The Granada’s All-Star Centennial Celebration

Back in 1924, when Edward A. Johnson celebrated the opening of his spectacular Granada Theatre, he arranged for a program that highlighted the flexibility of the new venue. In addition to one of the first-ever 3-D movies, cartoons, a ballet performance, and the world premiere of Mae Murray’s Mademoiselle Midnight, he hired Antonio P. Sarli to organize the Granada Grand Orchestra. Sarli, the former director of the Greater Los Angeles Municipal Band, became “The Great Sarli” in Santa Barbara.

Though he presented a mixed program of classical, popular, and syncopated (jazz) music for the opening, Sarli didn’t stay long. Local conductor Raymond Eldred took over the leadership of the orchestra which was made up of local talent. Eldred was well-known for his insistence that local musicians be hired for Santa Barbara and had protested vehemently when Max Fleischman hired an out-of-town-band to serve as Santa Barbara’s municipal band. 

By the mid 1930s, however, the then-named Greater Granada Orchestra, like so many other cultural riches at that time, had disappeared. It is fitting, therefore, that 100 years later, the newly formed Granada All-Star House Band, under the direction of master guitarist and Granada board member Tariqh Akoni, took to the stage on Saturday, October 5, to present a program of mixed musical genre using local vocalists and musicians. 

And what a program it was! (Simon Cowell, eat your heart out because Santa Barbara’s got talent!) From the opening set by versatile singer/songwriter Miriam Dance – whose rocking rhythm and blues inspired the audience to take to the dance floor – to the finale led by premier rocker Tina Schlieske (who got a little help from her friends), the high energy show proved once again that Santa Barbara is blessed with exceptionally talented musical performers.

In between, trumpeter Jim Mooy blew our socks off, singer/guitarist Jackson Gillies’s screaming guitar blew the roof off, and Lois Mahalia’s beautiful, sustained opening note before a high-energy performance blew our minds. (It was lucky the 100-year old building was still standing afterwards!) Others who contributed to an amazing evening were singer/songwriter Hunter Hawkins and jazzman Morganfield Burnett with his bluesy harmonica. Backup singers Leigh Vance and Angela Michael, bassist Randy Tico (co-organizer with Akoni), David Delhomme, Tom Buckner, George Friedenthal, Herman Matthews, and Miguelito Leon completed the remarkable band.

The evening was made possible because Santa Barbara is also blessed with an incredible theater organization and philanthropic supporters who have made this rich and inventive centennial year both possible and accessible. Jill Seltzer, Vice President of Advancement for The Granada Theatre, said that the centennial year has focused on celebrating Santa Barbara talent and programs that surprise Santa Barbara audiences. One surprise was that tickets for the October 5^th concert cost $20 and came with a free drink ticket. Unheard of! Let’s hope that the newly formed Granada All-Star House Band will continue on to celebrate the 101^st year of the Granada. The centennial year is not over, however, and more surprises await Santa Barbara audiences.

On November 9, sponsored by The Whittier Trust, the Granada Theatre and Earl Minnis will present The Doublewide Kings in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Symphony as they “rag, roll, and ramble” through the sound catalog of The Band. This unusual and inventive blending of musical groups was a rousing success last season and promises to be the next performance “not to be missed” at the Granada. 

And don’t forget $5 Home Movie nights that feature films by artists and performers who call Santa Barbara home. There are still two more films to look forward to as part of this series: The Fugitive on November 23 and The Polar Express on December 3. For The Polar Express, kids of all ages are encouraged to arrive in their best PJ sets – bonus points if they are holiday-themed!  

Check out the full lineup of remaining Granada Centennial events at www.granadasb.org/centennial-celebration