Come out to “Rally For Roger” on August 9.  Before the show, look for a Rutgers red hat in front of the Moravian Bookstore to join club members in a show of support. – Ed.

Singer/guitarist Roger Latzgo will bring his special brand of world music to Lyrikplatz at Musikfest on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 6:00 PM.  The performance is free and open to the public.

Latzgo’s program is called From Ethnofunkology to Ecofunkology and will include many kinds of story-songs.  His musical tribute to a legendary hero of Pennsylvania’s steel mills, “Joe Magarac” and his story-songs based on tales by Hans Christian Andersen and St. Exupery will be among them.  Another song visits the mysterious Golem of Prague.  The musical myths extend to songs about nature, gardening and ecology.  During the program, the composer will play his compositions “The Mushroom Song”, a magical look at fungi.  In “Swim The Hellespont”, Roger joins Leander and Byron in the epic tradition and sings about swimming from Europe to Asia.

Latzgo will include music from his CDs Swing Bohemienne, New Wine in Old Bottles, and Wild Nights.  The recordings explore Latzgo’s Pennsylvania roots through the Central European folk music of his grandparents.  His music, described playfully by American composer David Amram as ethnofunkology, is a blend of the flavorful fork traditions of Central Europe with Latzgo’s home-grown American influences.  Latzgo’s commitment to ecological issues has sprouted into ecofunkology…jazzy songs celebrating the environment.

For over 30 years, Latzgo has been performing his music on stages throughout the world.  He recently entered a publishing agreement with London-based Platinum Music to distribute his music worldwide.  He’s performed his cycle of Hans Christian Andersen Story Songs at the American-Scandinavian Foundation in Manhattan.  He is the recipient of an International Angel Award for “Best Composer” which was presented in a ceremony in Hollywood.  His latest projects include music based on his travels to Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

For more information, visit www.fest.org or www.rogerlatzgo.com.