CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
OMAR TORREZ
September 20
7:00 PM, FREE
California Plaza
Grand Performances
350 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90071
Omar Torrez is indeed blessed with all that is right within the world of music – a passion for his art, an audience to share it with and enormous talent to back it all up. Torrez is a Chicano artist with strong spiritual and cultural ties to his father's birthplace of Cholula in Puebla, Mexico
Born and raised in Seattle, the young artist received national attention when he won the National Jimi Hendrix Guitar Competition at the prestigious Bumbershoot Festival. After this victory, Torrez embarked on a musical, spiritual, and physical journey, traveling the world, studying Cuban and Andalusian gypsy music. Learning from the Cuban and Spanish musical masters such as Carlos del Puerto, Jr. and Juan Serrano, Torrez immersed himself in classical and Flamenco guitar. Living a life of the gypsy, he found himself coming full circle back to his American blues and rock roots with a Latin flavor. His effortless versatility caught the ear of Tom Waits who selected Omar to play on his 2008 “Glitter and Doom Tour.”
Torrez has toured extensively both in the US and abroad in support of his two releases on the major global label Soyuz Music. He has shared the stage with musical giants, including Tom Waits, Buena Vista Social Club, Jethro Tull, Pancho Sanchez, Susana Baca, and Francisco Aguabella, as well as such underground favorites as Indigenous, B-side Players and Sidestepper. His endorsements include Fender, Breedlove Guitars, Carlos Amplification, Acoustic Image and L.R. Baggs.
His latest record, Corazon de Perro (scheduled for release in Summer 2009 on Mexican label Independent Recording), has the artist using his increasingly expansive musical and lyrical palette to paint cutting edge music that artfully reflects Omar Torrez. In October 2009, Torrez will embark on a seven-city festival tour in Mexico titled “The Return of the Prodigal Son.” Torrez’ band will also perform at the premiere venue in Mexico City — "Teatro del Ciudad” and was so invited to play the Cervantino International Festival — the biggest and most prestigious festival in Latin America.
“Dare we dub him the Latin Hendrix?! The fastest fingers in the West, a massive talent poised to break out and kiss the sky.”
- The Los Angeles Times
