9th Annual Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival, March 5 – 11, 2012, in Beautiful Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, on the Pacific coast of Mexico.

The Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival is very proud to announce that they will be the recipient of an Arts and Culture grant from the Mexican federal government, increasing our budget and insuring we can continue. The grant, approved by the Chamber of Deputies and published in the Federal Government Expense Budget of 2012, will be financed through CONACULTA, (Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes), Mexico’s National Council for Culture and the Arts. The funds were requested to help improve the quality of the production of the festival, its infrastructure, and to bring in international artists from further away. After nine years of struggling with a very small budget, getting this prestigious grant from CONACULTA is an honor and a real milestone for the festival. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our success over the years and thank you Mexico for supporting the arts in your communities!

A week of guitar music in paradise, Zihuatanejo’s popular music festival that has been gathering enthusiastic fans among artists and audiences alike for eight years, comes back in 2012 with more great music for a good cause. The non-profit festival has become known for showcasing world class music in intimate venues in a lovely seaside location. The internationally acclaimed musicians come to beautiful Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, from all across the globe. This year, as usual, some very exciting musicians will be coming: blues, classical, flamenco, rock, rockabilly, Gypsy jazz and swing guitarists from Brazil, Turkey, Mexico and across the US and Canada. They will be performing for a week of concerts and live shows in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.

A great vacation destination for the entire family, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo has two championship golf courses, is ranked second in the world for sailfishing, and has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. There are a wide array of accommodations from budget to five star, and culinary delights from traditional and authentic Mexican to inspired international fare that is second to none. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is a wonderful beach destination and there is no more perfect time to visit than when the streets are full of music. Event cover charges are from $100 – 250 pesos ($8-20 USD) per person, events are in Ixtapa, and Zihuatanejo, in the center of town and on the beach, nightly from March 5 – 11, 2012.

The ZIGF is a non-profit community sponsored festival, all organizers are volunteers and the musicians perform for free. A percentage of proceeds each year go to support local arts and culture projects in the community. More information can be found at www.zihuafest.info or on www.facebook.com/zguitarfest

2012 Artists

Jose Luis Cobo (Zihuatanejo, Mexico)
Zihuatanejo’s own poet lauréate and Zi¬huatanejo International Guitar Festival Ambassador. Local legend who has re¬corded and performed across Europe and Mexico but prefers to entertain his loyal following at his legendary Zihuatanejo bar, El Canto de las Sirenas, named after his hit song.

Tolgahan Çoğulu (Istanbul, Turkey)
Tolgahan Çoğulu (b. 1978 in Ankara, Turkey) received both the Master of Music and PhD degrees from Istanbul Technical University, Dr. Erol Ucer Center for Advanced Studies in Music. His PhD thesis is entitled ‘The Adaptation of Baglama Techniques into Classical Guitar Performance’ and it is published by VDM in 2011.
He founded the classical guitar duo ‘Duoist’ with Erhan Birol in 2007. The duo’s CD, It Takes Two (Pan Classics, 2011), features a collection of world premiers commissioned by the duo over the past decade. He designed the Adjustable Microtonal Guitar in 2008. He founded the world’s first microtonal & fretless guitar duo with Sinan Cem Eroglu in 2011.

Paul Renna, (Austin, USA)
Paul Renna is a visionary singer-songwriter with the extraordinary ability to raise hidden emotions in his listeners, surreptitiously forcing feelings of love, longing, happiness, and heartache from the depths of even the most hard-edged among us. With the release of his highly anticipated new album, “Brothers and Sisters”, available on iTunes, Renna seems to have broken through to a new plane of existence, exploring the deepest recesses of his heart and soul both lyrically and musically. www.paulrenna.com

Amy Cunningham (Toronto, Canada)
Born in Ontario, Canada, Amy Cunningham has been writing and performing for over 15 years. In July 2011, she released her debut album “To the stars we’ll return.” With support from over 30 college and roots radio stations in Canada and the US, Amy has been logging serious road miles; on tour for 7 months straight, she has played over 80 shows all over North America, and most recently travelled to Hakuba Japan, where she lived as an artist in residence for 6 weeks. Her messages are positive and her passion evident. You can hear some of her music at www.amycunninghammusic.com.

Arnaldo Freire (Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil)
Arnaldo Freire has received several awards including the National Guitar Competition at the Mozarteum Faculty and the National Guitar Competition Souza Lima and was the first musician to perform unprecedented concert premieres for Guitar and Orchestra in Goiás, conducted by Joaquim Jaime by the Symphony Orchestra of Goiânia. Compositions by Achille Picchi and Eduardo Escalante Estércio Marquez were written especially for the guitarist. In Freire’s compositions we see a refined Brazilianness: folk songs, frevos, sambas, waltzes and other colors are mixed with post-tonal techniques, refined counterpoints and unusual instrumentation. His compositions are published in the Arnaldo Freire Brazilian Contemporary Music Guide, edited by CDMC – Brazil / Unicamp, Paris.

Juneyt (Toronto, Canada)
Nuevo Flamenco guitarist, Juneyt, mesmerizes audiences with his exemplary finger work and passionate spirit. He is recognized as a highly talented, professional musician whose passionate performances have earned him rave reviews and several award nominations. Through his charisma, energy and natural charm one performance transforms listeners into instant fans.

Eric McFadden (San Francisco, USA)
Eric has toured Europe, North America, Japan and Australia and as a member of George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic, Eric Burdon &The Animals and Stockholm Syndrome. He has also worked with such greats as Jackson Brown, Joe Strummer (The Clash), Les Claypool (Primus), Bo Diddly, Reverend Horton Heat and Keb Mo. He continues to tour his own group in Northern America and Europe extensively. Eric’s music is available through Bad Reputation records, phYne Entertainment and iTunes. “If San Francisco is home to anyone approaching the abilities of a modern Hendrix, it’s Eric McFadden.” Guitar Player Magazine 2009 “…McFadden is a six string virtuoso. His command of so many genres- is accentuated with meticulously crafted songs…” (The Denver Post, December 2009 concert review) www.ericmcfadden.com

Jenny Kerr & Phil Milner (San Francisco, USA)
Jenny Kerr: San Francisco native, Oxford drop-out, and reformed expat, Jenny Kerr is a poetic singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (fingerstyle guitar, dobro, clawhammer banjo, harmonica, piano) who has toured Europe eight times on the country/blues/roots circuit and headlined festivals in 13 countries. Phil “Philbillie” Milner: As roadie for Bob Weir & Ratdog, he traded licks with the likes of Hot Tuna, Los Lobos, Bruce Hornsby’s band and The Black Crows and also worked for Tracy Chapman, Bonnie Raitt, Primus, Graham Nash, and a few other cool players. Now Jenny Kerr’s long-time guitarist, he also engineers and produces her and others’ records, including guitar virtuoso Eric McFadden whose all-acoustic “Devil Moon” album is a number one pick on CDBaby.com.

Adrian Raso& Nick Johnston (Guelph, Canada)
Mediterranean, Gypsy, World, and Latin Music performed by guitarist Adrian Raso. Reviews regarding Adrian’s body of work consider him a guitar virtuoso, an exceptional songwriter, and his jaw-dropping live shows never fail to impress. A must see!!!

Tim Williams (Calgary, Canada)
Tim Williams, born in Southern California but a long-time resident of Canada, is a finger-style and slide blues guitarist whose career has taken him to appearances in Australia, Morocco, Great Britain, Cuba and Mexico, as well as North America. He’s been nominated this year for CBC Radio’s “Great Canadian Blues” award, and a Maple Blues award as “Best Acoustic Act” from the Toronto Blues Society. As well, Tim is an in-demand CD producer, session musician and composer for theatre, with influences from Hawaii, Mexico, and North Africa blending with the blues in a highly original mixture.

Allen Alto (Washington, USA)
Alto has won many awards for his musical abilities; he studied at Central Washington University where he played in the prestigious Jazz Ensembles there. He has done extensive road and studio work with many well-known artists, such as John Sebastian and Jerry Jeff Walker, in almost every style of music. This shows in his playing as he blends all those influences into a truly unique style of guitar virtuosity.

Omar Torez (Los Angeles, USA)
“Omar Torrez’s music is equal parts Mexican and Cuban Son, gutbucket blues and post-modern rock. Think classic Latin song forms melted in Nortec Collective’s blast furnace and laced with the particulate embers of Paco De Lucia’s guitar and Manu Chao’s playfulness. A rare guitar virtuoso who has compelling songs and a great voice as well. His live performance must be experienced…”

Lige Williamson (Austin, USA)
Lige Williamson’s splashy slide guitar work and his startling vocals channel a soul grounded in American roots music. Lige plays a Delta Blues style with acoustic guitar, mandolin, and harmonica. His performances contain some dynamite original songs as well as selections by Taj Mahal, Robert Johnson, Keb Mo, and Son House. Lige grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He has been playing in Texas and Colorado the last several months, with plans to perform in Austin during SXSW in March. He collaborated with Kyle Stersic on the CD “Born With Eyes Too Big For My Head,” released in November.

Tickets available at the door of each event. See www.zihuafest.info or email info@zihuafest.info for more information. Visit the You Tube Channel to see Videos of 2012 Selected Artists and Past Festival Performances: www.youtube.com/zguitarfest

For more information about Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo see www.visitiz.com

2012 Schedule
Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival, March 5-11, 2012

Monday March 5, 2012 – 6pm Sunset,
Kick Off Event:
Meet the Artist Cocktail and Festival Opening Press Conference
Rossy´s Bar and Restaurant
on the beach, Playa La Ropa, 100 pesos cover charge

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 – 6pm
Opening Concert
Gian Frank Center,
Ixtapa in Plaza Ixpamar, 250 pesos cover charge

Wednesday, March 7, 2012,
3 Bar Shows

7pm-10pm
Gian Frank Center,
Ixtapa in Plaza Ixpamar, 100 pesos cover charge

7pm-10pm
Black Bull Night Club,
Central Zihuatanejo, Calle Nicolas Bravo, 100 pesos cover charge

10pm-1am
El Canto de las Sirenas Bar,
Autopista 200, by the bus station, 100 pesos cover charge

Thursday, March 8, 2012,
Children’s Concert, Gala Dinner, 2 Bar Shows

1pm-4pm
Children´s Concert,
Central Social,
Centro Zihuatanejo, Calle Morelos, FREE

6pm-9pm
Gala Dinner Show
Bistro del Mar Restaurant,
On the beach Playa Madera, Zihuatanejo, 250 pesos cover charge

7pm-10pm
Black Bull night club,
Central Zihuatanejo, Calle Nicolas Bravo, 100 pesos cover charge

10pm-1am
El Canto de las Sirenas Bar,
Autopista 200, by the bus station, 100 pesos cover charge

Friday, March 7, 2012
3 Bar Shows

7pm-10pm
Gian Frank Center,
Ixtapa in Plaza Ixpamar, 100 pesos cover charge

7pm-10pm
El Pueblito Bar & Restaurant,
Centro Zihuatanejo, 100 pesos cover charge

10pm-1amn
El Canto de las Sirenas Bar,
Autopista 200, by the bus station, 100 pesos cover charge

Saturday, March 10, 2012 – 7pm-10pm
Closing Concert / Musicians Jam
El Pueblito Bar & Restaurant,
Zihuatanejo, 150 pesos cover charge,

Sunday, March 11, 2012 – 7pm-10pm
Guitar Festival Presentation on the Zocalo
Zihuatanejo Zocalo (Town Square), Central Zihuatanejo, FREE