Locarno
Performance Works Main Stage
eventSaturday, August 12, 2023
schedule9:00 PM - 10:55 PM (PDT)
Ticket information
Daytime performances at the Waterfront Theatre are free of charge. Evening performances are "pay what you can afford". Tickets are by donation at the door. Tipping artists is encouraged!
About the artist
“Locarno is an 8-piece band from Vancouver (via Mexico), who plays a fusion of traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latin, Folk, and Roots music. ”
Locarno is the Latin project of JUNO Award winning musician, Tom Landa. Like him, the
music is equal parts Mexican and Canadian. Tom was born and raised in Mexico City, and
moved to Canada in his teens. In the mid nineties he formed the Folk Roots band, The
Paperboys, who have been touring worldwide for over 20 years. Tom has always dabbled in
Latin music, and in 2005 decided to immerse himself more into genre, and started working
on material for an album. In 2006 he was awarded a Canada Council Grant to study
traditional Mexican Music in Veracruz, Mexico. Tom spent his days learning the jarana (an 8
string guitar), and learning songs from the Son Jarocho repertoire. Upon his return to
Canada, Tom started working on what would be Locarno’s debut CD.
In 2009 Tom decided it was high time to make the album he had been threatening to make.
He joined forces with producer Joby Baker (Alex Cuba, Adonis Puentes, Cowboy Junkies) and
trumpeter Miguelito Valdes (Omara Portoundo, Afro Cuban All Stars) who helped bring the
album to life. In 2010 Locarno released ‘Una Mas Y Ya Nos Vamos’ The music is a mix of Son
Jarocho inspired folk tunes with Afro-Cuban rhythms. The album went on to be nominated
for a WCMA and garnered rave reviews.
Since then the band has honed in on their sound and incorporated more of their influences
such as music from Columbia, African Sukous, Mexican Marimba Music, Venezuelan Joropo
and Brazilian Forro Music. Perhaps where the band shines the most is in the live shows
which features Tom Landa on jaranas and guitars, Kalissa Landa on violin, Robin Layne on
marimba, congas and timbales, Pedro Mota on guitar an vocals, Aaron McKinney on bass,
Liam MacDonald on drums, congas and pandero, Mark D’Angelo on trumpet and Nick La
Rivere on trombone.
In 2016 the band released their second record Luz y Sombra, which features 10 original
compositions and 2 traditional Mexican songs. Joey Baker was once again at the helm of the
production, bringing cohesiveness to the fusion of the different musical styles.
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