MUSIC

Downtown Hollywood will kick off the 2012-13 cultural season with an ArtsPark Live! free concert on the lawn on Saturday, September 22, 2012 from 6-11 p.m., featuring legendary Mississippi bluesman Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Grammy-winning Louisiana zydeco master Terrance Simien. As a special family-friendly bonus, Simien will also present his award-winning interactive educational music experience, Creole for Kidz.

Creole for Kidz & The History of Zydeco – 6 p.m.
An interactive musical performing arts program for students & families presented by Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, Creole for Kidz gives music lovers of all ages an opportunity to hear and play authentic Zydeco music from Southern Louisiana and join Terrance and the band onstage for an unforgettable hands-on educational experience. Creole for Kidz has reached nearly 500,000 students, parents and teachers in more than 20 states and countries including Mali, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Paraguay, Canada and Australia.

Matt “Guitar” Murphy with The Nouveaux Honkies – 7 p.m.
Legendary Mississippi bluesman Matt “Guitar” Murphy earned his middle name. Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Matt Murphy was playing with Howlin’ Wolf as early as 1948, and has shared the stage with Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, Little Junior Parker, Ike Turner, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Etta James and Chuck Berry. He was already a legend among serious guitarists by the 1960s, famed for the incredibly fast and intricate blues riffs that would soon change rock and roll and influence Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. In 1980, his onstage and onscreen performances with The Blues Brothers turned him into one of the best-known blues guitarists in the United States. He can be seen in the films The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000, where he plays Aretha Franklin's hen-pecked husband. In 2012, Matt “Guitar” Murphy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He will be backed by The Nouveaux Honkies.

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience – 9 p.m.
Grammy-winning Louisiana zydeco master Terrance Simien has been shattering myths about American roots music for nearly 30 years. Acclaimed around the world as a true American cultural ambassador and musical innovator, Simien’s thoroughly modern zydeco music incorporates New Orleans funk, Afro-Caribbean grooves, classic soul, country, reggae, and rock ‘n’ roll and has made him one of the most respected and internationally recognized artists in American roots music today. He has performed with Paul Simon, Robert Palmer, Stevie Wonder, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, The Meters, Alan Toussaint, and Dave Matthews Band. He has been featured in many films, including the blockbuster hit The Big Easy, the recent Zac Efron film The Lucky One and Disney’s The Princess & The Frog. In 2008, he and his band mates were honored with a Grammy Award.