Time: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $40 advance, $45 at the door
Oscar Lopez
Oscar Lopez's Latin guitar groove has made him a stand-out on the world music scene.
Never afraid to venture into different genres, Lopez easily incorporates jazz, blues, and even pop sensibilities into his music. But one thing remains constant: letting the passion and fire within his soul loose through his fingertips and onto the guitar strings. Lopez has earned two Juno awards and multiple nominations.
Lopez captures the sound and feel of his live performances with an intimate, acoustic set on his latest album, MY DESTINY (Mi Destino). "The music on this album illustrates the power of simplicity. I've been striving to achieve this musical goal for a long time and I am very proud of the results. Every song on this album represents the core of my heart, soul and spirit. MY DESTINY, as are Lopez's live performances, is an invitation to a very personal interaction between him and the audience. "My music is an extension of my soul and life experiences," Lopez explains. "My albums are the product of this internal and external collaboration. I revel in the thrill of watching an album take form."
The Latin feel in his music is one of the most important elements for Lopez. Born in Santiago, Chile, he moved to Canada in 1979 and now calls Calgary home. "My roots are here but all that I am I owe to my mother country; she has made me who I am today".
This global fusion has made Lopez a leader among world-class guitarists. Performing to sold-out audiences across North America and mesmerizing music lovers from across the globe, he was named Instrumentalist of the Year by the Prairie Music Awards. In addition to this and his Juno wins, he has been honoured with 3 Juno nominations, awarded the SOCAN Hagood Hardy Jazz/Instrumental Music Award, and is a two-time recipient of the Hispanic Excellence Award for the achievements as the Hottest Latin Guitarist. ARMANDO'S FIRE, HEAT, and SEDUCTION blazed to the Top 20 of Billboard's "New Age" music chart, receiving widespread critical acclaim.
Oscar Lopez paused to reflect on his astonishing career. He has dazzled the ears and touched the hearts of many with his stunning technique. His soulful energy and fiery intensity has been captured on FLASHBACK, a collection of tunes from many of his top selling albums.
Awna Teixeira
http://www.hazytales.me
http://www.pogirl.net
When Awna realized the world wasn't what it seemed from an early age,
she packed her suitcase with her comics and a bowl of rice and at the
age of six, left home to circle the streets until night fall. She would
only return home to play her garage sale organ and trumpet to songs she
learned off the radio. After leaving her young life of music, Awna wound
up pursuing a life of crime. Hanging out with
the Robin Hood sort, she honed her driving skills as a getaway driver
and perfected the image of innocence it took to walk away unscathed.
It wasn't long before Awna found her way back to a world of songs and
stories. In 2001, she joined West Coast's favourite bands, "The Derby"
and "The Red Eyed Rounders". Shortly after starting the Country-Folk
band "Barley Wik" touring all over Canada for 3 years.
In 2004, Awna
decided to branch out and start her solo career. That venture was cut
short when she ran into Allison Russell of the international roots band
Po'Girl and within a week, she joined the band and hit the road. For
eight years now, Po'Girl have seen a bit of the world together. They
have toured in 15 different countries on 4 continents, releasing five
albums since the time Awna joined the band, all of which feature many on
her own compositions.
In 2011 Awna decided to take a bit of a break
from touring with Po'Girl to record and release her long awaited debut
solo album "Where The Darkness Goes". (Set for release in the UK and EU
in September 2012 and North American in October 2012). Awna spent March
and April in Chicago recording the album at Minbal studios, working with
a hand full of incredible Chicago based musicians and wonderful
engineer Zach Goheen. While handling the accordion, guitar, banjo,
harmonica and ukulele with ease, Awna's songs will bring you back to
that classic old time feel of back porch spirituals. Crossing borders
with her Portuguese upbringing, you will hear tales of heartache and
travel through accordion driven European folk. With the title track
having haunting sweet harmonies, you are taken on a journey with horn
arrangements, full band blends and also stripped down compositions with
just Awna and her instrument of choice. This is an album that brings
together all of Awna's dynamics, leaving listeners and audiences alike,
captivated from start to finish.
Casa is the realization of a 20 year dream, shared by many in the Lethbridge arts community, to expand or replace the Bowman Arts Centre. This unique new facility far surpasses the original vision for expansion, and sets a new standard for interdisciplinary arts centres. It is about experimentation, incubation, learning and growing. Casa was built to serve a multi-generational community, with varying art skill sets and interests in all disciplines of the arts.
Designing the building was a comprehensive and collaborative process led by Nyhoff Architecture from (Calgary) working in conjunction with the local architectural firm of Ferrari Westwood Babits. The Architectural team visited numerous arts education institutions and also met with members of the local arts community to define requirements for a truly functional 42,000 square foot art centre. The resulting building design is truly impressive.
Funding for the project were provided by the Federal Build Canada Fund ($6,000,000.), the Provincial MSI Fund ($14,900,000.) and the City of Lethbridge ($200,000).