Swedish Folk Sensation José González to Perform Walt Disney Concert Hall

Jordan Bailey

Lately, it seems that the countries of Scandinavia have an uncanny ability to either create remarkable singer-songwriters or spectacular electronic producers. In the case of José González he falls into the former category. His sound resonates ever-so-slightly and just enough to elicit deep emotions from its listeners. He’s a soft voice over a classical guitar with a bit of soul just for good measure. González’s upcoming show at Walt Disney Concert Hall will feature yMusic ensemble, a group of New York instrumentalists who’ve carved out a niche within the classical music world by combining their talents with pop music artists. This addition will surely prove a perfect match as the backing to González’s sound.

González was born in Argentina hence the Spanish name, and relocated to Sweden during Argentina’s infamous “Dirty War.” The countries of Scandinavia opened their doors to the many refugees and found one González family on their entry forms. Lucky for them, José would turn into yet another musical sensation to wear the Swedish flag like a badge of honor. Naturally, as a youngster, González listened to Spanish music in the form of folk artist Silvio Rodríguez as well as legendary artists like Bob Marley and Michael Jackson. With influences like that, it was inevitable that he would begin creating great music himself.

In 2003, González released “Veneer,” his debut album that would end up going platinum in the UK and selling over 700,000 copies worldwide (one of the many benefits of being an internationally based artist). He plays in the vein of modern folk artists like Bon Iver and Iron & Wine, a sound which “Veneer” clearly echoed. González’s sophomore album entitled “In Our Nature” was heavily influenced by literature, rather than music. The tender tracks that consumed this album took from the works of evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ famous book “The God Delusion” and ethicist Peter Singer’s “Practical Ethics.” Bold choices indeed, though as a former PhD student, González was more than capable of transferring such heavy ideas into his lyrics. Last year, the folk star released his third LP “Vestiges and Claws.” The album reached number 72 on the U.S. Billboard charts. It was González’s first time self-producing and his first album to feature all original material as the rest of his records feature prominent covers.

González’s music is best suited for the ambitious traveler, the vagabond with a permanent go-bag. Listen to any one of his albums while walking down the road less traveled and everything becomes clear.

José González will perform March 11 & 12 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. For the March 11 show click here for ticket information and for the March 12 show click here.