Musical Icon Leo Kottke Comes to Montalvo Arts Center

Montalvo Arts Center will present critically acclaimed guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke as part of its 2018-2019 Carriage House Theatre Concert Series. An American musical icon, Leo Kottke has been hailed as one of the most important and influential guitarists of our time. A two-time Grammy nominee, Kottke's fingerpicking style draws on blues, jazz, and folk music, and incorporates syncopated, polyphonic melodies for a performance by turns unique, charming, and brilliant. Known for his compelling original compositions as well as his arrangements of cover songs, he boasts an extensive musical catalogue and has inspired countless guitarists. Leo Kottke will be performing at 7:30pm, Monday, November 5 at the Montalvo Arts Center, 15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga. For tickets ($43 Reserved, $48 Premier) or more information, the public may visit www.montalvoarts.org or call 408-961-5858.

Leo Kottke got his start with John Fahey's Takoma Records in the late '60s, and has since released noteworthy albums comprised of some of the most inventive acoustic music ever recorded. Over the years Kottke has faced physically debilitating damage to his hearing and tendons, which led him to switch up his playing style in order to avoid ending his career due to injury. Armed with just a six and twelve-string guitar, Kottke's alternating bass and treble lines paired with his effortless key changes have earned him the title of "best guitar player in the world" (FolkWorks) along with a German Grammy Award for "best folk guitarist." He has also received the "best instrumentalist" award from Guitar Player for five consecutive years.

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. Some events include the opportunity to dine pre-show at Bistro Montalvo with a prix-fixe dinner served in the elegant historic Villa Montalvo, catered by ModernTaste ($60 per person and offered at select performances).

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.

Photo Courtesy: Paradigm

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