International sensation, Montana musician together on local stage
Erika Luckett and John Floridis combine for one big night at the KM Theatre in Kalispell on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Erika (pronounced eddy-kah) Luckett creates a powerful expression of world-inspired music. Poetic and sensual, her voice conveys lyrical depth, and her fiery, innovative guitar playing creates an orchestra of sound with only six strings.
Her unique expression and world-class artistry have earned her a slew of awards and accolades. Most recently she was named Female Artist of the Year 2004 by Just Plain Folks, (the world's largest independent music organization which reviewed over 10,000 albums and 140,000 songs from 85 countries around the globe) and was honored by both Modern Woman Today magazine and The Jewish Post as one of the 100 Most Outstanding Women of the Year (along with Queen Elizabeth, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, and Madonna.) Whether singing in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese, Luckett's music reminds us that beauty and a luminous heart transcend any boundary.
Crossing boundaries comes easily to Luckett. Born in Mexico and raised in Venezuela and Brazil, she savored the richness of the Amazon, the urban rhythms of Sao Paulo, and the percolating warmth of the Caribbean. As a teenager she made her way to France, playing in the subways where her own concoction of folk, Latin, jazz and pop echoed in the underground.
Luckett made her way to the Berklee School of Music where she earned a degree in film scoring. From there she embarked on a composition whirlwind, writing for film, multimedia and theater. She recently stepped on the other side of the camera when she played the part of "Mary Ann" in the motion picture "The Californians" directed by Jonathan Parker and starring Noah Wyle, Ileana Douglas, Cloris Leachman, Keith Carradine and Kate Mara.
Her fourth solo album, "Unexpected," follows on the heels of three previous award winning albums, "Tinted Glass" (2000), "My Little Crime" (2001) and "The New Orleans Sessions" (2002). Averaging nearly 150 shows a year for the last four years, Luckett's tours have led her across the United States and into Canada, establishing a passionate and dedicated fan base.
Floridis is a well-known guitarist, singer and songwriter from Missoula.
Tickets are $10 in advance and are available at Red's Wines and Blues, or $12 at the door.
The KM Theatre is located at 40 Second St. E.