Now in its 17th Year, International Guitar Night Returns to Stage One

It's now, officially, a Folsom tradition: International Guitar Night returns to the Harris Center, presenting three guitar luminaries in a conversation about music that is unlike any other. IGN Founder Brian Gore is on hiatus from touring; in his place, gypsy jazz legend Lulo Reinhardt will be stepping in as guest host for International Guitar Night's 17th year of touring. Lulo will be joined by three new, incredibly dynamic musicians: Italy's innovative contemporary guitarist Luca Stricagnoli; brilliant young Brazilian composer/performer Chrystian Dozza; and India's ground-breaking slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya. Luca's inventive "tapping" techniques have garnered over 7 million views on YouTube. Chrystian has garnered many prestigious awards as one of Brazil's leading young guitarists. Debashish has invented his own technique for playing classical Indian music on the slide guitar.

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT will take place Friday, February 17, 2017; 7:30 pm. Tickets are $19-$39; Premium $45. Tickets for students with ID are $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. Media Sponsor for the concert is Capital Public Radio.

Each year, International Guitar Night offers a new cast of guitar luminaries from around the world in a special concert tour highlighting the diversity of acoustic guitar. Their 2017 tour is exceptional.

When it comes to Italy's 26 year old LUCA STRICAGNOLI, the critics say it best: "Every so often, a musician emerges who, in terms of depth of expression, advances a style so much that the way we listen changes forever. In rock, Derek Trucks comes to mind as an example. Italian guitarist Luca Stricagnoli embodies such a shift. He employs right-hand fretting, altered tunings, and partial capos in the spirit of Preston Reed and Kaki King, yet, like Trucks, he's playing at a higher level." (Minor 7th) His record label, Candyrat Records, puts it this way: "Luca Stricagnoli is one of the most exciting new players on the acoustic guitar scene. He bypasses the normal limits of the acoustic guitar and adapts it to any musical genre: from pop to rock, from soundtracks to original pieces." Luca will be making his North American debut with International Guitar Night on this January/February 2017 tour, which includes the Harris Center performance. .

CHRYSTIAN DOZZA is one of the leading lights of the new generation of Brazilian instrumental musicians, a brilliant young guitarist/composer whose talents have been widely displayed and rewarded. Dozza has won many important contests, such as the Concurso Nacional de Violões Musicalis, Concurso de Violão Souza Lima, Concurso Novos Talentos da Música Erudita and the Concurso Violão sem Fronteiras that cover all kind of guitar music, and are awarded at the renowned Festival Assad. He also won the prize for best instrumentalist of the XIV Prêmio BDMG Instrumental, one of the most important awards within the Brazilian instrumental music community. Virtuoso Sergio Assad notes "Chrystian Dozza is, today, one of the great compositional talents of Brazilian guitar. Chrystian's song catches the listener's attention by its diversified quality and, many times its innovative quality as well. There are many references in his music, but all of them adapted to his refined personal view. With his combination of formalism and freedom, Chrystian gives us pieces that will certainly make their way into the traditional repertoire of the Brazilian guitar scene."

DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA is perhaps the greatest slide guitarist in India. He has, both through creating the actual design of the instrument, and through his incredible talent and discipline, elevated the Hindustani slide guitar to be the highest evolution of slide guitar anywhere. Though he is often compared to V.M. Bhatt, there is little basis for comparison, because Debashish's music has far greater musical range, physical dexterity, and emotional depth. To develop his playing, he has undergone decades of disciplined study of Indian vocal technique combined with his instrumental work-he started learning Indian music from his parents before he learned the alphabet. Debashish can sing perfectly in parallel with every blindingly fast melody he plays. Possessed of a very open musical mind, Debashish is eager and more than qualified to collaborate and truly blend with musicians from any other country.

Django Reinhardt left behind an indelible musical legacy, introducing and defining a passionate style of Gypsy Jazz guitar that was astonishing in the 1930's and is still revered and emulated today. Born to a Gypsy family in Belgium, Django's playing inspired his extended family in Germany and France, and successive generations of Reinhardts have reinforced his powerful musical vision and added their own ideas. IGN's host for the Harris Center performance LULO REINHARDT is Django's grand nephew, a third generation master from Germany. He has retained the incredible Reinhardt soul, speed and dexterity and updated the repertoire. Lulo is a spontaneous and spirited musician. His curiosity took him to southern Spain in search of flamenco roots, and to South America, exploring various musical styles of Latin Jazz. By 2002, he was ready to take his place as a bandleader, founding the Lulo Reinhardt Project. They recorded the highly-acclaimed Project No. 1 in 2002, and Project No. 2 in 2005, reflecting his passion for Latin music. HisLulo Reinhardt Latin Swing Project has an extensive international touring history. In additional to annual Australian tours beginning in 2008, they have played in the United States, China, France, Switzerland, Belgium, England, the Czech Republic, Scotland and Germany. Lulo has also performed as a soloist with the International Guitar Night troupe in 2009 and 2011 and is a Harris Center favorite.

This Year Marks Six Seasons of Great Shows. Up Close. In Folsom!

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.

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