Danny Michel comes to Brock's Centre for the Arts this month, promoting his latest album, which he made in Belize.

Kitchener-Waterloo-based singer songwriter Danny Michel has a rootsy infectious groove that catches you the moment you hear his songs and he’s bringing his unmistakeable sound back to the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre this month.

The Juno Award-nominated Michel will perform with special guests The Heartbroken on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

Michel is known for his earnest delivery of clever lyrics, which resonate with audiences, matched only by his impeccable musicianship.

Michel is coming to Brock to promote his latest album, Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me, the muse for which he found at the foot of the Xunantunich Mayan ruins in Belize. There, he teamed up with members of the Garifuna Collective, the Benque Players, and pioneering producer Ivan Duran at Stonetree Records, a label and studio that has been instrumental in bringing the Belizean sound to the world.

Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me dives into the waves of Belize’s musical deep, featuring Maya guitar, turtle shells, donkey jaw-bone, and traditional Garifuna segunda and primero drums. The album cultivates lush rhythms and sounds, the perfect backdrop for Michel’s eloquently buoyant songwriting style.

A new album wasn’t all Michel accomplished while in Belize. He also founded the Danny Michel Ocean Academy Fund to provide scholarships for students of the Caye Culker Community School, the first high school on Caye Caulker, a coral island off the coast of Belize.

With the help of crowdsourcing, Michel raised more than $30,000 in the fund’s first year.

Toronto roots rockers The Heartbroken are known for country-tinged songs with melancholy. The group calls upon the vocal prowess of Damhnait Doyle (Shaye), veteran drummer and vocalist Blake Manning, guitarist Stuart Cameron and bassist Peter Fusco.

This performance is part of the Centre for the Arts’ 2012-13 Hot Ticket season. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the Centre for Arts Box Office at 905-688-5550 x3257, toll free on 1-866-617-3257 or go online Arts.BrockU.ca.

Discounted tickets are available for college, university and high school students. All ticket holders are invited to a free post-show artist chat.