Band: Theodore Arthur Jr.: My 63rd Year in Music Gala Affair
Date: Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
Venue: The Locale, 4128 Government Blvd., 251-583-2863
Tickets: $63, available at theodorearthurjr.ticketleap.com
“Mobile’s Own Mr. Saxophone” will be celebrating 63 years of making music with a gala affair at The Locale. In 1958, Theodore Arthur Jr. added his arrangement to the soundtrack of the Azalea City. Now, he will be taking the stage to showcase the various projects in which he has been involved over the decades. Mobile music legend Fred Wesley (James Brown Band) will lend some kind words before an evening filled to capacity with music begins. As far as why he decided to celebrate his 63rd year of making music, Arthur feels there is no better time than the present.
“Time waits on no one,” Arthur explained. “I’m 78 years old. If I don’t do it now, then I won’t ever do it.”
Arthur has curated a great lineup for this celebration. Arthur will take the stage with his daughter Karen as the Theodore Arthur Duo. He will also be bringing the Excelsior Band to take the party into Mardi Gras mode. The Real Deal Band will add its blues and R&B to the mix. Finally, the Gulf Coast Jazz & Blues Orchestra will complete this impressive lineup of local artists. Arthur’s main goal for the evening is one he has maintained since he started his musical journey.
“I’m mainly interested in entertaining my audience,” Arthur said. “Quite a few of my people are still looking for live entertainment. Live music makes a live city. I’m all about preserving that entity. So, that’s why I’m doing it.”
Over his six decades of performing, Arthur noticed the local music scene changed greatly. He blames the advent of the DJ movement with its computerized form of music for putting a “damper” on live bands. But he believes the public still craves live performances of jazz and blues. He said this hunger for live music still creates opportunities for him that have satisfied his artistic drive to move forward.
“The love of music on my end keeps me in it,” Arthur said. “I love teaching it, playing it, listening to it and talking about it. Anything that contains music interests me.”
Arthur has no intentions of ending his musical legacy. But he has been surprised by the buzz his gala affair has generated thus far. Taking this into consideration, Arthur is planning to create more “show packages” in the future.
However, he is not limiting these future projects to Mobile. Arthur has visions of putting together shows along the Gulf Coast. His celebration at The Locale will be a good chance to catch one of Arthur’s curated lineups before he takes them into new territories.
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