Greek-Canadian folk musician Pavlo crosses the border for a PBS Special and USA - Canadian Tour
Athan Karras
The multi Emmy-winning concert and documentary producer George Veras of Veras Communications is directing the PBS spectacular titled Pavlo’s Mediterranean Nights featuring Greek-Canadian folk musician Pavlo. The concert was filmed live at the famous Ford Theater in Detroit and will premiere as a PBS special during their pledge drive in June 2008. Veras, a canny marketer of some of the world’s biggest selling concert DVDs such as Yanni’s Live at the Acropolis, 60s Pop Rock Reunion and two separate documentaries on influential Greek Americans, believes that Pavlo’s pop rock sensibilities and his work ethic will make him a hit in the US. Leading up to the PBS special, Pavlo’s Mediterranean Nights will play in select American cities and move on to a summer concert tour across Canada. After which, he’ll travel to Europe and Korea and in the fall, he will return to the States for a national tour.
This brilliant guitarist and singer Pavlo Simtikidis of Toronto has absorbed and blended Mediterranean music into a completely new and original sound. He is the Greek answer to the Gypsy Kings, using the exciting rhythms of the flamenco gypsies, the sultry and sensual salsa, and the seductive and fascinating music of Near Eastern belly dancers. Pavlo’s Mediterranean Nights shares the stage with dancers who alternate salsa, tango, belly dance, flamenco, and Greek dance rhythms.
Pavlo began his career as a teenager playing with rock bands and later, slowly started to create his own compositions. He paid his dues by playing all kinds of gigs from weddings to small town cafés and bars. He always told his musicians, no venue is too small. He took some time out to put together his own sound by going back to his roots and with his energy and enthusiasm, he was on his way. He has released seven albums, including two gold records in Canada, won the “World Artist of the Year” award at the Canadian Independent Music Awards, and was twice named “Greek Man of the Year” by Top Choice Awards..
His grandfather was born in the Black Sea area of the Pontic Greeks in Turkey and the music he grew up with reflects the fun-loving hospitable character of those people. Unlike other young struggling artists whose parents always encourage them to follow the surest road to success, Pavlo’s father recognized his son’s special talent as soon as the five-year-old started playing guitar. As a youngster, Pavlo attended concerts with his father at the famous Massey Hall in Toronto where the two of them enjoyed inspirational performances by the likes of Liona Boyd, Jose Feliciano, and Paco De Lucia. His Dad told him that if he was going to make music he should, “Have the courage to do what you love and the drive to do it well.” The dream came true when Pavlo had his own sold-out debut at the Massey. Now, the Toronto-based Greek guitarist has rocketed from obscure far-flung county fairs and small-town conventions onto the world’s stage accompanied by a sixteen-piece orchestra, belly dancers, flamenco artists, and salsa troupes.
He studied music at York University and the Harris Institute for the Arts, joined several small ensembles, and seriously studied every aspect of the guitar. In his spare time, he perfected Latin chords and fingerings. In the middle of a flamenco riff, Pavlo has been known to flip the guitar over his head and play it backwards, a la Jimmy Hendrix. Taking a cue from Jose Feliciano, the first great flamenco crossover artist, Pavlo started attracting the attention of other performers and has played with John McDermott, Liona Boyd, Amy Sky, and Olivia Newton John. Pavlo shines as an original composer and when asked about writing and composing, said, “I am continually driven and inspired by my passions and my emotions. I don’t over analyze or think too hard about an idea, I simply take my guitar and let my fingers turn my emotion into music. In essence my music has become my language: I never go seeking for a song; I believe the song finds me. This is the case with this most recent inspiration and I believe it is meant to be shared.”
In Canada where, according to him, the population holds on to their ethnicity, his CDs often become best sellers thanks to this new sound combining his acoustic guitar with an exciting range of various Mediterranean instruments and bouzouki from Greece. Pavlo’s concert will include various ethnic segments interspersed with production dance numbers. He is reaching out to multicultural audiences who recognize that Mediterranean music has a language of its own and brings people together to enjoy, celebrate, and have a great time. For more information go to: www.pavlo.net.
