Pavlo
Tampa, Florida, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1998 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
Always upbeat, much like the fiery spirit of his Mediterranean-style music, Pavlo seemed more on top of the world than ever Tuesday.
PLEASE SEE LINK FOR FULL REVIEW - The Daily News Kamloops
Following in the footsteps of Yanni, Canada's Pavlo is taking his Greek-based acoustic music to the United States by way of American public television.
The 38 year-old musician from Toronto, who plays a blend of latin and Greek folk music he calls "Mediteranean," will tape his first PBS special Friday at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. The 75 minute concert special, titled Pavlo's Mediteranean Nights, will be offered to public television stations across the US during annual pledge drives, starting March on Detroit's WTVS...
It's an approach that has worked wonders for Yanni, as well as fellow Canadians like Loreena McKennitt.
Pavlo will perform with his regular band and dancers. His showmanship has made Pavlo Simtikidis a star in Canada, where his concerts, including an annual show at Toronto's Massey Hall, are instant sellouts and his seven albums are bestsellers.
"This will be PAvlo's coming-out party in the US," said veteran TV producer George Veras, who is producing the special on PBS, and is native of Detroit's Greek community.
PLEASE SEE ARTICLE LINK FOR THE REST OF STORY - The Windsor Star - Canadian Singer Pavlo Brings his folk music across the bordfer for PBS special
The business man, the professor and the wild card.
That's how the publicist for Pavlo, Rik Emmett and Oscar Lopez describes the dashing, recently formed acoustic guitar trio as they clown around, posing for pictures in the posh lounge of Calgary's Fairmont Palliser.
Sitting down to the interview over a bottle of red wine, it quickly becomes apparent that she's dead on.
Listening to the group's debut CD, Trifecta, and laying out each man's impressive resume, it's clear that the trio's upcoming show, Sunday at Jack Singer Concert Hall, is set to be a guitar lover's dream.
Featuring the romantic Mediterannean stylings of Greek-Canadian Pavlo Simtikidis, the jazz fusion of Emmett, famous as the frontman for hard rockers Triumph, and the fiery Latin sounds of Chilean born Calgarian Lopez, the trio is sure to serve up a musical feast.
But if their live dynamic is anything like the personal dynamic these three brought to the table at the Palliser, folks are in for a charming and humourous show as well.
Central to the band's chemistry is the amusing and very real tension that exists between Emmett, the professor, and Lopez - you guessed it - the wild one...
That temperamental difference manifested itself immediately when Pavlo put together the group, inspired by another guitar trio that he loved, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, who won acclaim together for their seductive flamenco-jazz in the '80s.
"There's a lot of wonderful musicians in this world, but to do something like this successfully, there has to be a natural chemistry," says Pavlo. "That's something you can't create, manufacture or predict. It's there, or it's not."...
- Calgary Herald
Discography
* Pavlo (1998)
* Fantasia (2000)
* I Feel Love Again (2002)
* Frostbite - Music for the Holidays (2003)
* Mediterranean Lounge (2004)
* Irresistible (2005)
* Live at Massey Hall (2007)
* Live: Mediterranean Nights (CD and DVD 2008)
* Trifecta - Pavlo, Rik Emmett Oscar Lopez collaboration (2009)
* Six String Blvd (2011)
Photos
Bio
"My mission in life is to bring my music to as many people as I can, while I'm here on this earth."
That's the philosophy Pavlo devotes to his music, performance, and audiences. A dedication to his craft has built Pavlo a reputation that has accompanied him over the past few years, initially from smaller venues, to large festivals and some of the most prestigious concert halls in the country.
A Pavlo concert goes beyond any straightforward musical performance you may have ever attended. Augmenting Pavlo's dazzling guitar work, his virtuosi band members performing the Greek bouzouki, bass, percussion, and special guest performers on occasion. Word of mouth about the sizzle and energy emanating from the stage at Pavlo's live performances has drawn legions of new devotees, constantly adding to his established fan base. With CD sales now over half a million, Pavlo audiences transcend all age demographic and musical genre barriers.
Of Greek-Canadian extraction, Pavlo grew up influenced by his father's old country work ethic and was inspired by his father's dedication to persevere and to succeed. Pavlo began playing guitar at ten. While most other parents would push their children into traditional professions that might offer more job security, Pavlo's father sensed his son's artistry and commitment, encouraging him to follow his muse. "Have the courage to do what you love, and the drive to do it well," were his father's words of support - words that Pavlo followed to the letter with actions that have made his live show a musical and visual powerhouse.
Pavlo's music draws upon and has been influenced by a spectrum of styles and genres. From Spanish guitar techniques to Latino rhythms to North African beats, through to the Aegean spirit evident in the bouzouki music and festive dancing of his Greek heritage, Pavlo's sound has appropriately been dubbed "Mediterranean Music"
Awards, Nominations and Highlights:
* PBS Special "Pavlo: Mediterranean Nights" - aired nationally by networks: Bravo and CBC Bold in Canada and PBS in the U.S.A.
* Best Instrumental Album of the Year for "Trifecta" (2010 - Juno Nomination - Canada's Equivalent to the Grammy's)
* Best Instrumental Album of the Year for "Fantasia" (2000 - Juno Nomination)
* Performs average of 150 concerts per year
* Half Million Records Sold worldwide
* Two Gold Albums (Fantasia and Pavlo)
* Selected and Performed for His Royal Highness Prince Charles (April, 2001)
* R&B Mega Stars: R-Kelly and Jay-Z sampled Pavlo's original melody "Fantasia" and made a Top 10 hit song "Fiesta". Pavlo shares in the publishing of the song as a co-writer (2002)
* World Artist of the Year (2005)
* Billboard Top 10 (May, 2005)
* Touring Artist of the Year (2006)
* Montreal Jazz Festival - Headlined Main Stage for 20,000 + people (2006)
* Top Choice Awards "Greek Man of the Year" (2006 & 2007)
* Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year (2007 Nomination)
* Music Featured in "So You Think You Can Dance"; Marine Life (starring Cybil Shepherd); CTV's Eleventh Hour;Just Cause; Showcase/Showtime L Word; The Chris Isaak Show (2 episodes)
* Pavlo owns his own line of nylon string acoustic guitars retailing online and across Canada, called "Pavlo, Signature Series". He gives away his guitar to someone in the audience at EVERY concert!
* Pavlo has developed his own wine: a signature reserve "Pavlo" Meritage produced by multi-award winning winery, Mastronardi Estate Winery, located near Lake Erie's North Shore in Kingsville, Ontario For more info: www.mastronardiwines.com
* Pavlo is the North American Spokesperson for Batten Disease Awareness. Batten Disease is a rare and always fatal degenerative brain disease that affects children. For more info: www.bdsra.org
* Pavlo organized a Canadian Guitar Trio made of himself and 2 Time Juno Award Winner, Oscar Lopez and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Rik Emmett (Rock Group, Triumph). Together they composed all songs on their album "Trifecta" which was later nominated for 2010 Juno, and they completed a national sold out tour.
Band Members
Links
