Freedom & Flow

This event is one of many planned as a part of our May Sanctuary Symposium. To Learn More, go to https://thesanctuarystudio.org/symposium/

Join us for the central musical event of our Sanctuary Symposium. This evening concert embodies the spirit of inner freedom explored throughout the day. Led by Simon Drew and Lia Booth and joined by guest artists, the performance is entirely improvised—no structure, no predetermined form, no boundaries.

What emerges is music as living conversation: spontaneous, honest, surprising, and alive. Expect moments of beauty, risk, humor, and deep connection—an invitation to experience freedom not as an idea, but as a felt reality.

This event is part of our May Sanctuary Symposium, Becoming Free: An Intensive Introduction to Inner Freedom, with guest philosopher and artist Sharon Lebell. While each gathering stands on its own, the weekend has been carefully designed as a cohesive journey, unfolding across all events from Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3. For those wishing to engage more fully, a weekend pass is available and offers a $50 savings compared to attending individual events. We warmly invite you to join us for the full arc of the Symposium.

Simon Drew is a vocalist, trumpeter, poet, and educator whose work bridges jazz tradition, contemplative practice, and artistic inquiry. Known for his smooth vocal tone and lyrical trumpet style, he is recognized as an elegant interpreter of the Great American Songbook, drawing inspiration from Frank Sinatra and West Coast jazz artists such as Chet Baker. Alongside his jazz work, Simon creates meditative and experimental music, blending piano, didgeridoo, and folk instruments in original recordings.

A dedicated educator, Simon teaches voice and multiple instruments, emphasizing the soul-enriching power of music. He is the author of The Poet & The Sage, a work of poetry and prose exploring the inner life and the search for enduring truths. As the longtime host of The Walled Garden (formerly The Practical Stoic), Simon has spent years engaging classical philosophy through conversations with professors, philosophers, theologians, poets, and cultural leaders. In 2025, he founded The Sanctuary Studio for the Arts & Humanities, a tranquil space in Downtown Santa Ana devoted to public engagement with the living traditions of the arts and humanities.

Lia Booth is one of Southern California’s most compelling jazz vocalists, known for her dynamic, heartfelt performances and her ability to breathe fresh life into classic jazz standards. Rooted deeply in the tradition yet unmistakably contemporary, her singing combines swing, nuance, and emotional clarity with an effortless sense of style.

Lia began her musical journey in collegiate vocal jazz ensembles at Mt. San Antonio College and California State University, Long Beach, performing at major venues including the Monterey Jazz Festival and earning two DownBeat Magazine Outstanding Soloist awards. For nearly 15 years, she has performed throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside County, collaborating with both rising “jazz lions” and established artists such as Arturo Sandoval and Jeff Goldblum. Celebrated for her tone, phrasing, and inventive scat singing, Lia Booth is widely regarded as one of the finest jazz singers on the Southern California scene today.

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