Photo – village green norwood – Aug. 2015

NORWOOD -- The Norwood Village Green Concert Series will extend its season by presenting two-time Grammy Award artist Terrance Simien Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6:30 p.m.

NVG officials have been trying to bring Simien for more than 20 years. This opportunity was made possible by the inclusion of Josh Lazo, a former Potsdam resident, and currently a member of Simien’s Zydeco Experience band, and through Lazo’s mother, Potsdam resident Beth Robinson, her family, and friends.

Lazo was invited to join this band near the end of 2014. He plays tenor sax and the rub board. He spent his formative years in Potsdam studying and performing a variety of genres including jazz, tango, celtic, and the blues.

Leading his Zydeco Experience band, Simien “has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today,” a statement from NVG says. He and his bandmates have performed over 7,000 concerts and toured millions of miles to over 45 countries during their eventful and colorful career. For 27 consecutive years, Simien has performed at the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival, an event that has become the gold standard for showcasing and celebrating all Louisiana music traditions.

Further cementing its universal appeal, the band has just returned from a state department tour of Russia titled “Zydeco Zig Zag: Planting the Seeds of American Roots Music.” Zydeco Experience performed in a number of rural and less urban locations around northwest Russia, as well as in the Ural Mountains region.

Simien has received two Grammy Awards (2008 and 2014) and he was a featured performer at the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony in 2008. Over the years he has performed and recorded with some of the giants of American pop culture music, including Robert Palmer, Stevie Wonder, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Allan Toussaint, Paul Simon and the Dave Mathews Band. He has also pioneered children’s educational programs with his Creole for Kidz program, complete with a study guide. Simien had long been frustrated by the lack of representation and resources dedicated to the Creole culture.

As an eighth generation Louisiana Creole, Simien has been at the forefront of “Louisiana Music” over an illustrious career.

The series has presented some of the greats of Louisiana music over the years including The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Balfa Toujours, Grammy nominated C.J. Chenier and The Red Hot Louisiana Band, and Grammy Award recipient Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys.

The rain site will be the Norwood-Norfolk Central School auditorium.

For more information visit nvgcs.org.