Pavlo Simtikidis

Pavlo Simtikidis, often called simply Pavlo (born June 29, 1969), is a Greek-Canadian guitarist who plays, "a Mediterranean sound mixing the folkloric styles of Greek, Spanish and Latin music with pop sensibilities." Born in Toronto, Canada, he is the son of Greek immigrants, George & Freda Simtikidis, of Kastoria, Greece. His albums Pavlo and Fantasia certified Gold in Canada, and album Fantasia was nominated in 2001 for a JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy) for Best Instrumental Album.

His next recording project Trifecta was released in 2009 in collaboration with Oscar Lopez and Rik Emmett (lead guitarist from rock group, Triumph) was nominated in 2010 for a JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy) for Instrumental Album of The Year.

Pavlo has sold more than a 500,000 records.

Awards and nominations

Juno Awards The Juno Awards is a Canadian awards ceremony presented annually by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Pavlo received 2 nominations.

Juno Awards Artist Summary Pavlo

Music Canada Gold and Platinum Certification Awards Certifications

Certified albums Pavlo (1998) Certified: Gold

Fantasia (2000) Certified: Gold

Music Canada Gold/Platinum Artist Summary Pavlo

Career Pavlo's career is marked by a series of impressive achievements that highlight his influence and success in the world of instrumental music. His PBS special "Pavlo: Mediterranean Nights" aired nationally in both Canada and the U.S., broadcast on Bravo, CBC Bold, and PBS. He has received two Juno Award nominations for Best Instrumental Album of the Year—first for Fantasia in 2000 and again for Trifecta in 2010, the latter being a collaborative project with two-time Juno winner Oscar Lopez and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rik Emmett of the band Triumph. The trio composed all original songs for the album and embarked on a national sold-out tour.

Performing an average of 150 concerts per year, Pavlo has sold over half a million records worldwide and earned two gold albums for Fantasia and Pavlo. In 2001, he was selected to perform for His Royal Highness Prince Charles.

In 2002, he won a lawsuit against R&B artists R. Kelly and Jay-Z, who had sampled his melody from Fantasia in their Top 10 hit "Fiesta." The court recognized that Pavlo’s original guitar work was used 27 times in the track, and he now shares publishing rights as a credited co-writer.

Among his many accolades, Pavlo was named World Artist of the Year in 2005 and reached the Billboard Top 10 in May of the same year. He was recognized as Touring Artist of the Year in 2006 and headlined the Montreal Jazz Festival main stage before a crowd of over 20,000. He was also honored as “Greek Man of the Year” by the Top Choice Awards in both 2006 and 2007 and received a 2007 nomination for Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year. His music has been featured in a variety of film and television productions, including So You Think You Can Dance, Marine Life (starring Cybill Shepherd), CTV’s Eleventh Hour, Just Cause, The L Word, and The Chris Isaak Show.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, Pavlo launched his own line of nylon-string acoustic guitars, the “Pavlo Signature Series,” which is sold online and across Canada. Known for his generosity and connection with audiences, Pavlo famously gives away his guitar to one lucky audience member at every concert, a gesture that has become one of his trademarks.

Discography Studio albums Title Album details Certifications Nominations/AwardsPavlo Released: 1998 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 01) CAN: Gold Fantasia Released: 2000 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 02) CAN: Gold I Feel Love Again Released: 2002 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 03)Frostbite: Music for the Holidays Released: 2003 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 04)Mediterranean Lounge Type: Remix album Released: 2004 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 07)Irresistible Released: 2006 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 08)Live at Massey Hall Type: Live album Released: 2007 Label: Sleeping Giant Music (#SGM 09)Mediterranean Nights Type: Live album Released: 2008 Label: Hejaz Entertainment (#HEJ-01)Trifecta (Pavlo, Rik Emmett, Oscar Lopez) Released: 2009 Label: P.R.O. (#PRO-001)Nominated for a Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year Six String Blvd Released: 2011 Label: Hejaz Entertainment (#HEJ-10)Guitarradas (Pavlo & Remigio) Released: 2015 Label: Hejaz EntertainmentLive in Kastoria Type: Live album Released: 2016 Label: Hejaz EntertainmentLive in Guadalajara Type: Live album Released: 2019 Label: Hejaz EntertainmentTogether Released: 2019 Label: Hejaz EntertainmentSantoriniReleased: 2022 Label: Hejaz Entertainment

Video albums Title Album details Certifications Nominations/AwardsMediterranean Nights Released: 2008 Label: Hejaz Entertainment (#HEJDVD01) Formats: DVDLive in Kastoria Released: 2016 Label: Hejaz Entertainment Formats: DVD

Other Appearances Vasyl Popadiuk – III (2004) (Produced by Pavlo, written by Pavlo & Konstantine) Konstantine – Mediterranean Rendezvous (2004)

Other Compilation Appearances Tabu: Mondo Flamenco (2001) (Narada) Camino Latino / Latin Journey – Liona Maria Boyd (2002) (Moston) Guitar Greats: The Best of New Flamenco – Volume II (2002) (Baja/TSR Records) Barcelona: Music Celebrating the Flavors of the World (2004) (Williams Sonoma) The World of the Spanish Guitar Vol. 1 (2011) (Higher Octave Music) Guitar Greats: The Best of New Flamenco – Volume III (2013) (Baja/TSR Records)