Go on a world music tour at the McMillan Arts Centre on Friday, as Nanaimo’s TerraZetto brings Latin and European jazz with some samba, tango and world music influences.
“Most of the stuff we do is danceable,” said Len Imbery who plays acoustic and digital accordions in the duo. “We do our own twist on a lot of things, we do movie themes and kind of jazz them up a bit, we take a Beatles song and turn it into swing.”
TerraZetto is playing the second half of the MACoustic Folk Club on Feb. 15 in Parksville.
Kenny Brault is the other half of the group who plays electric bass, mandolin and bouzouki.
He was a bassist for 16 years on the Island before exploring his Scottish roots and taking up the mandolin and Irish bazouki. Brault said that while TerraZetto is a duo they will have a full band sound with a digital accordion, funky bass and groovy drum loops.
Imbery comes from Regina and said he was forced to play the accordion as a child by his polka-playing father.
“I wasn’t allowed to quit, but my father twigged on to bribing me to keep playing. So when I became a teenager I wanted to play drums and guitar, so he said, well, we’ll get you some drums if you take another year of accordion lessons.”
Twenty five years after he severed his ties with his accordion, Imbery rediscovered its cool factor on the Internet, and picked it back up.
TerraZetto will also have a special guest named Doris Lavoie at the event. The 79-year-old started touring in 1965 and is a “gypsy spirit” Brault said, often stealing the show.
Don't miss TerraZetto and Lavoie at the MACoustic Folk Club, following an open mic jam. The night begins at 7:30, tickets are $5.
For more information visit www.mcmillanartscentre.com.