Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts is hosting an afternoon concert with Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15. 

Figueiredo is considered one of the world’s most talented guitar players. Figueiredo’s incredible technique is gilded with emotion, making his electrifying concerts of Brazilian and jazz music unforgettable. 

Still in his early 30s, he is the winner of several important competitions including the Montreux Jazz Competition and the VISA Prize. He has performed in more than 40 countries worldwide and most recently been accompanying the singer and songwriter Belchior and collaborating with popular French vocalist Cyrille Aimée.

Figueiredo has released more than 19 albums, three DVDs and several instructional books. His music is a fusion of jazz, bossa nova and classical forms.  

Figueiredo was born in Franca, Brazil, in 1980. At the age of 4 he used to strike poses carrying his small guitar. At 6, he received a mandolin, which was kept in a very special place in his house. Diego played many instruments before choosing the electric guitar when he was 12. By the age of 15, he was playing theaters and nightclubs throughout Brazil, playing both solo and with many renowned Brazilian musicians.

He has studied classical guitar, Brazilian popular music and jazz in several different conservatories including Franca, Ribeirão Preto, Tatuí, and the Berklee College of Music.

Besides being a guitar player, Diego is a producer, arranger, orchestrator, multi-instrumentalist.

Local jazz musicians Donny & Kleist, featuring Don Caverly on upright bass and Erica von Kleist on saxophone and flute, will join Figueiredo for a portion of his performance.

Opening for Figueiredo is singer/songwriter Chuck Suchy, one of the foremost musical voices of the American Great Plains. 

Chuck Suchy is a folk musician, songwriter, and working farmer from Mandan, N.D. 

A sample of his songs gives a taste of his songwriting style: 

“The Story of Hazel Miner” is a folk ballad telling the story of Hazel Miner, a 15-year-old girl who died saving her brother and sister during a March 1920 blizzard in Center, N.D.

“Burma Shave Boogie” incorporates several rhymes from old Burma-Shave roadside signs into its lyrics.

“Indian Dreamer” celebrates both the Indian (a motorcycle) and a father's youth as revealed to his son.

Tickets for the performance are $27 for adults and $15 for students. Present concert tickets for special “Before & After” packages that offer discounts at local restaurants, retail stores, and lodging. 

Visit www.bigforkcenter.org or call 837-4885 to purchase tickets, view package specials, and for more information. Concert tickets are also available at Electric Avenue Gifts in Bigfork.