Lila Downs - Program by Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

SUN APR 26 2015

Lila Downs CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORM ING ARTS AT UBC

PHOTO: JOHNNY LOPERA

“Music offers us the ability at desperate moments to have moments where we can actually feel the emotion that we haven’t been able to express. I think a lot of what we are feeling is confusion, anger, anxiety, mainly political confusion… Art in general really can make you express all of those things, and hopefully then you can make a decision, you can say, ‘Now I know what I’m going to do.’ That’s what I’m hoping for. ”

– Lila Downs (In an interview with Billboard Magazine, March 2015)

Lila Downs Presented by the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Concert 7:00pm, Chan Shun Concert Hall

Lila Downs vocals Paul R. Cohen musical director, tenor saxophone, clarinet Rafael Gomez guitar Luis Guzman bass Hugo Moreno trumpet Marcos J. Lopez percussion George Saenz trombone, accordion Yayo Serka drums, percussion Leo Soqui accordion, jarana

Production Team – Lila Downs ‘Balas y Chocolate’ Tour

Kat Cook tour management Alex McIntire front of house audio Gustavo Vargas monitors Max Gonzalez lighting John Moreno projections

Set list will be announced from the stage. There will be one 20 minute intermission.

Please remember to turn off your cell phones, and note that photography and recording are not permitted. Thank you!

PHOTO: JOHNNY LOPERA

Lila Downs Lila Downs has one of the world’s most singular voices and innovative approaches to music. Born in the state of Oaxaca, México, she is the daughter of a Mixtec Indian woman named Anastasia Sanchez, who ran away from her village at the age of 15 to sing in Mexico City cantinas, and University of Minnesota professor Allen Downs, who saw her singing and fell in love. Lila grew up both in Minnesota and Oaxaca, and studied classical voice and cultural anthropology at the University of Minnesota. Her music and vocal artistry have many influences and is as varied as the ancient cultures that serve as her inspiration. Lila’s compositions are often striking commentaries on social conditions, reflecting migration and the search for roots as a core human need. She makes an important and deep connection with her fans, who are of all ages, races, and backgrounds. “I am very fortunate,” said Downs. “People who follow our music belong to all walks of life. Every day we connect with them.” For two decades Lila Downs has traveled throughout the world reinterpreting the roots of music, such as blues, jazz, soul, cumbia, rock, even rap and klezmer music. She weaves various musical forms with traditional Mexican and native Mesoamerican music, singing in Spanish, English, and the languages of the Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya, and Nahuatl cultures. Her tremendous voice and the originality of her compositions create a musical concept that is highly innovative and unique. Some might classify Lila simply as a Mexican artist, but there is no real way to categorize her music except to say it is an exciting fusion of international sounds and musical genres. Lila has recorded 11 studio albums, garnering a GRAMMY and three Latin GRAMMYs. Her last solo venture, Pecados y Milagros (2011), won both a Latin GRAMMY in the Folk Category and a GRAMMY in the Mexican Regional Category. Her recent collaborative album, Raiz (2014) with Nina Pastori and Soledad, won a Latin GRAMMY in the Folk Category, and was nominated for the Latin GRAMMY Album of the Year and the GRAMMY for Best Latin Pop Album. Lila Downs has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious festivals and venues, has been invited to sing at the White House, performed on the Latin GRAMMYs 2012 telecast, as well as the 75th Academy Awards televised ceremony, performing with Caetano Veloso the Oscar nominated song “Burn It Blue,” from the movie Frida. Her music has also been included in several other feature films such as The Counselor, Tortilla Soup, Real Women Have Curves, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Carlos Saura’s Fados, Mariachi Gringo, and Hecho en Mexico. Other artists with whom she has collaborated in recordings and concerts include Mercedes Sosa, Santana, Juanes, Bunbury, Cafe Tacuba, Wynton Marsalis, Angelique Kidjo, Juan Gabriel, and Los Tigres del Norte. Her highly-anticipated new album is entitled Balas y Chocolate (Bullets and Chocolate). Downs has shared that the album was inspired by both “the Day of the Dead offering and celebration, and also from my personal dance with my partner’s possible death.” While the lively sound of the album centers on danceable fusions of “mostly cumbias, klezmer-like norteña, hip hop and pop,” the serious and timely lyrical content is a fierce condemnation of the current violence and corruption engulfing Mexico. Balas y Chocolate spotlights Downs’ concerns over the erosion of civil rights and justice, the still escalating threats to the country’s journalists, the excess in modern life, lost love and more. The title track is a dedication to migrant children, while the first single “La Patria Madrina” is a duet with Colombian superstar Juanes that pledges to passionately fight for the values of one’s land and society.

PAUL R. COHEN - Musical Director, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet Paul R. Cohen, a GRAMMY award-winning multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger/ producer, was born in New York City in 1953, and spent his childhood in Vineland, NJ. He attended Haverford College and majored in psychology and fine arts, and later studied drawing and sculpture at the New York Studio School. In the late 1970s he began a career as a clown and juggler, went to the Ringling Bros. Clown College, and toured with the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus (U.S.A.), Le Cirque Baroque (Paris), and Los Hermanos Mendoza (Guatemala). During the early 1980s he began studying music, playing saxophone in the band of the Cirque Baroque in France and then in dance bands and jazz ensembles in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. Paul began his longtime collaboration with singer/songwriter Lila Downs in Southern Mexico in the late 1990s. They first toured with a Zapotec Indian folk band, La Trova Serrana. Later they began performing a combination of Oaxacan folk songs and jazz standards in a small club in Oaxaca, El Sol y La Luna, and it was during that period that they began collaborating on many original songs. Paul has been the musical director of the Lila Downs touring ensemble, La Misteriosa, since 1999, and has participated on many of her recordings as producer/composer/arranger/musician. He is the co-writer and co-producer of Lila Downs’ new album, Balas y Chocolate. He has performed in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, The Lincoln Center, Los Angeles Philharmonic (Disney) Concert Hall, and many others around the world.

RAFAEL GOMEZ - Guitar Rafael Gomez is a Venezuelan musician/producer whose musical work is an interesting compound of different styles such as: Latin, electronica, rock, bossa, funk, and Venezuelan folk. In 1990 he enrolled at Ars Nova School of Music, while also studying at Venezuela’s Central University, where he obtained a degree in Social Communication. He was the guitar player in Lapamariposa and Bacalao Men, two experimental Latin fusion bands that are among the most important alternative bands in Venezuela. As part of Estereobata Production Company, he composed music for HBO Latin-American documentaries and also served as a producer for the internationally known singer/actress Maria Conchita Alonso. In 2003, Rafael decided to further his studies as a music producer and sound engineer at the Harris Institute in Toronto, Canada. During this time, he had the opportunity to record his guitar playing on Nelly Furtado’s album Folklore. In 2005 Rafael moved to Boston, where he worked as a music producer for Tacata Productions and performed live extensively. In April 2008 he had the opportunity to play with Lila Downs and join her band. In September of 2008 Rafael moved to New York where he edited his first solo album El Norte. Rafael’s musical work has also been included in soundtracks of many South American produced motion pictures.

LUIS GUZMAN - Bass

Hailing from a family of musicians in Mexico and now residing in New York City, Luis Guzman has been performing with Lila Downs since 2011. A bassist and composer, Luis has a remarkably strong and diverse foundation in Latin and jazz musical forms embodied by his personal and professional experience. Luis has appeared internationally with renowned artists including Barry White, Marta Gomez, Chuchito Valdez and Michel Camilo among others. Behind the scenes, he consulted as composer/arranger for artists featured on America’s Got Talent, and has been awarded the merit-based World Tour Scholarship. Luis has a Bachelor of Music, Magna Cum Laude, in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Luis is also the musical programmer and band member for La Voz Kids on Telemundo.

HUGO MORENO - Trumpet Hugo Moreno, a native of Sunland Park, New Mexico, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist based in New York City. He is a member of the Gregorio Uribe Big Band, Jarana Beat, and Hora Decima, and performs regularly in Broadway shows with the Manhattan Brass and at the Marlboro Music Festival. His trumpet playing has been featured in recordings with Le Train Bleu, the Chelsea Symphony, and for prize-winning composer Eric Nathan. Hugo holds degrees from the Yale School of Music and New Mexico State University. He is honored to share the stage with the inimitable Lila Downs on his first tour with the band.

MARCOS J. LOPEZ - Percussion Marcos J. Lopez is one of the most promising multi-genre percussionists that broke through the music scene out of his native Puerto Rico. His versatility and musicality are unmistakable qualities exhibited in every recording and performance existing to this day. He has showcased his unique sound that comes with a history of great and abundant influences from every part of the world and it’s recognized instantly amongst the artists of this generation. He has played with Cuban superstar Isaac Delgado, Puerto Rican salsa stars Victor Manuelle, Gilberto Santa Rosa, La India, and Tito Nieves amongst others. Marcos has expanded his frontiers by touring and traveling over the years with Plena Libre, sharing the stage with Wisin & Yandel and performing on ABC’s Good Morning America and the Late Night Show with Seth Meyers with pop duo Karmin. By the end of 2014 after only a year of moving to New York City, Lopez appeared in countless recordings and featured in two major studio projects: Ceremony with NEA jazz master Dave Liebman released in November 2014 and Maldades with GRAMMY-winning artists Humberto Ramirez and Oskar Cartaya, expected to be released in Summer 2015.

GEORGE SAENZ - Trombone, Accordion Multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and educator, George Saenz is originally from Laredo, Texas on the U.S./Mexican border. He grew up listening to a multitude of different genres of music including the music of his Mexican-American heritage. While attending the University of Texas at San Antonio, George began touring the southwest United States and recorded a live album with Tejano vocalist Ram Herrera. In May 2005, he made the move to Boston, MA where he would begin studying trombone performance and jazz composition at Berklee College of Music. As the first call bass trombone player at Berklee, he played in legendary ensembles such as Phil Wilson’s Rainbow Band, Greg Hopkin’s Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra, and the Classical Brass Quintet led by Charlie Lewis. His experience at Berklee also led him to performances with Gloria Estefan, U2’s The Edge, Ruben Blades, McCoy Tyner, Eddie Palmieri and Maria Schneider. Aside from playing the trombone, George is also a talented button accordionist, bassist, pianist, guitarist and composer/arranger. In 2008, his jazz big band arrangement of Cole Porter’s hit, “I Love You”, debuted at the Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico. George now resides in New York City, working as a freelance musician, composer/arranger and educator. Besides touring with Lila Downs, he also works as the musical director for New York’s Calpulli Mexican Dance Company.

YAYO SERKA - Drums, Percussion Born in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, Yayo Serka started playing drums in folkloric bands at an early age. Later he studied with Sergio Gonzalez, a well-known and influential drummer/composer from Chile. In 1990, Yayo went to Cuba and spent the next four years studying at the Ignacio Cervantes Institute of Music, focusing on drums and Afro Cuban percussion. During this time, he played with the top musicians of the Havana jazz scene, such as Chucho Lopez, Jorge Luis Chicoy, Jorge Reyes, and others. In 1994, Yayo returned to Chile, but only a year later came to New York City, where he currently resides. Since then, he has been part of various music scenes that have helped him become one of the most versatile drummers in New York. Yayo has recorded and/or performed with Lila Downs, Claudia Acuna, Xiomara Laudal, Eva Aeyon, Susana Baca, Mercedes Sosa, The Chico O’Farrel Orquestra, Aquiles Baez, Bobby Watson, Bill Sims, Jerry Jamat, Bobby McFerrin, Franky Parris, Sweet Georgia Brown, Jason Linder, Papo Vasquez, Branford Marsalis, and Angelique Kidjo among others.

LEO SOQUI - Accordion, Jarana Born in Mexico City, Leo Soqui studied in the Escuela Nacional de Musica of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). He has worked as a composer and musical director for theatre at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, UNAM, and the Compañía Nacional de Teatro. Leo has also been composer of music for such films as Asalto al Cine (independent), Bajo la Sal (Warner), and Bajo Juarez (independent). In concert, Leo has performed with Lila Downs, Cecilia Toussaint, Malena Duran, Eugenia Leon, Carmina Canavino, Chejere, Los Parientes de Playa Vicente, Ximena Sariñana, Natalia Lafourcade, Aquiles Baez, Gilmar Gomez, among others.

Tell us what you think! We want to hear from you. Please visit chancentre.com/feedback and let us know about your experience tonight. 8

Upcoming Events at the Chan Centre Full details at chancentre.com May 1 at 8pm: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Presented by Early Music Vancouver as part of their Chan Centre Concert Series

May 7 at 7pm: Earthkeeping: A Climate for Change with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe Hosted by A Rocha Canada & Regent College, presenting sponsor Level Ground Trading.

May 9 at 8pm: Wu Man and the Shanghai Quartet Presented by the Chan Centre May 14 at 7:30pm: Rejoice and Sing! Presented by Little Flower Academy May 17 at 2:30pm: Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra 85th Anniversary Gala Concert Presented by the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra May 20 at 8pm: UBC School of Music – Baccalaureate Concert Presented by the UBC School of Music. FREE

May 23 at 7:30pm: Vancouver Oratorio Society – Advancing into 25th Anniversary Concert Presented by the Vancouver Oratorio Society May 29 + 30 at 8pm: VSO – Karen Gomyo and Jun Markl Presented by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as part of the Classical Traditions series at the Chan Centre

Jun 8 at 7:30pm: World Doctors Orchestra Benefit Concert Presented by the World Doctors Orchestra

Karen Gomyo 9

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC Joyce Hinton Cameron McGill Jazel Argente Carl Armstrong Wendy Atkinson Brad Danyluk Kara Gibbs David Humphrey Beng Khoo Flora Lew Glenda Makela Trevor Mangion Claire Mohun Christine Offer George Pereira Andrew Riter Nadia Roberts Lyndsey Roberts

Co-Managing Director Co-Managing Director Administrative & Rentals Assistant Events & Customer Service Manager Programming & Rentals Manager Head Audio Technician Marketing & Communications Manager Production Manager Operations Clerk Financial Coordinator Financial & Programming Clerk Ticket Operations Manager Marketing & Communications Coordinator Artistic Presenting Manager Production Clerk Head Lighting Technician Events & Front of House Coordinator Ticket Office Supervisor

Members of Cupe 2950 Front of House, Stage, and Ticketing Staff Megan Barnabe Tessa Cernik Valentina Montilla

Administration Assistant, Work Learn Student Marketing & Communications Assistant, Work Learn Student Artistic Presentations Assistant, Work Learn Student

Administration Office

T: 604.822.9197

E: chan.centre@ubc.ca

chancentre.com /chan.centre.ubc

Ticket Office

T: 604.822.2697

@ChanCentre

E: chan.tickets@ubc.ca

/ChanCentreUBC

Graphic Design by Copilot Design Media Relations by Laura Murray Public Relations

The Chan Centre would like to thank our 2014/2015 series sponsors: The Chan Endowment Fund and the UBC Faculty of Arts

“A wonderfully ferocious and illuminating performance.” (The Washington Post)

SAT MAY 09 2015 / 8pm

Wu Man and the

Shanghai Quartet 吴蛮与上海四重奏

CHAN CENTRE AT UBC I Tickets and info chancentre.com