# Photos: At the 14th annual International Guitar Festival in Uppsala, Sweden, an unforgettable events … Video

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2017/10/30/photos-at-the-14th-annual-international-guitar-festival-in-uppsala-sweden-an-unforgettable-events-video/
- Published: 2017-10-30T22:53:04+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**At the 14th annual Uppsala International Guitar Festival in Sweden, a memorable
highlight was the programming on Oct. 13, which featured performances tastefully
sandwiched by music from the legendary composer/guitarist Baden Powell (1937–2000).
An all-Brazil program, it all started with Brazilian guitar maestro Marco Pereira
and ended with the elegant Miriam Aida Ensemble. Pereira returned to the stage to
join the group for the two closing encore numbers.**

Held in the Uppsala Konsert & Kongress building, the Brazilian program came at the
midway point of the festival, which ran Oct. 11–15. It’s a festival that participant/
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet member John Dearman later praised in a note to fest director
Klaus Pontvik, saying, “This is my favorite kind of festival; not just classical
guitar but an eclectic and stimulating mixture of electric, fingerstyle, Latin American,
flamenco – the gamut of the amazing world of music and musicians we all belong to.”

![Картинки по запросу 14th annual International Guitar Festival](https://i0.wp.com/
i.ytimg.com/vi/ukfFpveuvvo/maxresdefault.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

Pereira’s hour-long set was highlighted by medleys, including one that featured 
rare, early compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim. “Modinha” and “Luiza” became exquisite
examples of Jobim’s romanticism, while Pereira’s Baden Powell medley featured visits
to “Consolacao” and “Berimbau.” This material provided Pereira ample opportunity
to showcase his delicate yet fierce touch on classical guitar while reminding listeners
of Powell’s strengths as a composer.

![Картинки по запросу Mats Andersson guitar](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/P8nh5wCBISg/
maxresdefault.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

Swedish singer Aida performed in an ensemble featuring guitarist Mats Andersson 
and percussionists Ola Bothzen and Finn Bjornulfson. Her bright green dress complemented
a vocal style that exuded the beauty of Brazilian samba. Aida gently swayed to and
fro between band members, her light, powerful voice conveying deep emotion. When
Pereira joined the ensemble for a fiery rendition of “Berimbau” in the encore, it
provided the perfect ending to a perfect evening.

Another singer of note was Argentinian Noelia Moncada, who performed on Oct. 15 
in the mid-sized Hall B. In trio with guitarist Leonardo Anderssen and bassist Juan
Pablo Navarro, her alternately quiet then impassioned vocals created an engaging
hybrid that felt like a jazz trio set mixed with a more traditional, romantic Tango
outing.

Navarro’s blend of arco and pizzicato naturally meshed with Anderssen’s graceful
guitar chords and bluesy single notes. The enthused crowd was brought its feet as
Moncada sang a spirited, humorous “Besame Mucho.” The gift of a hand puppet from
fest director Pontvik provided Moncada with a useful prop as she and her singing
partner/puppet showcased the surprise ventriloquist in our midst.

![Картинки по запросу Frank Gambale with vocalist Boca](https://i0.wp.com/www.frankgambale.
com/images/home-slider/RMJFFG%26Boca1.jpeg?w=640)

Other festival highlights included jazz guitarist Frank Gambale with vocalist Boca
in a pop-jazz program in the Big Hall, as well as the festival finale-a flamenco
hoedown spotlighting two of Sweden’s great young guitarists, Robert “Robi” Svard
and Afra Rubino (also in the Big Hall).

After an opening solo set, Rubino eventually joined Svard’s ensemble of bass, percussion,
vocals and a stunning dancer in what was an impressive all-Svard program.

On Oct. 12, the Big Hall was the site for the European premiere of Pat Metheny’s
piece _Road To The Sun_, as performed by the renowned Los Angeles Guitar Quartet,
which also played a J.S. Bach segment, as well as a Brazilian medley featuring works
by Hermeto Pascoal, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Baden Powell.

The Metheny piece, 25 minutes in length and in six segments, seemed to somehow incorporate
Metheny’s voice as a kind of fifth presence. For its encores, the quartet finished
with two pieces, including a kind of slapstick unpacking of Pachelbel’s Canon played
in a variety of musical styles. The crowd loved it.

![Похожее изображение](https://i0.wp.com/farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/8901023990_5a8f1b1d25_b.
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On the same evening in the Big Hall, Bosnian guitarist Edin Karamazov and Cuban 
classical composer/conductor Leo Brouwer delivered a rollout of classical solo guitar
followed by works with the Swedish Guitar Orchestra and Indra String Quartet.

The festival also featured vendors, workshops, lectures and master classes. Among
them was a revisit to the late guitarist Carl Cress’ jazz guitar duets, and an informative
clinic by Gambale, who centered on his signature “sweep picking” technique. Elsewhere,
the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet’s Matt Greif offered a lecture titled “Jazz Elements
for Classical Guitarists.”

![Картинки по запросу Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Matt Greif](https://i0.wp.com/s3.
amazonaws.com/attachments.readmedia.com/files/48234/original/LAGQ2.jpg?w=640&ssl
=1)

The exhibit _George, Eric & Me_ featured photos by author/photographer Pattie Boyd,
who participated in a Q&A session, accompanied by a short film about her work. Fans
of classic rock were eager to hear Boyd reminisce about being married to George 
Harrison (from 1966–’77) and Eric Clapton (from 1979–’89).

The popular International Young Talent Competition, held on the afternoon of Oct.
12, was complemented by original music from a gifted 13-year-old from Croatia named
Frano. This competition illustrated that the festival’s outreach to young people
and its commitment to music education remains vitally strong.

![Картинки по запросу 14th annual International Guitar Festival](https://i0.wp.com/
downbeat.com/images/news/_full/Web_Marco_Pereira_with_Miriam_Aida_credit_Bob_Rose_copy.
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