Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
This is for Chilita
Chilita let me first thank you for your comment.. I guess you can say we have pretty much abandoned our blogger page.. You can now read all about the current events in Tejas on the TEJANO AWARENESS BOARD. Here is the link http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/tejanomike also if you have myspace we are on there also, once you find us on the board request our myspace and we will be happy to give you that link also. I will forward this comment to my brother so that he also can keep his eye out for you on the TAB (Tejano Awareness Board).
Thursday, August 17, 2006
History in the Making - Jimmy Edwards
Bob Gallarza Presents, Jimmy Edward at the grand opening of the, "Silverado Ranch." This will be on SAT August 26TH in Irving, TX. Bob and his all star orchestra will have the pleasure of backing up Jimmy performing all the hits off his new CD as well as taking you down memory lane.
Silverado Ranch is a NEW venue supporting our beloved music. I hope you support them by attending their events. It's what a lot of people in the Dallas- Ft. Worth area has wanted: A nice venue that holds 2000 people comfortably with a big dance floor, tables, V.I.P. area, a big stage with built in sound and lighting, also it's B.Y.O.B. For reservations call 972. 253.5555. A "meet and greet" will be held at 7:30 with Bob and Jimmy - and Super Tejano 850/870 at the venue with giveaways, photos and autographs!
Y QUE SIGA LA MUSICA CHICANA!!!!!!!
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Tejano Roots Hall of Fame
Make plans now to attend the 7th Annual Noche de Fiesta Tejana Kick-Off Dance In Alice, Texas
Tickets are now on sale for the 7th Annual Noche de Fiesta Tejana Weekend. Just follow the link below! For more info call 361-701-6028 9:00am to 5:00pm 7 days a week.
www.tejanorootshalloffame.org
See You In November!
Javier JV Villanueva, CEOTejano R.O.O.T.S. Hall of Fame213 N. Wright StreetAlice, Texas 78332
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LATIN BREED
Have a taste for Old School or how about some New School? Then go check out Latin Breed.
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Las Vegas ---Through My Eyes, By Juan Sifuentes
The Gathering3 peat in Las Vegas - part one
The pilot announces that we are landing in Las Vegas. It is pretty close to 12:00 midnight. I peer out the window and I witness one of the most beautiful sites that I have ever seen. The night-lights of Las Vegas. The city actually looks like a country of it’s own being that it is encompassed, from the rest of the world, by mountains. As we land the pilot states that the temperature was 101 degrees…was this a taste of things to come? Vegas was sizzling! The Tejanos have landed… It is now morning and Jv, Chanty, and I get things ready for the Tejano R.o.o.t.s. booth. Like Jv says, " If you can’t bring Mohammed to the mountain, you take the mountain to Mohammed!" That is what we did. We brought some of the Hall-of-Fame museum to Vegas. I was really impressed with how well we all worked together to make sure our displays were set-up right and were appealing to the eye. We met a whole bunch of our usual friends like Ricardo Hernandez (Aur-Marc entertainment), Dave Biondi (Bnet radio), David Chavez (Latin Pointe productions), and all of the great artist that we are by now accustomed to seeing…The Gang was there. While in Houston eating a little food at the airport (Hunan buffet) we met up with Arturo Montez, Leonel Sanchez, and the legendary Tejano R.o.o.t.s. Hall-of-fame inductee Mr. Paulino Bernal. What a surprise indeed. We were surprised to find out they were headed to the Las Vegas convention. The meet and greet went well and we met a whole lot of Tejanos who were now living in different parts of the United States. This was a sign of how the night would be…A lot of Tejanos in the House. We put up our displays and headed to our rooms to groom up a bit. We splashed on a lot of cologne. Before we knew it...IT WAS 7:30 p.m. SHOW TIME! Jv and Chanty went on ahead of me being that I wasn’t ready. I got to the Ballroom and I found out I missed the opening act. It was a comedian I had seen before on The Comedy Jam. I apologize for not writing his name down. When I entered the ballroom…WOW…what a place! The floor was decked in very nice carpet. There was security but they were dressed very nice with black suites. I made my way to the front of the stage and there was room for about 3 bands and it had a catwalk that was about 25 feet long. On each side of the stage there was a huge monitor. I would say they were about 50’x 50’. The dance floor was not that big but it was made of wood that was highly polished and it looked like that of a high school gym. The ballroom was so big you could probably put 2 or 3 jets inside of it. I hopped onto the stage and all I could see was a multitude of people. I got a lump in my throat. Then the lights were cut off………AVISO TIME. What an entrance people. I heard one of the most awesome introductions of a brass section ever. The lead singer came out belting out a tune and just took over. The whole band was dressed in black tuxedos. Very High Class and professional. After singing some great Tejano songs the brass went into one of the most awesome, spine-chilling, intro to a very recognizable song. Here is just a verse: "yOuR sTiLL A yOuNg mAn…bABy"Remember that One? The brass section was filling in with the most beautiful background vocals that I have ever heard. AVISO is definitely one of the most underrated bands in the business. Their new lead singer sounds a little like the guy on American Idol whose name was Chris. He is the one who got offered a deal by the band named FUEL. After that wonderful song they went into " Buena Suerte Corazon". The keyboard/accordion player and the trombone player were adding the voices to complete the trio on the CHORUS. The brass section had 3 trumpets, trombone, and 2 saxophone players. Their instruments were polished to a high sheen. Very,Very professional band. The crowd loved every minute of the show and music. I looked back at the crowd and there was just a sea of heads bobbing and weaving to the music as far as the eye could see. Aviso finished their set but kept on playing in a "pianissimo" volume. Arturo Montez, of Ternuda Fame and DJ for the new 840 a.m. station in McAllen, was introduced. He said a few words while Aviso played in the background. The he introduced THE LEGENDS. One by one they made a stride towards the front of the stage. The look of excitement on the people’s faces was totally mind blowing. Call me a " cry baby". Yes a tear ran down my cheek. I DON’T CARE. MI GENTE loved every minute of it. First Carlos Guzman, Augustine Ramirez, Freddie Martinez, and then Sunny Ozuna. The Kings of the Mountains FOLKS. Carlos did his set first and asked everyone there to look at each other and say," I love you Tejano." That is exactly what everyone did. Then the intro to " Sufriendo penas" started. ALL I can say is," AVISO WAS IN THE HOUSE!" Jamming with the legends. The crowd was in awe when Carlos sang " Vestida De Blanco". People were dancing in place or just swaying back and forth to the music. The dance floor was full the entire time. Carlos voice is like very fine wine. It only gets better with age. Aviso then went into some funk music with slap bass and everything in between. The keyboard player alternated between the keyboards and accordion. They were all having the time of their lives. Freddie Martinez was introduced and the walls came a tumbling down. He sang a ranchera and the looks on the younger generation were a sight for sore eyes. I asked several of the young folks what was going through their minds and they said that they couldn’t believe how beautiful the true Tejano music sounded. It looked like they had just discovered "GOLD". Freddie sang his signature songs from the past and he really got the crowd going with " Botonsito De Carino". Then he went into " Una Estrellita Lloro". Mr. Martinez then brought the crowd to a loud ROAR when he sang " Mi Arbol Y Yo." Cameras were flashing galore. Aviso was reading from sheet music but they were playing from the Heart. Freddie thanked the crowd and then sang one more song that he said was in his new CD. I noticed that his voice was different. It sounded more defined and the tone quality was very good. I am sure that the band had something to do with that being that they didn’t play off-key. They were truly the best that night. I like what I heard from Mr. Martinez. I am truly convinced of his status as a LEGEND. He put his heart and soul into that song. Carlos Guzman came back on stage and introduced Mr. Paulino Bernal. Mr. Bernal gave everyone a surprise when he announced that he would be starting a Tejano Conjunto again. This was accepted with a very loud applause from the people. Aviso then played the intro to a familiar song by Sunny Ozuna. " Carinito Que Paso…" Remember that one? Sunny was dressed in black with a white Fedora Hat. Real classy. Sunny worked the crowd like the professional that he is. He made the women feel like he was singing to them. More cameras flashing and camera phones in the air. People were calling their friends left and right so that they could hear a little of the history that was taking place. Sunny gave the intro to "Reina De Mi Amor" and the crowd loved every minute. The icing on the cake was " Talk To Me." A song that made it to Number one on the billboard charts and earned Sunny a spot on American Bandstand. The dance floor was still full and the crowd by the stage was even bigger now. Beautiful Tejanos surrounded me from everywhere. Carlos came back and introduced Augustine " El Guti" Ramirez. The reaction of the crowd was unbelievable. He strolled onto the stage playing his guitar plucking the intro to " Paloma Dejame Ir". People were just standing there like zombies in disbelief. I don't think they realized that it really was " El Guti" until he sang the first verse of the song. All of Augustine's songs were accepted like if they were made of gold. Then the Legends all came out and finished the set with a verse from one of their hit songs. The ending was a picture, etched in my mind and soul , that will forever light the flame that makes our music unique. A truly momentous and amazing musical extravaganza... I missed the next group because a very dear friend had to go to her room to get her husbands CD's. People were asking for them like ' HOt Cakes'. I apologize to La Fiebre. JV gave a very good review of their performance. I regret missing their music.Next on stage was the one and only coolest cat this side of the Galaxy....Mr. Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution. The whole band just played with all their heart and soul. The brass section, Rick Fuentes (accordion/vocalist), Rick Reyes (drums), Joe Ramos, everyone tore it up with their incredible style of music. Puro first class Tejano/Chicano sound. The people DANCED, DANCED, DANCED all night long. What a great finish to a once in a lifetime show....
NOTHING HAS STIRRED AND REPLENTISHED MY SOUL, FOR THE LOVE OF THE MUSIC, THAN WHAT HAPPENED THAT WEEKEND. I COULDN'T GIVE JUSTICE TO THE MUSICIANS WHO PERFORMED...NO MATTER WHAT I WRITE...YOUR FRIEND JUAN SIFUENTES JRNext….Part 2..Stay tuned and Stay TEJANO…….
The Gathering
3 peat in Las Vegas part 2
It is 6:30 a.m. Saturday 15th of July. I go towards the picture window and open the curtains. I witness one of the most breath taking scenes of my life. The mountains surrounding Las Vegas. The sun was just coming out and its rays were beautifully painting the Earth. The mountains had a purplish/lavender hue around them. For some strange reason I finally understood and felt the meaning of "Purple Mountain Majesties." All of a sudden the scene becomes unfocused from my eyes and I go back to the night before.
I am entering the ballroom and remembering a familiar voice and song. It was the lovely Linda Escobar and she was singing " Frijolitos Pintos." Mingo Saldivar accompanied her. What a combination folks. Linda looked beautiful on stage. She was wearing a Black sequined gown. She was singing like there was no tomorrow. She went into another song and worked her magic with the crowd. She sashayed back and forth on the catwalk and along side her was Mingo playing the accordion the way only he can play it. Then they started playing a duet together I believe it is called " Conjunto Dreams." In my eyes they were exactly where they belong…On stage in Las Vegas. The audience loved every minute. The Conjunto style is one that brings everyone to their Tejano roots and it takes them back to the Baile Grandes that every one was accustomed to going to back in the days. This special song had a little Honky Tonk beat to it. Linda had a hit song when she was only about 8 or 9 years old in the 60’s. The song sold one million copies. This was way before Selena or Our Reina Laura Canales. Javier Villanueva gave her the title of ‘The first Lady of Conjunto’ a title she very well has earned. Linda finished her set with a thunderous applause from the people. Cameras were flashing everywhere.
Our next treat was truly magnificent. Mingo Saldivar and his accordion. I made my way to the front of the stage to witness every minute of this great man and his accordion. Unlike some artist who doesn’t like to be video taped, Mingo is just the opposite. If you pull out a video camera…watch out…. You will witness a tejano music moment just out of this world. Mingo just gets even better. He sang a lot of his signature songs. I looked at the rest of the band and recognize a very good friend of mine on the Bass. We know him as " El Chivo." Truly a great musician who has played with some of the great conjuntos that Texas has to offer. I notice a smile on his face when he saw me and it warned my heart that he recognized me. Mingo then announced that he was playing his version of "Falsom Prison Blues" a great Johnny Cash song but with a very definite Tejano Flavor. Mingo gave me chills when he made the accordion sound like a train whistle. Really great effects with a "rock-a-billy" style. The song began with his harmonica player who just played the heck out of that harp. The crowd was going wild. Then Mingo added his signature short, staccato riffs, on his accordion and then played up and down the scale. They don’t call Mingo the dancing Cowboy for nothing. The dance floor was filled to the max and the crowd by the stage was just as big. This is the kind of music that the Conjunto aficionados live for. When Mingo finished the song we were blessed by another great song "Ring of Fire". It was pure conjunto heaven. I remember Mingo walked up the catwalk and stopped before a beautiful blonde haired lady and he did a "Wolf Call" with the accordion. That was great! OF course the lady blushed but she knew it was all in the name of fun.
I was quickly brought back to the present by a loud," Hurry up. It’s time to get to work!" It was JV who is always on the go. He is what keeps me on my toes. I quickly close the curtains and brush my hair. Jv and Chanty are already out the door on their way to the second day of the "Meet and Greet". I quickly rush back to the curtains, taking one last look at the mountains, and I wave "Good Bye" to them.
We are at our booth and it was a very exciting time for us. There were more people than the day before and we were having a blast showing off our museum’s artifacts and answering questions for the masses of people that were there. Arizona, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Florida, New Mexico, even my hometown of Alice, Texas was in the house. I kept glancing at my friend JV to make sure he was OK. I knew he was hurting so I wanted to make sure he was comfortable. JV is the kind of person that has always put himself behind the others and doesn’t like to complain. Got to love the man. It is closing time for the "Meet and Greet" and we are quickly off to get a bite to eat and get ready for Saturday’s dance…
It is 7:30 p.m. and I am running late. The dance has already started with Gary Hobbs. JV gave an excellent review of Gary. All I can add is that Gary’s booth, earlier in the day, was full of people, wanting autographs and pictures taken with him. Gary is also a very accomplished musician. I saw him once play classical music on the piano. It was truly remarkable.
I arrived at the ballroom and met with many people from earlier in the day. Some people wanted to take picture with me and they wanted to thank me for what I write. They said that I was a legend to them because I was their only connection to Texas. People, please, make no mistake. I AM NOT A LEGEND. I appreciate the compliment but I only write because I know that many cannot attend these great events. I am only their "EYES".
I hear music and I quickly make my way to the stage…..SHOW TIME….It is David Lee Garza and Los Musicales. Man they were dressed in red, squared, Cowboy shirts and they looked really sharp on stage. I think his new singer is Mr. Ledesma. Really good tone to his voice. He had good pitch, intonation, and pronunciation. David lee was pumping the accordion like John Henry on a railroad track. You could tell that the whole band was having a great time. I looked at the people on the dance floor and some looked back at me and were giving me a "thumbs Up" meaning…. they loved the music. One of the Highlights of David’s performance was a song written by the Bajo Player. It wis called, " who’s that Gringo." Really good tejano song with a strong spice of country into it. The crowd loved it. David y Los musicales gave us lot’s of music that included some cumbias and other of his hits like," Regalame una noche mas". David kept changing accordions. They were very classy accordions. He pulled out a small one that looked like it was made out of wood. Each accordion had it’s own unique sound. Gabbanelli’s were his weapons of choice. Then the crowd was treated to a great surprise…Emilio Navaira in the house. Emilio gave props to David Lee stating that David had the best band in the house. They went into a popurri of some of the songs that Emilio recorded with David. This show really got the crowd wondering if it could get better…and it did.
The lights go back off and I hear one of the most awesome introductions I have ever heard. The lights go on and it is Jay Perez with a really special treat…AVISO joining him on stage. Man the stage and atmosphere was " smoking hot." AVISO was dressed in these very nice almost red colored suites. I couldn’t really tell because of the lights but they sure did look very professional. Jay also announced that he would take us back in time and gave his feelings of David Lee Garza. Jay sang "Que chulos ojos" with the brass from Aviso. One of the most musical combinations that these ears have ever heard. With out missing a beat Jay sang " Yo vendo unos ojos Negros" then he went into " Mala Cabeza." Jay then gave us his version of ‘El Tejano Enamorado’. Jay then dedicated a song to our troops in Iraq, " Don Luis el Tejano." With J.R. Lopez on accordion making the accordion cry. Puro Tejano to the max. A very higher standard of our music that every aspiring band should try and achieve. Jay shared some songs that he played with David Lee Garza. With a brass Like Aviso Jay, with no doubt, proved to us why he is known as "The Voice." When a singer has a top-notch brass, like AVISO, he doesn’t have to worry about missed entries or being out of pitch. ALL Jay had to do was what he does best…. being Jay Perez. Jay had his own band also who were playing their hearts out. They made it look sooo easy but what they were playing cannot be play by just anybody. Jay then went into one of my favorite songs, " Que metida De Pata." A song that my father wrote back in the seventies. Everyone went wild and started singing along. The people on the dance floor were tearing it up. I wanted to scream and shout and tell everyone that my father wrote that song. I thought to myself and said, " NO…the night belongs to Jay Perez." He earned it. He pleased the crowd very much. The keyboard player was really putting on a show playing the keyboards with his back to the keys. The percussion was doing an awesome job. It was Cumbia with Salsa. A great combination. The background vocals were totally awesome. Jay had nothing but the best…The night was not over yet. What we got was just a tease. The music went low, slow, but with a nice groove to it. Very familiar song. Then all of a sudden I hear Aviso’s saxophone player go into a spine chilling solo to " ME and MRS. JONES." Truly one of the best renditions that I have ever heard. The sax was playing up and down the scales giving a slight crescendo, with a little "double Tonguing" technique, then back down to an almost pianissimo volume. The crowd yelled with approval. After Jay did his thing with that song…. BOOM…. the band went into the song " SUAVESITO." Man talk about a West Coast sound. I could not believe what I was witnessing. Just when we thought it was over Jay hit us with another song…" Cowboys to Girls" a song made famous by Tierra. We just knew it couldn’t get any better…Wrong! Half way through the song I saw Jay motion to some behind the curtain….It was Steve Salas from Tierra. He finished the song with Jay bringing the crowd into a loud frenzy. Tejano Music History FROM A FRONT ROW SEAT….. AGAIN. MR. PEREZ. YOU ARE THE MAN. There was no way that LA MAFIA COULD BEAT THIS PERFORMANCE…BOY WAS I WRONG.
The light went off. Keyboards playing a very urban sound. It made me think of a "sunrise" in the morning. Suddenly white lights from everywhere on the stage were blinking off and on. Even on the huge monitors. Suddenly the music to ""TOMA MI AMOR" comes on and the crowd cheers. Song after hit song. It just kept getting better. No fancy moves or outrageous light show…Puro Tejano Musica. The guitar player was really into it giving us some great rhythm and solos. Mando on keyboards was at his best. The theme for the night was definitely old school. Oscar announced that he was taking us back in time to when his brother, Leonard, was with the band. He said that it was one of the best times of his life and off they went back in time. I have to admit that I was very impressed with Oscar’s voice. Very good vocals. He even had the crowd singing along. Oscar then sang a song from his new CD "Nuevamente". He sang a song " Si quiere Dios" (not sure of the title). Very good song. People were just standing there with a blank face loving every note that they heard. Young and old a like. They band finished their set and I was amazed that the people started to yell," More,More,More" and La Mafia came back with great cheers and applause from the audience. They came back and sang another song. Great ending to an incredible weekend of live uncensored TEJANO MUSIC.
The lights went on and people, by the thousands, were talking about how great a night it was. I will not say who was the best act or performance. As a musician, and music aficionado, I will say that all of the bands excelled in what they do best.…Play their style of music. I was left with tears running do my face on my way to the room. I found it hard to sleep just thinking about what happened that weekend. I enjoyed meeting the many people I had only talked to on the Internet. People like Danny Vasquez (Arizona), Elizabeth Miranda (Houston), Frank Herrera (Houston), and my two knew friends from Arizona. I took home the people of all the states that were there…they are in my heart. In the plane back the one thought in my mind was…How could anyone not love OUR MUSIC?….JUAN
():::]II[:::::::::::::::::> JUAN SIFUENTES JR.
The pilot announces that we are landing in Las Vegas. It is pretty close to 12:00 midnight. I peer out the window and I witness one of the most beautiful sites that I have ever seen. The night-lights of Las Vegas. The city actually looks like a country of it’s own being that it is encompassed, from the rest of the world, by mountains. As we land the pilot states that the temperature was 101 degrees…was this a taste of things to come? Vegas was sizzling! The Tejanos have landed… It is now morning and Jv, Chanty, and I get things ready for the Tejano R.o.o.t.s. booth. Like Jv says, " If you can’t bring Mohammed to the mountain, you take the mountain to Mohammed!" That is what we did. We brought some of the Hall-of-Fame museum to Vegas. I was really impressed with how well we all worked together to make sure our displays were set-up right and were appealing to the eye. We met a whole bunch of our usual friends like Ricardo Hernandez (Aur-Marc entertainment), Dave Biondi (Bnet radio), David Chavez (Latin Pointe productions), and all of the great artist that we are by now accustomed to seeing…The Gang was there. While in Houston eating a little food at the airport (Hunan buffet) we met up with Arturo Montez, Leonel Sanchez, and the legendary Tejano R.o.o.t.s. Hall-of-fame inductee Mr. Paulino Bernal. What a surprise indeed. We were surprised to find out they were headed to the Las Vegas convention. The meet and greet went well and we met a whole lot of Tejanos who were now living in different parts of the United States. This was a sign of how the night would be…A lot of Tejanos in the House. We put up our displays and headed to our rooms to groom up a bit. We splashed on a lot of cologne. Before we knew it...IT WAS 7:30 p.m. SHOW TIME! Jv and Chanty went on ahead of me being that I wasn’t ready. I got to the Ballroom and I found out I missed the opening act. It was a comedian I had seen before on The Comedy Jam. I apologize for not writing his name down. When I entered the ballroom…WOW…what a place! The floor was decked in very nice carpet. There was security but they were dressed very nice with black suites. I made my way to the front of the stage and there was room for about 3 bands and it had a catwalk that was about 25 feet long. On each side of the stage there was a huge monitor. I would say they were about 50’x 50’. The dance floor was not that big but it was made of wood that was highly polished and it looked like that of a high school gym. The ballroom was so big you could probably put 2 or 3 jets inside of it. I hopped onto the stage and all I could see was a multitude of people. I got a lump in my throat. Then the lights were cut off………AVISO TIME. What an entrance people. I heard one of the most awesome introductions of a brass section ever. The lead singer came out belting out a tune and just took over. The whole band was dressed in black tuxedos. Very High Class and professional. After singing some great Tejano songs the brass went into one of the most awesome, spine-chilling, intro to a very recognizable song. Here is just a verse: "yOuR sTiLL A yOuNg mAn…bABy"Remember that One? The brass section was filling in with the most beautiful background vocals that I have ever heard. AVISO is definitely one of the most underrated bands in the business. Their new lead singer sounds a little like the guy on American Idol whose name was Chris. He is the one who got offered a deal by the band named FUEL. After that wonderful song they went into " Buena Suerte Corazon". The keyboard/accordion player and the trombone player were adding the voices to complete the trio on the CHORUS. The brass section had 3 trumpets, trombone, and 2 saxophone players. Their instruments were polished to a high sheen. Very,Very professional band. The crowd loved every minute of the show and music. I looked back at the crowd and there was just a sea of heads bobbing and weaving to the music as far as the eye could see. Aviso finished their set but kept on playing in a "pianissimo" volume. Arturo Montez, of Ternuda Fame and DJ for the new 840 a.m. station in McAllen, was introduced. He said a few words while Aviso played in the background. The he introduced THE LEGENDS. One by one they made a stride towards the front of the stage. The look of excitement on the people’s faces was totally mind blowing. Call me a " cry baby". Yes a tear ran down my cheek. I DON’T CARE. MI GENTE loved every minute of it. First Carlos Guzman, Augustine Ramirez, Freddie Martinez, and then Sunny Ozuna. The Kings of the Mountains FOLKS. Carlos did his set first and asked everyone there to look at each other and say," I love you Tejano." That is exactly what everyone did. Then the intro to " Sufriendo penas" started. ALL I can say is," AVISO WAS IN THE HOUSE!" Jamming with the legends. The crowd was in awe when Carlos sang " Vestida De Blanco". People were dancing in place or just swaying back and forth to the music. The dance floor was full the entire time. Carlos voice is like very fine wine. It only gets better with age. Aviso then went into some funk music with slap bass and everything in between. The keyboard player alternated between the keyboards and accordion. They were all having the time of their lives. Freddie Martinez was introduced and the walls came a tumbling down. He sang a ranchera and the looks on the younger generation were a sight for sore eyes. I asked several of the young folks what was going through their minds and they said that they couldn’t believe how beautiful the true Tejano music sounded. It looked like they had just discovered "GOLD". Freddie sang his signature songs from the past and he really got the crowd going with " Botonsito De Carino". Then he went into " Una Estrellita Lloro". Mr. Martinez then brought the crowd to a loud ROAR when he sang " Mi Arbol Y Yo." Cameras were flashing galore. Aviso was reading from sheet music but they were playing from the Heart. Freddie thanked the crowd and then sang one more song that he said was in his new CD. I noticed that his voice was different. It sounded more defined and the tone quality was very good. I am sure that the band had something to do with that being that they didn’t play off-key. They were truly the best that night. I like what I heard from Mr. Martinez. I am truly convinced of his status as a LEGEND. He put his heart and soul into that song. Carlos Guzman came back on stage and introduced Mr. Paulino Bernal. Mr. Bernal gave everyone a surprise when he announced that he would be starting a Tejano Conjunto again. This was accepted with a very loud applause from the people. Aviso then played the intro to a familiar song by Sunny Ozuna. " Carinito Que Paso…" Remember that one? Sunny was dressed in black with a white Fedora Hat. Real classy. Sunny worked the crowd like the professional that he is. He made the women feel like he was singing to them. More cameras flashing and camera phones in the air. People were calling their friends left and right so that they could hear a little of the history that was taking place. Sunny gave the intro to "Reina De Mi Amor" and the crowd loved every minute. The icing on the cake was " Talk To Me." A song that made it to Number one on the billboard charts and earned Sunny a spot on American Bandstand. The dance floor was still full and the crowd by the stage was even bigger now. Beautiful Tejanos surrounded me from everywhere. Carlos came back and introduced Augustine " El Guti" Ramirez. The reaction of the crowd was unbelievable. He strolled onto the stage playing his guitar plucking the intro to " Paloma Dejame Ir". People were just standing there like zombies in disbelief. I don't think they realized that it really was " El Guti" until he sang the first verse of the song. All of Augustine's songs were accepted like if they were made of gold. Then the Legends all came out and finished the set with a verse from one of their hit songs. The ending was a picture, etched in my mind and soul , that will forever light the flame that makes our music unique. A truly momentous and amazing musical extravaganza... I missed the next group because a very dear friend had to go to her room to get her husbands CD's. People were asking for them like ' HOt Cakes'. I apologize to La Fiebre. JV gave a very good review of their performance. I regret missing their music.Next on stage was the one and only coolest cat this side of the Galaxy....Mr. Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution. The whole band just played with all their heart and soul. The brass section, Rick Fuentes (accordion/vocalist), Rick Reyes (drums), Joe Ramos, everyone tore it up with their incredible style of music. Puro first class Tejano/Chicano sound. The people DANCED, DANCED, DANCED all night long. What a great finish to a once in a lifetime show....
NOTHING HAS STIRRED AND REPLENTISHED MY SOUL, FOR THE LOVE OF THE MUSIC, THAN WHAT HAPPENED THAT WEEKEND. I COULDN'T GIVE JUSTICE TO THE MUSICIANS WHO PERFORMED...NO MATTER WHAT I WRITE...YOUR FRIEND JUAN SIFUENTES JRNext….Part 2..Stay tuned and Stay TEJANO…….
The Gathering
3 peat in Las Vegas part 2
It is 6:30 a.m. Saturday 15th of July. I go towards the picture window and open the curtains. I witness one of the most breath taking scenes of my life. The mountains surrounding Las Vegas. The sun was just coming out and its rays were beautifully painting the Earth. The mountains had a purplish/lavender hue around them. For some strange reason I finally understood and felt the meaning of "Purple Mountain Majesties." All of a sudden the scene becomes unfocused from my eyes and I go back to the night before.
I am entering the ballroom and remembering a familiar voice and song. It was the lovely Linda Escobar and she was singing " Frijolitos Pintos." Mingo Saldivar accompanied her. What a combination folks. Linda looked beautiful on stage. She was wearing a Black sequined gown. She was singing like there was no tomorrow. She went into another song and worked her magic with the crowd. She sashayed back and forth on the catwalk and along side her was Mingo playing the accordion the way only he can play it. Then they started playing a duet together I believe it is called " Conjunto Dreams." In my eyes they were exactly where they belong…On stage in Las Vegas. The audience loved every minute. The Conjunto style is one that brings everyone to their Tejano roots and it takes them back to the Baile Grandes that every one was accustomed to going to back in the days. This special song had a little Honky Tonk beat to it. Linda had a hit song when she was only about 8 or 9 years old in the 60’s. The song sold one million copies. This was way before Selena or Our Reina Laura Canales. Javier Villanueva gave her the title of ‘The first Lady of Conjunto’ a title she very well has earned. Linda finished her set with a thunderous applause from the people. Cameras were flashing everywhere.
Our next treat was truly magnificent. Mingo Saldivar and his accordion. I made my way to the front of the stage to witness every minute of this great man and his accordion. Unlike some artist who doesn’t like to be video taped, Mingo is just the opposite. If you pull out a video camera…watch out…. You will witness a tejano music moment just out of this world. Mingo just gets even better. He sang a lot of his signature songs. I looked at the rest of the band and recognize a very good friend of mine on the Bass. We know him as " El Chivo." Truly a great musician who has played with some of the great conjuntos that Texas has to offer. I notice a smile on his face when he saw me and it warned my heart that he recognized me. Mingo then announced that he was playing his version of "Falsom Prison Blues" a great Johnny Cash song but with a very definite Tejano Flavor. Mingo gave me chills when he made the accordion sound like a train whistle. Really great effects with a "rock-a-billy" style. The song began with his harmonica player who just played the heck out of that harp. The crowd was going wild. Then Mingo added his signature short, staccato riffs, on his accordion and then played up and down the scale. They don’t call Mingo the dancing Cowboy for nothing. The dance floor was filled to the max and the crowd by the stage was just as big. This is the kind of music that the Conjunto aficionados live for. When Mingo finished the song we were blessed by another great song "Ring of Fire". It was pure conjunto heaven. I remember Mingo walked up the catwalk and stopped before a beautiful blonde haired lady and he did a "Wolf Call" with the accordion. That was great! OF course the lady blushed but she knew it was all in the name of fun.
I was quickly brought back to the present by a loud," Hurry up. It’s time to get to work!" It was JV who is always on the go. He is what keeps me on my toes. I quickly close the curtains and brush my hair. Jv and Chanty are already out the door on their way to the second day of the "Meet and Greet". I quickly rush back to the curtains, taking one last look at the mountains, and I wave "Good Bye" to them.
We are at our booth and it was a very exciting time for us. There were more people than the day before and we were having a blast showing off our museum’s artifacts and answering questions for the masses of people that were there. Arizona, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Florida, New Mexico, even my hometown of Alice, Texas was in the house. I kept glancing at my friend JV to make sure he was OK. I knew he was hurting so I wanted to make sure he was comfortable. JV is the kind of person that has always put himself behind the others and doesn’t like to complain. Got to love the man. It is closing time for the "Meet and Greet" and we are quickly off to get a bite to eat and get ready for Saturday’s dance…
It is 7:30 p.m. and I am running late. The dance has already started with Gary Hobbs. JV gave an excellent review of Gary. All I can add is that Gary’s booth, earlier in the day, was full of people, wanting autographs and pictures taken with him. Gary is also a very accomplished musician. I saw him once play classical music on the piano. It was truly remarkable.
I arrived at the ballroom and met with many people from earlier in the day. Some people wanted to take picture with me and they wanted to thank me for what I write. They said that I was a legend to them because I was their only connection to Texas. People, please, make no mistake. I AM NOT A LEGEND. I appreciate the compliment but I only write because I know that many cannot attend these great events. I am only their "EYES".
I hear music and I quickly make my way to the stage…..SHOW TIME….It is David Lee Garza and Los Musicales. Man they were dressed in red, squared, Cowboy shirts and they looked really sharp on stage. I think his new singer is Mr. Ledesma. Really good tone to his voice. He had good pitch, intonation, and pronunciation. David lee was pumping the accordion like John Henry on a railroad track. You could tell that the whole band was having a great time. I looked at the people on the dance floor and some looked back at me and were giving me a "thumbs Up" meaning…. they loved the music. One of the Highlights of David’s performance was a song written by the Bajo Player. It wis called, " who’s that Gringo." Really good tejano song with a strong spice of country into it. The crowd loved it. David y Los musicales gave us lot’s of music that included some cumbias and other of his hits like," Regalame una noche mas". David kept changing accordions. They were very classy accordions. He pulled out a small one that looked like it was made out of wood. Each accordion had it’s own unique sound. Gabbanelli’s were his weapons of choice. Then the crowd was treated to a great surprise…Emilio Navaira in the house. Emilio gave props to David Lee stating that David had the best band in the house. They went into a popurri of some of the songs that Emilio recorded with David. This show really got the crowd wondering if it could get better…and it did.
The lights go back off and I hear one of the most awesome introductions I have ever heard. The lights go on and it is Jay Perez with a really special treat…AVISO joining him on stage. Man the stage and atmosphere was " smoking hot." AVISO was dressed in these very nice almost red colored suites. I couldn’t really tell because of the lights but they sure did look very professional. Jay also announced that he would take us back in time and gave his feelings of David Lee Garza. Jay sang "Que chulos ojos" with the brass from Aviso. One of the most musical combinations that these ears have ever heard. With out missing a beat Jay sang " Yo vendo unos ojos Negros" then he went into " Mala Cabeza." Jay then gave us his version of ‘El Tejano Enamorado’. Jay then dedicated a song to our troops in Iraq, " Don Luis el Tejano." With J.R. Lopez on accordion making the accordion cry. Puro Tejano to the max. A very higher standard of our music that every aspiring band should try and achieve. Jay shared some songs that he played with David Lee Garza. With a brass Like Aviso Jay, with no doubt, proved to us why he is known as "The Voice." When a singer has a top-notch brass, like AVISO, he doesn’t have to worry about missed entries or being out of pitch. ALL Jay had to do was what he does best…. being Jay Perez. Jay had his own band also who were playing their hearts out. They made it look sooo easy but what they were playing cannot be play by just anybody. Jay then went into one of my favorite songs, " Que metida De Pata." A song that my father wrote back in the seventies. Everyone went wild and started singing along. The people on the dance floor were tearing it up. I wanted to scream and shout and tell everyone that my father wrote that song. I thought to myself and said, " NO…the night belongs to Jay Perez." He earned it. He pleased the crowd very much. The keyboard player was really putting on a show playing the keyboards with his back to the keys. The percussion was doing an awesome job. It was Cumbia with Salsa. A great combination. The background vocals were totally awesome. Jay had nothing but the best…The night was not over yet. What we got was just a tease. The music went low, slow, but with a nice groove to it. Very familiar song. Then all of a sudden I hear Aviso’s saxophone player go into a spine chilling solo to " ME and MRS. JONES." Truly one of the best renditions that I have ever heard. The sax was playing up and down the scales giving a slight crescendo, with a little "double Tonguing" technique, then back down to an almost pianissimo volume. The crowd yelled with approval. After Jay did his thing with that song…. BOOM…. the band went into the song " SUAVESITO." Man talk about a West Coast sound. I could not believe what I was witnessing. Just when we thought it was over Jay hit us with another song…" Cowboys to Girls" a song made famous by Tierra. We just knew it couldn’t get any better…Wrong! Half way through the song I saw Jay motion to some behind the curtain….It was Steve Salas from Tierra. He finished the song with Jay bringing the crowd into a loud frenzy. Tejano Music History FROM A FRONT ROW SEAT….. AGAIN. MR. PEREZ. YOU ARE THE MAN. There was no way that LA MAFIA COULD BEAT THIS PERFORMANCE…BOY WAS I WRONG.
The light went off. Keyboards playing a very urban sound. It made me think of a "sunrise" in the morning. Suddenly white lights from everywhere on the stage were blinking off and on. Even on the huge monitors. Suddenly the music to ""TOMA MI AMOR" comes on and the crowd cheers. Song after hit song. It just kept getting better. No fancy moves or outrageous light show…Puro Tejano Musica. The guitar player was really into it giving us some great rhythm and solos. Mando on keyboards was at his best. The theme for the night was definitely old school. Oscar announced that he was taking us back in time to when his brother, Leonard, was with the band. He said that it was one of the best times of his life and off they went back in time. I have to admit that I was very impressed with Oscar’s voice. Very good vocals. He even had the crowd singing along. Oscar then sang a song from his new CD "Nuevamente". He sang a song " Si quiere Dios" (not sure of the title). Very good song. People were just standing there with a blank face loving every note that they heard. Young and old a like. They band finished their set and I was amazed that the people started to yell," More,More,More" and La Mafia came back with great cheers and applause from the audience. They came back and sang another song. Great ending to an incredible weekend of live uncensored TEJANO MUSIC.
The lights went on and people, by the thousands, were talking about how great a night it was. I will not say who was the best act or performance. As a musician, and music aficionado, I will say that all of the bands excelled in what they do best.…Play their style of music. I was left with tears running do my face on my way to the room. I found it hard to sleep just thinking about what happened that weekend. I enjoyed meeting the many people I had only talked to on the Internet. People like Danny Vasquez (Arizona), Elizabeth Miranda (Houston), Frank Herrera (Houston), and my two knew friends from Arizona. I took home the people of all the states that were there…they are in my heart. In the plane back the one thought in my mind was…How could anyone not love OUR MUSIC?….JUAN
():::]II[:::::::::::::::::> JUAN SIFUENTES JR.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Courtesy of www.latinola.com~ We support This message
A Sad Cinco de Mayo
Sometimes you have to ir contra la corriente
By Edie J. Adler Web Published 5.4.2006
Although my ancestors were originally from Lithuania and went to Mexico in the late 1800’s, all my life I have been proud of my “adopted” Mexican heritage. I have always loved the country, the culture, and most of all, the people. Unfortunately I am sad to say that all that changed on May 1st. I know what I am about to say won’t be popular; after all, everyone in the Latino media and even some elected officials are elated by the so called success of the rallies in support of illegal workers. Yes, I said illegal workers. That is, by definition, the correct term to describe someone who has entered a country uninvited. I know that most of my Latin friends, and even some who may not be Latin, will now consider me a “Malinchista” (Aunt Tomassina), and a traitor to “my” people. And it pains me to have to write this; but one of the many wonderful things I learned from my grandmother is that sometimes you have to “ir contra la corriente”, go against the tide. In this case, I strongly feel that one of “us” has to say it. Up until May 1st, I had mixed feelings about illegal workers. Although I never condoned people coming here illegally, I also understood the powerful reasons that would make someone leave their families behind to try and make a better life for those they love. But after witnessing the embarrassing displays on May 1st, you must ask yourselves: What other country in the world would allow you to “demonstrate” against a government, a people, a nation that is not your own? You demand rights?! What gives you the right to demand anything? You’re here illegally, uninvited, and from now on very possibly unwelcome. If things are so bad here in the USA, why don’t you go back to your own country? Try demonstrating there against the government. Try to demand benefits. Let’s see how far you can get. My husband and I used to patronize a Mexican seafood restaurant near where we live. The owners are from Mexico. It is a family owned business, so successful that they are opening another restaurant soon. We drove by it on Monday; the place was closed. I found it very ironic. Whom were they demonstrating against? Themselves? I was very glad when our gardener showed up to take care of our lawn. I like his work, but if he hadn’t come, I was fully prepared to fire him. When I was growing up in Mexico City I learned both at home and at school, that the flag was a sacred symbol that deserved respect. This applies to any flag, of any nation. When I saw some people on TV with the American Flag upside down, for the first time in my life I was ashamed to be Mexican. My husband and I usually have a Cinco de Mayo celebration at our house. This year I feel embarrassed to invite anyone to anything having to do with Mexico. Benito Juarez, one of the most beloved presidents and heroes in Mexico, often compared to Abe Lincoln, said “El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz” (respect for your neighbor’s right means peace.) I’d wish people would understand that the United States of America has the right to invite or refuse entry to anyone at any time.
Edie J. Adler is a free lance writer and comedian who lives with her husband in the San Fernando Valley.
Web latinola.com
Sometimes you have to ir contra la corriente
By Edie J. Adler Web Published 5.4.2006
Although my ancestors were originally from Lithuania and went to Mexico in the late 1800’s, all my life I have been proud of my “adopted” Mexican heritage. I have always loved the country, the culture, and most of all, the people. Unfortunately I am sad to say that all that changed on May 1st. I know what I am about to say won’t be popular; after all, everyone in the Latino media and even some elected officials are elated by the so called success of the rallies in support of illegal workers. Yes, I said illegal workers. That is, by definition, the correct term to describe someone who has entered a country uninvited. I know that most of my Latin friends, and even some who may not be Latin, will now consider me a “Malinchista” (Aunt Tomassina), and a traitor to “my” people. And it pains me to have to write this; but one of the many wonderful things I learned from my grandmother is that sometimes you have to “ir contra la corriente”, go against the tide. In this case, I strongly feel that one of “us” has to say it. Up until May 1st, I had mixed feelings about illegal workers. Although I never condoned people coming here illegally, I also understood the powerful reasons that would make someone leave their families behind to try and make a better life for those they love. But after witnessing the embarrassing displays on May 1st, you must ask yourselves: What other country in the world would allow you to “demonstrate” against a government, a people, a nation that is not your own? You demand rights?! What gives you the right to demand anything? You’re here illegally, uninvited, and from now on very possibly unwelcome. If things are so bad here in the USA, why don’t you go back to your own country? Try demonstrating there against the government. Try to demand benefits. Let’s see how far you can get. My husband and I used to patronize a Mexican seafood restaurant near where we live. The owners are from Mexico. It is a family owned business, so successful that they are opening another restaurant soon. We drove by it on Monday; the place was closed. I found it very ironic. Whom were they demonstrating against? Themselves? I was very glad when our gardener showed up to take care of our lawn. I like his work, but if he hadn’t come, I was fully prepared to fire him. When I was growing up in Mexico City I learned both at home and at school, that the flag was a sacred symbol that deserved respect. This applies to any flag, of any nation. When I saw some people on TV with the American Flag upside down, for the first time in my life I was ashamed to be Mexican. My husband and I usually have a Cinco de Mayo celebration at our house. This year I feel embarrassed to invite anyone to anything having to do with Mexico. Benito Juarez, one of the most beloved presidents and heroes in Mexico, often compared to Abe Lincoln, said “El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz” (respect for your neighbor’s right means peace.) I’d wish people would understand that the United States of America has the right to invite or refuse entry to anyone at any time.
Edie J. Adler is a free lance writer and comedian who lives with her husband in the San Fernando Valley.
Web latinola.com
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