Burning Coal's MusiCoal Series Presents Ed Stephenson & Paco Band Tonight, 7/22

Burning Coal's MusiCoal summer music series will feature Ed Stephenson & the Paco Band tonight, July 22, 2012 at 7 PM. They will be performing at the Murphey School, located on 224 Polk Street in Raleigh. Tickets are $10 at the door. For further information, please visit the website at www.burningcoal.org or call 919-834-4001.

ABOUT PACO BAND: Paco Band is a Spanish music and Nuevo flamenco ensemble, performing original compositions and music by artists such as Paco De Lucia, Ottmar Liebert, and Isaac Albeniz. The band consists of two guitarists, Ed Stephenson and Craig Hilton, two bassists, Ryan Johnson and PeeWee Watson, and one percussionist, Cat Albanese.

Guitarist Ed Stephenson is originally from Toronto, but now finds himself in Raleigh, NC as the head of Guitar Studies at Meredith College. Ed has performed with numerous musical groups throughout North America as well as many local groups such as the North Carolina Symphony and North Carolina Theater. His newest CD, "Ino Live," is available through purchase on Itunes and is also located on his website, www.edstephenson.com

Paco's second guitarist, Craig Hilton, has been experimenting and learning about guitar since age 10. The New York native has toured all over Europe in a free jazz ensemble, and has also traveled solo to introduce his works to places such as Berlin and London. He is constantly creating and bringing new guitar compositions to life, and is currently anticipating the release of his work with composer Tomas Phillips on the Absinth label in Berlin this year.

Bassist Ryan Johnson has been a successful multi-instrumental player here in Raleigh. He also plays guitar for Paco, which ups the already unique style of the band. He is well known for playing a part in the creation of "Blatant Disarray," a group he regularly performs with.

Also playing bass for Paco Band is PeeWee Watson, one of Raleigh's nationally recognized musicians. He has had the opportunity to tour with Nantucket, and mega-bands such as AC/DC. His talent is very evident from his past projects, "Cry of Love," "Whistlestop," and "PKM."

Paco's percussionist, Cat Albanese, has been all around the world playing with various indie bands. She is now a freelance musician, playing for Paco and also teaching music at Neighborhood Academy of Music. Her latest project, Elena Riding, utilizes both piano and guitar and shows off her unique and quirky style.

ABOUT THE MUSICOAL SERIES. Burning Coal's MusiCoal is a summer concert series designed to provide an eclectic array of music to the Raleigh community. For further information, contact Burning Coal's managing director, Simmie Kastner, at 919.834.4001 or visit the website at www.burningcoal.org.

Burning Coal Theatre Company is one of Raleigh's small, professional theatres. Burning Coal is an incorporated, non-profit [501 (c) (3)] organization. Burning Coal's mission is to produce literate, visceral, affecting theatre that is experienced, not simply seen. Burning Coal produces explosive reexaminations of overlooked classic and modern plays, as well as new plays, whose themes and issues are of immediate concern to our audience, using the best local, national and International Artists available. We work toward a theatre of high-energy performances and minimalist production values. The emphasis is on literate works that are felt and experienced viscerally, unlike more traditional linear plays, at which audiences are most often asked to observe without participating. Race and gender non-specific casting is an integral component of our perspective, as well as an international viewpoint.

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