Perla Batalla to Perform at Harris Center, 3/7

Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer, and arranger Perla Batalla, whose repertoire cuts across genre and language, brings her vocal prowess to Harris Center for the Arts for one performance only. "This singer has become a perfect example of the new Latina woman in the U.S. - proud of her heritage, perfectly fluid in at least two languages, and an expert in translating cultural traditions from distinct places in the world" (La Opinion).

Deftly moving through musical genre, Ms. Batalla will be performing a variety of classic and original material in both English and Spanish, including selections from her award-winning Mestiza song cycle, Grammy-nominated Songs of Leonard Cohen, and Perla's own unique take on the great American songbook. As an added treat, new collaborative compositions and work in progress from Perla's cutting edge one-woman show will be presented.

Perla Batalla will perform on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at Tickets are priced at $19-$29; Students $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Ms. Batalla, born in Los Angeles, was immersed in the musical world from birth. Her father was a Mexican singer and disc jockey; her mother, the proprietor of a bustling Spanish language music store. She started her solo career in 1993, after working with artists ranging from Leonard Cohen and k.d. lang to the Gipsy Kings and Jennifer Warnes.

These diverse influences are evident in the music she writes, arranges and performs today. Her repertoire cuts across genre and language, combining traditional Mexican folk melodies, powerful ballads and pulsing rhythms, the result being stylish, sophisticated and most uniquely Perla. Amazon.com reports that she is "...possessed of a vocal gift so deeply expressive as to belong in a class alongside some of the best singers of our age..." and Cosmopolitan praises her saying she has "...A voice full of color and nuance with a personal style that distinguishes her from the others."

Ms. Batalla has recorded several critically acclaimed albums, beginning with her debut, Perla Batalla. Like many original artists, Perla opted to go independent early on, releasing her second album, Mestiza on her own Mechuda Music label. (Mestiza - meaning of mixed blood). Mestiza was selected as Best Independent Release by Amazon. Heaven and Earth followed along with a nod to Perla as Amazon's Emerging Artist of the Year. Later albums include Grammy-nominated Songs of Leonard Cohen, Discoteca Batalla, Bird on the Wire (also nominated for a Grammy), Gracias a la Vida, and her latest her latest release, Lazy Afternoon.

While reviewing her success Perla remarked, "When you perform, sometimes there's a sense of loss, and exhaustion in every way, physically, emotionally. But there's also a sense of excitement. I think all people crave to be understood, and there's nothing like that feeling of being understood by an audience. You definitely went on a journey and you know you made it."

Ms. Batalla's mission of honoring her roots and exposing young audiences to the beauty of music and the Spanish language is ongoing in her outreach endeavors throughout some of the poorest communities in the United States. Perla has been the recipient of the United Nations Earth Charter Award for extraordinary devotion to social and economic justice. She is also the recipient of Border Book Festivals Premio Fronterizo Award for healing work in the world.

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