Oscar Lopez
Soul Music
by Annette C. Eshlemnan
Does an emotion have sound? Can a man's soul produce notes? According to instrumentalist Oscar Lopez, the answer to both questions is a resounding "yes." "Music is the universal language of the world," observed Lopez. "No matter if we speak it or we play it."
While there are no lyrics to most of Lopez's songs, he is confident that his audience "will still feel the music, because when you do it from your heart, your soul, people will get the message," he said. "People get my emotions through my playing." Indeed, Lopez's guitar playing is as unique and defining as any singer's voice. To hear him play is to hear him speak. His combination of Latin rhythms, technical dexterity, and instinct provide him with the ability to do wondrous things with a nylon-string guitar.
For the first 26 years of his life, Santiago, Chile was home to Lopez. Although the nylon-string guitar was his first love, Lopez played electric guitar in a rock band from the age of 16. He later worked part-time as a studio musician and even played jingles. His inability to carve out a career playing full-time music in Chile prompted Lopez to make a radical change. In 1979, at the invitation of his sister and brother-in-law, he moved to Canada.
Lopez now resides with his wife in Calgary, but he clearly remembers his difficult first year in North America. "It was not easy," he said. "You obviously miss home. I have my roots back in Chile; I still do. I don't forget where I came from." Lopez admitted that he "was very melancholic. I wanted to go back and stuff like that. But I just made a strong effort." In addition, Lopez credits his older sister with helping give him the resolve to stay. Her support and encouragement to "hold on, just have patience" provided the stability that he needed.
"And it was the right decision to make, because Canada I call home now," he said. "It's been 20 years now, and I stay because I think it's been good for my soul."
Lopez's musical talents are all the more amazing when one considers that he is self-taught. As a child, Lopez discovered a nylon-string guitar belonging to his mother. He was captivated by its sound and immediately began to experiment. He remembers commandeering the family washroom to practice, surrounded by the acoustically superior tiles. Lopez soon had his own guitar, and the instrument became his constant companion. Late-night sessions with friends and a steady improvement all contributed to his passion for playing the nylon-string guitar.
"I think I was probably nine or 10. It came to me like it's a natural process," Lopez recalled with a mixture of humility and wonder. "Sometimes I just don't understand how it happened. And I think maybe I shouldn't put my finger on it, or try to find out the reason why it happened, because if I do maybe I will lose the magic," he confessed, as though not wholly responsible for his own accomplishments. "I think it was meant to be," he said simply. "There's nobody to teach me how to do it, you see. I just learn[ed] it on my own. Although I believe strongly that God, or destiny... He gave me this gift."
Clearly, Lopez is gifted, but he has worked hard at developing his technique, his signature. "Over the years I've been getting better. Over the years I've been getting relaxed...more comfortable. Now it's been probably 37 years since I have been playing my instrument," he said. "The guitar is a part of me. It's my tool for communication."
When Lopez arrived in Canada, he spoke no English. His guitar communicated for him, and he was able to secure work playing rock 'n' roll, calypso, and even reggae in a cover band. Through the band, he found help learning the language of his adopted home and immersed himself in the new society and culture. Three years would pass before Lopez returned to playing the nylon-string guitar that he loved, devoting his time and energy to a solo career.
This is an excerpt from issue #92.
