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Submitted by The Washington Center for the Performing Arts

Friday, March 23, The Washington Center for The Performing Arts welcomes Climate Change to our Black Box Jazz Series. The band synthesizes the original music of four cutting edge musicians with diverse cultural and experiential influences creating evocative images while inspiring your feet to move. Climate Change features Steve Luceno, Tarik Bentlesani, and Michael Olson. Joining the band for this special evening will be award winning saxophonist Jim Pribbenow, aka King Greasy.

The Washington Center Jim Pribbenow
See Jim Pribbenow live March 23 with Climate Change. Photo courtesy: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts

Steve Luceno is a highly talented multi-instrumentalist whose skills on bass and guitar show the blending of New York bebop, Cuban son traditions and contemporary popular music. His numerous CDs of original music, attest to those cultural influences. Steve is a veteran of the legendary Obrador band, Ocho Pies and he performs with many of the northwest’s finest Jazz and Blues artists.

Tarik Bentlemsani is an award winning guitar wizard whose talents are in constant demand by others in the music community. Besides Climate Change, Tarik performs with The Brown Edition, Hot Cabi, Podunk Funk and vocalist Lizzy Boyer. Tarik’s original compositions set a high bar for musical integrity.

Michael Olson is a master percussionist from the legendary Obrador band, Ocho Pies and numerous Jazz and folkloric ensembles. For decades he has studied in and performed the music of Cuba, Haiti and Puerto Rico in both concert and dance settings. Michael has shared the stage with Slim Gaillord, Charles Mingus, Don Cherry, Poncho Sanchez, Toney Lujan, Changuito and many others.

Special guest Jim Pribbenow is one of the finest saxophonist in the northwest music scene today. Many musical styles have influenced Jim’s sound and approach to music, starting from humble beginnings playing classical recitals on clarinet, funk-based horn band music on saxophone, as well as thrash rock and roll in the early 70’s as a teenager in Tacoma, Washington. It was in these years that he picked up his moniker “King Greasy.”

The Washington Center Jim Pribbenow
Climate Change: Tarik, Micheal, Dennis, Steve. Photo courtesy: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts

In the late 70s Pribbenow moved to Portland, Oregon where he was quickly recognized as a rising star and welcomed into the local music community as a regular featured performer at local festivals and night life. In Oregon, he performed at First Jazz PDX, the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Jazz at the Zoo and many other similar venues. During this period he also worked with Northwest musicians Mel Brown, Dave Friesen, Bert Wilson, Ted Curson, Paul Delay, and Jim Pepper.

In 1983 Pribbenow headed to Nashville, Tennessee, a move that was significant in further developing his musical horizons and approach to music. During his time in Nashville, Pibbenow spent 10 years as a studio musician recording with such outstanding producers as Don Was, Billy Sherrill, Kenny Greenberg, Fred Foster, and George Massenburg.

After Pribbenow’s return to the Northwest in 1993, he once again started lighting up the local music scene, catching up with old friends like Catfish Zydeco, Bill Engelhart with Little Bill and the Blue Notes, Obrador, OFJC, as well as composing for the group Low Flying Cattle and the Washington Contemporary Ballet and providing arrangements for studio sessions both at home and in LA.

Jim “King Greasy” Pribbenow is perhaps best summed up by a recent article in the Oregon Music News after his performance at the Portland Jazz Festival in 2011: “Mr. Pribbenow returned to Portland to supply a mean saxophone line. He claims a sordid past in R&R bands – but clearly demonstrated his jazz chops. His solos had energy and creativity; his fills were clear and appropriate. And by god, it looked like he was enjoying the whole thing. Sometimes sax players do their thing, then sit offstage and disconnect from the band until it’s time to return to the head. Not Pribbenow, who was clearly appreciating the performances of the rest of the group.”

Join Climate Change with special guest Jim Pribbenow at the Washington Center’s black box Friday, March 23. The music starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are available online at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts website or through the box office at 360-753-8586.

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