Music of the Mediterranean in Westben Jazz Series

Canadian multicultural artists perform Music of the Mediterranean in the

Jazz Out of This World series at Westben – Concerts at The Barn

August 2 – 3, 2008

Campbellford, Ont… Three of Canada’s highly-renowned multicultural artists perform Music of the Mediterranean in Westben – Concerts at The Barn’s Jazz Out of This World series on August 2 and 3, 2008, featuring performances of Portuguese Fado, Spanish Flamenco and Greek Rembetika.

On August 2, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. vocalist Catarina Cardeal and guitarist Mike Siracusa of Musica 15 Fado Blues present Portuguese Fado with a contemporary twist. Fado, considered amongst the oldest urban folk music in the world is described as music played for pleasure and to relieve the pain of life. In 2000, Cardeal was the co-winner for best interpretation in Portugal’s first annual Festival de Communidades, broadcast by RTP – Porto Portuguese National. The group collaborated with Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana performing a sold out concert at Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio in 2004.

Robert Michaels, double Juno winner and Canada’s foremost Spanish Flamenco style guitar player returns to Westben on August 2, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. Michaels guitar playing has exceeded gold and platinum sales on all five of his recordings. In 2006 he released his sixth recording The Spanish Guitar Collection that includes a sampling of music from all five of his previous CDs that give the listener a summary of his exquisite style.

Calgary’s nationally-acclaimed Greek artists Rembetika Hipsters close Westben’s 9^th season on August 3, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. Since 1996, the group has thrilled audiences across Canada with their unique blend of Greek, Balkan and Middle Eastern music, ranging from belly-dance instruments to jazz-influenced bouzouki pop. The Hipsters write and record original songs in the rembetika tradition, coloured by their backgrounds in jazz, rock and experimental music. They have recorded two acclaimed CDs during a busy touring schedule that has taken them from the Maritimes to the Yukon.

Tickets for Jazz Out of This World! – Music of the Mediterranean, range from $10 - $33 and can be purchased by calling 1-705-653-5508 or 1-877-883-5777, or online at www.westben.on.ca

Westben Concerts at The Barn’s season runs from Saturday, June 28 through Sunday, August 3, 2008. For a complete schedule of performances log on to www.westben.on.ca. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-705-653-5508 or 1-877-883-5777 or online.

Founded by internationally renowned musicians, soprano Donna Bennett and pianist Brian Finley, Westben is where music and nature come wonderfully to life in each other’s company. Audiences of all ages continue to enjoy an array of musical styles from classical to Broadway and jazz to world music at The Barn, Westben’s main performance venue. This 400-seat custom-built, timber-frame theatre is located 3 km outside of Campbellford. Ontario. Situated on a fifty acre farm, The Barn is 40 minutes from Peterborough, Belleville and Cobourg, or 100 minutes east of Toronto.