The Guitar Trifecta is a union of three wonderful guitarists — Lloyd Gregory, Carl Lockett and Eddie Pasternak — each a uniquely expressive musician of superb skill and long experience.

Reservations for this event can be made by calling the bookshop at 415-586-3733. Cover charge is $25 (cash at the door, please); students, $10. BYOB.

Co-founded some years ago by Gregory and Lockett with the late Calvin Keys, long-time friends and colleagues, the Trifecta continues to grow and expand with each iteration. In Pasternak, Gregory and Lockett have found a perfect partner to continue their celebration of all that the guitar can offer the sensitive player and the receptive ear.

Lloyd Gregory grew up in Cleveland where he had an aunt who played piano at their church; her influence prompted Gregory to begin playing the instrument at age 5. He ultimately became a multi-instrumentalist who learned to play trombone, drums, and cello in addition to piano and guitar, which he picked up at age 11. In his senior year of high school, he moved to Berkeley, where he put together his first band. After graduating from high school, he served as music director for the vocal groups The Ballads and The Natural Four as they toured with The Impressions, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Ike and Tina Turner. As a solo artist signed to various labels at one time or another, he has opened for Stanley Clarke, Phoebe Snow, Norman Brown, Bobby Caldwell, Chaka Khan, and The Whispers, among others. A well-respected guitar teacher, Gregory is a member of the faculty at The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts and offers private lessons. He has several CD releases: Wonderful, Only for You, Solo Guitar, Free Fallin’ and, Gentle Warrior.

Carl Lockett grew up as a musical child prodigy. His interest in music began with him behind the drums. He later learned to play the guitar and began his career as a professional guitarist at age 14, playing around the Bay Area. He has continued to work professionally for the past forty years with highly distinguished acts including The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Chuck Mangione, Randy Crawford, Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Tammy Terrell, Esther Phillips, The Platters, The Ink Spots, Big Mama Thornton, Jackie Wilson, Papa John Creach, Brook Benton, Dakota Staten, Bill Summers, David Ruffin, and many others. He has performed in diverse settings ranging from an organ trio that included Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith to sitting in for Jerry Garcia. He has played the 1980 Winter Olympics, the North Sea, Montreux, Monterey jazz festivals and all three Blue Note clubs in Japan. So impressive is his playing that he was offered a sponsorship by guitar techs at Heritage Guitar Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who’d witnessed one of his performances. They created for him a custom-made Heritage Golden Eagle. Lockett has independently released his own CD entitled Carl Lockett: All About Music.

Eddie Pasternak is a remarkable guitarist and a beloved fixture of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for over 25 years. Known for his warmth, wit, and effortless charm, Eddie brings a rare blend of musicianship, elegance, and style to every performance. Whether he’s swinging alongside former members of the Count Basie or Duke Ellington bands, energizing Motown dance floors, or setting the perfect tone at upscale hotels and major events, Eddie consistently captivates audiences. As music critic Lee Hildebrand notes, he’s a “remarkable guitarist who plays basslines and chords simultaneously” and “generates intense swing.” It’s this distinctive combination of talent and personality that makes Eddie the perfect choice for sophisticated venues across the Bay Area.