Terra Guitarra

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The romantic Spanish style guitar music of Terra Guitarra will be featured in a Valentine’s Eve concert at 8 p.m. today at the Lake Pepin Art & Design Center.

Terra Guitarra’s sound has been described as “a musical landscape of guitar — Spanish compositions with world rhythms that conjure up Parisian cafes, epic journeys and moonlit alleyways,” according to the group.

The main guitarist is Bruce Hecksel of the acoustic duo Patchouli. He began the Terra Guitarra project last year as a documentation to capture his musical impressions on guitar of the many places he has comes across in his travels and how they resonate musically, spokesmen said.

On his Web site, www.terraguitarra.com, Hecksel wrote, “The songs in this collection were received whole as compositions from the land itself, held in my mind and immediately recorded on guitar to captivate the original voice of the place... It seemed as if I was hearing the voice of the land simply reveling in its existence.”

Since the release of Terra Guitarra’s debut album in May 2008 , the music has reached a worldwide audience. The response inspired Hecksel to also record a holiday instrumental CD, “Winter Solstice,” which was released in December.

Joining Hecksel will be his musical partner Julie Patchouli on rhythm guitar and “conguero” Willy Crow Mojo. Both perform on the “Terra Guitarra” CD.

Special guests will be Jana and Craig Holland from Green Bay, Wis., and Australia. They will open the night with their new brand of alternative folk music.

Admission will be $10 at the door. The art center is located at 406 Second St. in Pepin. For more information, go to www.pepinartdesign.org or www.patchouli.net.

Tags: applause, terra, guitarra