Ballroom Marfa presented Jose Gonzalez at Liberty Hall on April 26, 2007.

Indie wunderkind Jose Gonzalez was born to Argentinean parents and grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden with formal guitar studies and a family record collection that was equal parts bossa nova and Beatles. Gonzalez’s April 26th appearance in Marfa was one of only a few live dates for him in 2007.

There are hints of Latin rhythm and Scandinavian melancholy in his songcraft, but there’s more to Gonzalez than his unusual upbringing — or the comparisons in the music press to introspective forbears like Nick Drake and Elliot Smith.

With the Swedish-only release of his debut album Veneer in 2003, Gonzalez’s technical command of the guitar and his romantic, autumnal songwriting distinguished him from all of his neo-folk contemporaries. Word spread in indie pop circles of this unassuming Swede with a sensuous voice and peerless guitar technique, and Veneer made its way to sympathetic audiences and record labels in Europe and America. With some high-profile publicity along the way, Gonzalez manages a level of acclaim and visibility extraordinary for a musician known for performing with only his own voice, songs, and guitar.