The “unexpected” Erika Luckett to perform in San Miguel
By Keith Wall, March 9, 2007

Erika Luckett Tues & Wed, Mar 20 & 21, 8pm The Viejo Topo Cafe-Teatro Plaza Pueblito San Antonio 150 pesos

The appearance of singer/songwriter/guitarist Erika Luckett in San Miguel continues the fortuitous phenomenon of performances here by internationally-acclaimed artists. Erika Luckett, whose fourth album and rave-reviewed Unexpected followed her JFP 2004 “Female Artist of the Year” award, is performing Tuesday and Wednesday evenings March 20 and 21 at El Viejo Topo Cafe-Teatro. Performances benefit ANYÉL, the local nonprofit organization which brings musical programs and education to school children in San Miguel and outlying pueblos.

Luckett’s blond, mid-western good looks belie her background; she was born in Mexico and raised in Venezuela and Brazil, where the ambient Latin and Caribbean beats moved her early on and expressed themselves through an exuberant vocal talent. In her teens she traveled to Paris, whose streets and subways soon percolated with the sounds of her unique mix of folk, Latin, jazz, and pop, and where she honed her considerable skills on the guitar.

Speaking five languages, Erica went to Massachusetts, enrolled in the Berklee College of Music and earned a degree in film scoring. This led to her scoring of two Dorothy Fadiman documentaries, Untold Stories (1993) and Trilogy (1996), the former receiving an Academy Award nomination and the latter winning an Emmy as Best Short Documentary Film. Her Children’s Multimedia Education CD, Stellaluna, was a Newsweek Magazine’s 1995 “Pick of the Year”.

Since 2000 Luckett has earned fabulous reviews and an impressive number of awards: Song of the Year, Best Album of the Year (3 times), Best Independent Release of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year.  One of these honored not her singing or songwriting skills but her guitar playing (Acoustic Guitar Magazine, 2002).

 In 2004 she was named by Modern Woman Today and The Jewish Post as one of the year’s “Most Outstanding Women,” in the company of Queen Elizabeth, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton.

Reviewers of Luckett’s cross-cultural and cross-genre musical performances have enthused: “a little bit of Annie Lennox, some Ella Fitzgerald, with a hint of Edith Piaf” (S. F. Bay Guardian); “A masterful guitarist, a sultry-voiced singer, and a terrific song-writing talent, she covers the triple-threat of the music biz” (Illinois Times); and, “Some artists have a head full of music, some have a heart full of music. Some, like Erika Luckett, give this listener the impression that there is no place in her body or soul that is not radiating music” (PureMusic.com).

To experience the eclectic, vibrant Latin-themed vocals and guitar mastery of this award-winning international musician, plan on being at The Viejo Topo Cafe-Teatro in Plaza Pueblito, San Antonio, on March 20 or 21 at 8pm. Cover $150 pesos. For reservations, call El Viejo Topo Cafe-Teatro at (415) 154-8701 or at cafeelviejotopo@gmail.com. 

Flamenco master Antonio Rodriguez leading week-end Workshop in Pozos
By Gayle McClure

Flamenco Fire Weekend Flamenco Workshop in Pozos Learn Sevillanas in one weekend Flamenco, Cante and Palmas classes Sat March 31 11am to Sun April 1st 4pm 1,500 pesos

Ever had that feeling that begins with a sense of goose bumps that somehow leads to your heart opening and what is contained there takes flight and you are left with tears streaming down your face? It is a rare and wondrous moment which, in the world of flamenco dance, is called duende. Loosely translated it is that moment when dancer, musician and singer are on the same page in the same moment and the energy and magic of the moment transforms all who participate in or witness it. A longed-for but elusive event, it can happen in any of the performance art forms but is often more purely expressed in the vehicle of flamenco dance.

We, who live in San Miguel de Allende, have a wonderful opportunity to explore the meaning of this mystic experience with Antonio “El Chupete” Rodriguez, born and raised just outside of Seville, Spain. Antonio began to study the Gitano tradition of flamenco dance with many of the great teachers and dancers of Spain. Although he presently resides in San Miguel, he is often a featured dancer with Noche Flamenco, a Madrid based, world-touring flamenco company and has danced throughout Europe, Japan, in New York City and Buenos Aires earning the reputation of being one of the very finest flamenco Tablaos in Spain. In 2005 the New York Times said of Antonio’s performance, “Another of the show’s unexpected pleasures is the dark and earthy dancing of Antonio Rodriguez, who also has a subtle sense of theatre and phrasing. Mr. Rodriguez is its soul.”

While in San Miguel, Rodriguez, with his equally amazing life and dancing partner, Cristina Moguel, is offering classes in technique, musicality and choreography for the beginner through advanced student of flamenco. To my mind, one of the most valuable assets of his class is his desire to impart a sense of improvisation and full understanding of music and it variations, hoping to impart in his students the ability to dance from the heart. It is often close to duende to just to watch him teach.

His ability to focus and rise above difficult performance environments was no more evident than when he performed at The Carpa in a benefit for the Waldorf School—with dogs, children, crowds of vendors and other distractions, he and his guitarist, Guillermo, gave a performance that was not only riveting, but electrified his audience, both aficionados and first timers alike. It was amazing to see the looks on their faces and feel the energy that charged through the room with possibility and wonder.

Now you can participate and be a witness to Antonio’s distinctive style in the mystic town of Pozos for an intensive weekend workshop of dance, cante and a special Saturday night performance and fiesta. This special weekend includes transportation, classes, food, wine and fiesta on the weekend of March 31 and April 1. Reservations are required as space is limited. Call 152-3396 or email grindlek@sbcglobal.net

Lodging is available in one of three hotels in Pozos: Posada de Mina, Casa Montana and Casa Mexicana. A twenty percent, non-refundable deposit is required to secure your reservation. The balance will be due prior to departure.

Concert

“Reflections on Gypsy Music”

Mon, Mar 12, 7:30pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
100 pesos

We now know that the gypsies originated in the Punjab in northwestern India, fleeing from the region during the clashes between invading Arab and Mongolian warriors, a thousand years ago. On their long odyssey, they traveled through, and settled in, the countries of the Middle East, including Persia and Egypt. Indeed, they became so closely associated with Egypt that they eventually came to believe that they were descendants of the Pharaohs, a legend to which many of their songs still refer. As a result, they were called Egyptians, or “Gypcians” in English, while, in old Spanish, Gitano was simply a way of saying “Egyptian.” In fact, having no written history, they had forgotten where they really came from.

They reached Spain in the early 15th century and quickly spread all over the country. Although they were not expelled along with the Moors and Jews during the 16th century—partly because they represented no threat to the political and religious supremacy of reunified, Christian Spain, and partly because it was simply too difficult to physically get hold of them all—they were eventually forced to give up their Romani language (now identified by linguists as a simplified version of Sanskrit), as well as their nomadic ways. 

On March 12, Teatro Santa Ana hosts a Gypsy night concert performed by guitarist and singer El Javi Hernandez. Tickets are on sale at the theater office.

Musical marathon pulls out all the stops
By Jody Feagan

Benefit concert
“Musical Marathon: Race for the Piano”
Mon, Mar 19, 6–9pm
Teatro Santa Ana
300 pesos

Attention music lovers: Lace up your running shoes and race down to the biblioteca today to purchase your tickets to the “Musical Marathon: Race for the Piano,” a fundraising concert to help cover the cost of a new upright piano purchased for Teatro Santa Ana.

World-class and very well-known musicians populate the list of VIP performers including guitarist Ken Basman, Vishnu Wood and soulful saxophonist Claude Lawrence for this live three-hour marathon.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun with great music, laughter and super-talented musicians donating their time to help us raise the money we need,” says theatre director, José Luis Mendoza. “There will be a cash bar and finger food at the Santa Ana Café and all the profits from the café that evening will go towards the piano purchase.”

Other headliners are tenor Javier Hernandez and pianist Lily Hernandez of Voces Unidas de San Miguel, pianist and cellist Enrique Prado and oboist Carly Cross.

Also scheduled to perform is singer, performer and actress Shannon Day whose three sold-out concerts lit up Teatro Santa Ana earlier this month, along with Pianist Elsmarie Norby director of ANYÉL the music school for Mexican children and also director of the kids choir at the Biblioteca Pública, Sergio Basurto playing flamenco guitar and Mexican harp and Myrna, international vocalist and guitarist. The evening also features an appearance from Jack and Francis, Romantic Guitars, presenting a guitar duet; Severo Barrera playing flamenco guitar, and a performance by classical concert pianist, Victor Hugo Ramos from Guanajuato and gypsy guitarist Javier Estrada round out the evening’s roster. 

This event was the brainchild of José Luis Mendoza, musicians Ken and Wendy Bichel and Doug Robinson who wanted to find a way to enhance the live music aspect of the theater by having this piano. By the way, the piano is already at the theater, it is a brand new upright Yamaha and her name is “Lupita” acording to Carly Cross, the beautiful musician that help us make this dream come true. We hope to raise 40,000 pesos. This money will go to pay for “Lupita” and pay all the expenses including the tune up, installation and adaptation to her new home: Teatro Santa Ana. 

Tickets are on sale at Teatro Santa Ana and the Biblioteca bookstore for 300 pesos. Seating is limited so it’s recommended that you purchase tickets ahead of time. If you can’t make it to the show, please drop by the Biblioteca and make a donation to this worthy cause. 

Concerts feature Mexican & European composers
By B. K. Lake

Pro Musica concerts Sat, Mar 10, 8pm Sun, Mar 11, 5pm 150/50 pesos 152-0387

The José White String Quartet presents works ranging from Mario Lavista’s hypnotic 1984 piece, “Reflections of the Night,” to Schubert’s “Death and The Maiden,” written in 1824 just after the composer learned of his ruined health.

Born in 1943, Lavista is considered Mexico’s leading contemporary composer and has written more than 100 works of chamber music as well as scores for eight movies. A reviewer for the Washington Post said “Reflections of the Night” is played entirely on harmonies whose “dynamic shifts and flickering melodies conjured a hypnotic musical landscape.”

Also on Saturday’s program is one of the “Prussian Quartets” written by Mozart in 1789 during a period of substantial difficulties that included financial problems and the worst of several bouts of depression. The program also includes Beethoven’s Opus 59 No. 2 in E minor, one of the quartets he wrote during his prolific middle period.

The Sunday concert opens with Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 18 No. 3 in D 

Major, whose light touch started to mark his departure from the classical style characteristic of Mozart. Also included is “Cuatro Miniaturas” by Manuel Ponce, the earliest internationally successful Mexican composer of classical music.

The concluding piece, Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” reflects the anger he felt over the news of his bad health four years before his death. The music was featured in films by Jane Campion and Roman Polanski and in a BBC TV production of “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking.”

Tickets are available at La Tienda at the Biblioteca; Casa de Papel, Mesones 57; La Conexion, Aldama 3, the Sierra Nevada Hotel, Hospicio 46, and at the St. Paul’s church office, Cardo 6, week days 11–2pm. For reservations call St Paul’s at 152-0387.

Encore! Wendy Bichel back by popular demand

Concert
Wendy Bichel
Thurs & Fri, Mar 29 & 30, 8pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A

Wendy Bichel’s original and enchanting one-woman show, “Something Borrowed, Something New—the Art of Re-Versing,” sold out two nights in a row on February 24 and 25. For those who were turned away—and those who’ve heard the buzz—Teatro Santa Ana is bringing Wendy back. Tickets are on sale now at Teatro Santa Ana from 11am to 7pm, limited seating.

Plumage and Ritual Infuse the Angela Peralta
By Tim Hazell

Caracol de Fuego Sat, Mar 17, 8pm Teatro Ángela Peralta 100/70/30 pesos

La música y el canto de nuestro corazon... 

For more than a decade, Caracol de Fuego (Conch of Fire) has been bringing their unique ethnic and pre-Hispanic music to festivals, concert halls and ceremonies throughout the state of Guanajuato and Mexico. The four-member ensemble, one of Mexico’s premiere pre-Hispanic and ethno-fusion orchestras, returns to the Teatro Ángela Peralta for a recital with spiritual and traditional roots.

Visualizations of spirit power have been produced as engravings of striated marks, radiating strokes, arcs and crosshatching for thousands of years. Materials such as animal vertebrae, incised seed pods and quartzite constitute native sign systems suggestive of tactile affiliations with spirituality. Profiles of skulls, carnivores and supernatural patrons of the hunt in Mexico were motifs capable of expressing the transition between worlds, synergies of birth and afterlife, the basis for shamanic healing and ritual. Ancient gods with their perplexing multiple personalities have been connected with cycles of the planets and seasons since Paleolithic times. These beliefs are still fundamental precepts for animism and totemism among native clans of the Americas today. Their representation as carvings and paintings on the traditional Mesoamerican instruments manufactured by Caracol de Fuego are thought to imbue them with energy and inner life.

The musicians, who manufacture their own instruments, are also involved as teachers in government funded programs that reach out to the Mexican community.

The revitalization of pre-Hispanic culture and its reintegration into the fabric of modern Mexico is very much a part of changing perspectives, and new importance is being placed on the preservation of native customs everywhere. Caracol de Fuego uses instruments from pre-Columbian cultures, not to simulate the music of the past of which we have no written record, but to combine these sounds in an artistic expression which is appropriate to our time.

Their concerts present an integration of more than 30 different textures, some dating back over 8,000 years, in the manner of a classical suite. Through the use of dynamics, intense energy and spirituality, these musicians lift and transport audiences into a world of freshness, sounds of natural forces, rhythm and scents of copal. They perform in the traditional dress of Aztec teachers and artists. This special concert is for everyone, adults and children alike. Tickets are are available at the box office of Teatro Ángela Peralta, Hernández Macías 62, beginning the week of March 12. Come and experience the pageantry!