MUSIC LINEUP
Mike B & the Universe
Omar Velasco
Based in Los Angeles, Omar Velasco is an accomplished singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who draws inspiration from a range of artists, including Stevie Wonder, Milton Nascimento, Mercedes Sosa and folk luminaries like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Silvio Rodriguez. Omar honors the sounds of the past while conjuring his own eclectic and distinctive blend of multicultural musical flavor. Born to a Jewish American father and Mexican mother, he proudly represents the richness of his upbringing in his music.
Omar’s latest album, Like the Fruit Falls from the Tree, is a reflection of his journey through heartbreak, loss, and new beginnings. It was a job with a fruit tree care company that triggered his rebirth and reconnected him with his purpose in life and art after ingesting and feeding off of the energy of the fruit-bearing trees. He was struck by the inherent grace and generosity of these stoic beings, and how they are exemplars of meaningful, interconnected life. “The purpose of our existence is in what we offer and what fruits we bring to bear,” says Omar. The songs that then emerged, all within a matter of weeks, felt very much like fruits fallen from a musical tree; freely given and gratefully received. He then reached out to his longtime friend and collaborator, acclaimed producer Jonathan Wilson, to help translate the songs into a rich, beautiful and nuanced album.
