Banda Magda Brings Global Music To Montalvo Arts Center This February

Montalvo Arts Center presents the unique fusion sounds of Banda Magda as part of the Carriage House Concert Series. Led by Greek-born composer, orchestrator, singer, and accordionist Magda Giannikou (Kronos Quartet), Banda Magda musically moves from samba to French chanson, from Greek folk tunes to Colombian cumbia and Afro-Peruvian lando. Drawing from the band's global background (Greece, Argentina, Japan, Colombia, USA), the group combines South American rhythms with jazz improvisation, cinematic arranging, sophisticated audience participation, mid-century classics, and world "chansons" sung in six languages. Banda Magda will be performing 8:00pm, Saturday, February 23 at the Montalvo Arts Center, 15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga. For tickets ($39 Reserved, $44 Premier) or more information, the public may visit www.montalvoarts.org or call 408-961-5858.

Since the band's founding in 2010, Banda Magda has toured in more than 22 countries and five continents, capturing a large international following. Creating a blend of French lyrics over Latin-American rhythms and jazz improvisation, the band produces a unique sound that reflects the diverse backgrounds of its members. Banda Magda released its debut album Amour t'es là in 2013, followed by Yerakina in 2014, earning a top 10 spot on Billboard's World Music Charts and coverage on NPR's All Songs Considered and "10 Favorite World Music Albums." Described as "Bouncy, upbeat, irrepressibly fun music" by the New York Music Daily, Banda Magda delights audiences with its unparalleled talent and sound.

For nearly 60 years, Montalvo Arts Center's Carriage House Theatre Concert Series has presented world-class talent in an intimate indoor setting, becoming a treasured series for performing arts fans in Silicon Valley. Housed in the 316-seat Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, the series features a diverse array of artists from a variety of genres from classical to jazz to R&B, rock, plus theatre, comedy, and more. Guests have the option to arrive early and mingle in Montalvo's Project Space ArtBar, where wine, beer, and other beverages are available for purchase before the show.

Montalvo Arts Center is a donor-supported nonprofit institution, whose mission is to engage the public in the creative process, acting as a catalyst for exploring the arts, unleashing creativity, and advancing different cultural and cross-cultural perspectives. Located in Silicon Valley's Saratoga Hills, Montalvo occupies a Mediterranean-style Villa, built in 1912 by Senator James Duval Phelan, surrounded by 175 stunning acres. Senator Phelan bequeathed the Villa and grounds to the people of California for the encouragement of art, music, literature, and architecture, a mandate Montalvo has carried forward ever since its founding. The grounds include the campus of the Sally and Don Lucas Artists Program (LAP), the Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, and the Lillian Fontaine Garden Theatre, as well as miles of hiking trails, terraces, gardens, and other picturesque public areas.

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