featuring Jon Batiste and Regina Carter
ABOUT MATTHEW WHITAKER
Born in 2001 in Hackensack, NJ, Matthew Whitaker grew up surrounded by music. His love for playing music first began at the young age of 3 after his grandfather gave him a small Yamaha keyboard.
?At 9, Matthew began teaching himself how to play the Hammond B3 organ. Four years later, he became the youngest artist to be endorsed by Hammond in its 80+ year history. He was also named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists.
Matthew has toured both here in the US and abroad, performing on world-renowned stages, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC; SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz Festival and at international venues in France, Italy, Germany, Indonesia, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan, Spain, Morocco, and South Korea.?
?In 2010, Matthew was a winning participant in the “Child Stars of Tomorrow” competition, as part of Amateur Night at the Apollo. A year later, at just 10 years old, he was invited to perform at Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater’s Hall of Fame. He returned to the Apollo for FOX TV’s revival of Showtime at the Apollo in 2016, where he won the audience over with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s classic “I Wish.” Matthew has been on national and international radio and television, which includes the Today Show documentary series “Boys Changing the World,” the Harry Connick Jr. Show, an appearance on the syndicated TV talk show Ellen and a segment on the most-watched news magazine on television, 60 Minutes
In ?2019 and 2020, Whitaker was a Winner of the ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award for his original compositions “Emotions” and “Underground!”
About UCSB Arts & Lectures
Founded in 1959, UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) is the largest and most influential arts and lectures organization between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A&L annually presents more than a hundred public events, from critically acclaimed concerts and dance performances by world-renowned artists to talks by groundbreaking authors and film series at UCSB and Santa Barbara-area venues. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” A&L also oversees an outreach program that brings visiting artists and speakers into local classrooms and other venues for master classes, open rehearsals, discussions and more, serving K-12 students, college students and the general public.
Matthew Whitaker is presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures in association with UCSB Global Engagement as part of International Education Week. Tickets are $30-$45 General Public / $15 UCSB Students (Current student ID required)
For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.
Jazz Series lead sponsor: Manitou Fund
Special thanks to Santa Barbara Independent, KCRW and MichaelKate.
UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges our Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli for their generous support of the 2022-2023 season.