Johnny Lopez has one of the valley’s most angelic voices. In Café Canela, a classic soul/oldies band, Lopez soothes and serenades with a beautiful high-pitched falsetto, while multi-instrumentalist/producer Emanuel Cazares drives home the old school, catchy sound. The band is selling out shows across Southern California, where bigger and bigger audiences are singing Lopez’s harmonious vocals back at him. On Friday, Nov. 20, Café Canela is set to perform at “Brian Ray Presents: Desert Scene” at the Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs. (Disclosure: I helped organize/book this show). For tickets and more information, visit www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com.
What was the first concert you attended?
Oddly, Stephen Marley at the Hollywood Bowl once upon a time—the first one I actually bought tickets to, that is. I’ve seen random bands at local events, even in the valley, since I was younger.
What was the first album you owned?
Demon Days by Gorillaz. It was a really sick-looking album art cover, too.
What bands are you listening to right now?
I’m heavy in my Sade-, Puma Blue-, Khruangbin-sounding music right now. I also have mountain drive, oldies/souldies and hip-hop playlists that I always seem to cycle, or my favorite artists on repeat. Anyone who knows me will tell you how annoyed they are of it. I’m very diverse on what I grew up on, too.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
This one I pondered a lot on. It’s definitely a loaded question. I would say something along the lines of like … Taylor Swift? I’ll leave it at that.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Definitely would love to see Sade, or even Daft Punk. Hopefully they play sometime again.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Probably my emo music that I’ll play very loud to either get somewhere fast or decompress while driving. Old tunes by Fall Out Boy and Pierce the Veil. Vic Fuentes’ voice is something special.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Pappy and Harriet’s, playing and watching—very intimate and live crowd with a great sound overall. Feels like home, too.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“There must have been an angel by my side …” “Kiss of Life,” Sade.
What band or artist changed your life? How?
I would say Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I would listen to them religiously growing up, and his book, Scar Tissue, was a pretty good read. It shows me that anybody really can do this music stuff if you really try and really want it. Also, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes. Dude’s a living legend. Huge fan.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
Julian Casablancas: What really went down with the Strokes and Nardwuar so many years ago, and where does the band stand on the subject now?
What song would you like played at your funeral?
Morbid. Given the choice, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” by Marvin Gaye. I love that song. It also feels like it fits the occasion a bit.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
If I really had to choose, definitely Is This It by the Strokes. I feel like I find something new about it just about every time I listen to it. It’d be nice to find something new about it before the drop of the hammer.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
“Maybe,” Janis Joplin, or “Didn’t Wanna Have to Do It,” Cass Elliot. So hard, I couldn’t choose. Anthems in my book.
