Walt Richardson headlines Woodstock – Summer of Love Concert at OTCA
Cottonwood AZ (November 5, 2019) – Come celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock, the Summer of Love and the music and Cultural Revolution that changed the world, in a special concert at Old Town Center for the Arts on Saturday, November 16th at 7:00 PM.
Enjoy and relive the music of the late 60’s an exceptional era. You’ll hear songs by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Richie Havens, Cat Stevens, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and others. The concert will feature Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Famer Walt Richardson along with Hannes Kvaran, Robby Roberson, Susannah Martin, Patrick Ki, Robin Miller and William Eaton.
Groovy baby! Can you dig it? Peace man, out of sight. Though words come and go, it is striking how many words from the 60’s are still with us, and how they have changed the way we think and talk. During the same time music and lyrics were the tools of expression to elicit peace in the world, and provide the soundtrack for the changing social and cultural fabric of a new generation. Pop art, album art and colorful clothing and images also marked this era. For this concert OTCA’s cyclorama will be filled with iconic images, abstracts and vintage photos, behind the performers – to enhance the experience of the music.
If you love the music hits from the 60’s & 70’s then you won’t want to miss this blast to the past, performed by some of Arizona’s finest musicians.
About the Musicians
Walt Richardson began playing open mic nights in Tempe in the 70’s, and interacting with other local musicians, a passion that would lead to many future collaborations. His first ‘professional’ gig followed a year later with the formation of the band Driftwood. In the early 80’s Walt started the popular Morning Star Band and began to expand his reggae repertoire, playing a mix of covers and original music.
By the late 90’s Walt’s songwriting began to blossom as he explored themes of love, relationships, injustice, social and political issues. As he continued his solo work, his new group, the Peaceful Warriors, became a sounding board for the advocacy of peace. His music also began to reflect his deepening interest in the mysteries of life and music as a conduit to the spirit. Richardson is quoted as saying, “Music is a very magical form of meditation and prayer. I totally believe that when used in that way, it enhances us. It’s a wonderful thing. There is so much you want to share, so much that you want to give . . . . in essence, the spirit is saying these things through music.”
Joining Walt for this concert will be long time friend and guitarist extraordinaire Hannes Kvaran. Hannes has played with Walt since the ‘early days,’ and adds amazing acoustic guitar playing and backup vocals.
Robby Roberson brings the musical strings of multiple instruments, which he plays both skillfully and passionately. Robby’s songwriting and vocal style is evocative of an organic urban acoustic music vibe that is enhanced by diverse and dynamic rhythms and grooves. He is the winner of the Songwriter Contest at the Tucson Folk Festival and a finalist in the band contest at the Pickin in the Pines Music Festival.
Robin Miller, Susannah Martin and Patrick Ki make up the unparalleled MMK Trio, featuring virtuoso guitar playing along with powerhouse male and female vocals, rich harmonies and a groovy beat box. Besides having busy solo careers in recording and performing, the members of this trio have formed a band that audiences love for its super-charged sound and fun vibe. The group is known for their unique arrangements of classic hits by bands such as the Eagles, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Sting, as well as their own well-crafted & catchy blues and spicy latin originals.
Robin Miller brings a powerful blues and rock based guitar sound to the group, full of fiery solos, honed by over forty years of professional experience. Patrick Ki is a formally trained classical and jazz guitarist who brings a more lyrical-based guitar & ukulele sound to the ensemble, influenced by his Hawaiian island upbringing. He also drives a strong and deep groove to propel the group, and adds his wry humor as emcee. With an ability to sing in several different languages and to improvise fluidly, vocalist Susannah Martin gives the band a unique feminine flair. She wails on R&B or Rock tunes, delivers a touch of sultry jazz and sings fluently in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. Susannah also adds a groovy beat on cajón and hand percussion.
William Eaton began playing ukulele when he was seven and began playing guitar a year later, joining bands in junior high and high school to play the hits of the sixties. In 1971 he began building guitars and one of a kind multi-stringed instruments that propelled a new career in music and recording, and the founding of a guitar making school in Phoenix, the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery, where he continues as Director. Eaton is a four time GRAMMY nominee and was given the Governor’s Arts Award in 2015.
So…Be prepared for a great show of musical fun and frolic as all are transported to the psychedelic, soulful and innovative 60’s. This concert promises to be an intimate and magical journey in time.
Tickets for Remembering Woodstock, the Summer of Love and Revolution are $20 in advance, $22 at the door, and $25 priority seating. Tickets are available online at www.showtix4u.com, in Cottonwood at Desert Dancer and Mount Hope Natural Foods, In Sedona: The Literate Lizard. Old Town Center for the Arts is located at 633 N. 5th Street (5th Street & Main) in Old Town Cottonwood. For more information please visit oldtowncenter.org or call Elena Bullard at 928.634.0940.