Legendary guitarist Tony Cox comes to town
By Nancy Bohné April 11, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Concerts
Tony Cox & George Worthmore

Thu, Apr 17, 8pm
Teatro Ángela Peralta
Mesones 82
150/100/50 pesos

Sat, Apr 19, 8pm
La Capilla
Cuna de Allende 10
100 pesos

Tue, Apr 22, 7:30pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
100 pesos

Since sanmiguelenses are pleased by the very best, the very best are making their way from Johannesburg, South Africa to amaze and delight the enthusiastic music lovers who populate this town in great numbers.

During its 135-year history, Teatro Ángela Peralta has hosted opera, flamenco, jazz, classical ballet, mariachis, chamber music, puppets, muppets and pop stars, but on April 17 the curtain will rise to the entirely new experience of southern African finger-style guitar music performed by the legendary Tony Cox.

Born in Zimbabwe in the dusty little mining town of Redcliff, Cox found his way to the guitar in the capital city of Salisbury (now Harare) by way of a Hawaiian-style guitar teacher from Lisbon, Portugal.

“A man named Archie Perreira arrived from Lisbon and advertised lessons in Hawaiian guitar, of all things, and my Ma saw the ad. So there I was learning to play with a Hawaiian guitar on my lap at age nine. I did this for two or three years until Archie went back to Portugal,” Cox said. He switched to conventional chords at that point, “There being no other Portuguese Hawaiian-style guitar teacher anywhere else on the continent.”

This tale might give the average North American pause, but sanmiguelenses have a profound relationship with the circuitous and the fortuitous, and should feel quite in tune with Cox’s unusual musical pedigree.

His professional career got started in the mid-seventies, “mostly in very noisy pubs, nonpaying folk clubs and the odd festival or two.” The political turmoil in sub-Saharan Africa at that time and in the decades to follow had an intense effect on all Africans.

“I think we have all been deeply scarred by what went on in this country between white and black people. It was music that broke down all the barriers for me and took me into a society I would never have known. It allowed me to see clearly the injustices stretching back into time.”


Cox absorbed the African tribal music; its rhythms and flavors infuse his playing and his songwriting. “I had a lot of it in my youth and often my parents would allow our majordomo to take me to his tribal village with him. There was no fear in those days, the whole time would be taken up by song and dance and great feasts.”

Not one to let words like majordomo slip past unremarked, George Worthmore, a native New Yorker, former prizefighter, world-class guitarist and owner of the (legendary) Blues Room in Johannesburg where Cox performed many times, broke in.

In the nineties, Worthmore was the lead singer and guitarist for The Divebombers, a celebrated band that performed regularly at Dan Lynch, the archetypal Manhattan blues bar—a joint with sawdust on the floor and Guinness on tap. No one ever missed Worthmore’s annual birthday concert, which culminated with him breaking a flaming guitar over his head.

After establishing that kids from Massapequa don’t have majordomos and village feasting doesn’t involve zebra, giraffe or any other exotic prey, the conversation turned back to music.

Worthmore, who will open for Cox, decided to ignore the notion that “talking about music is like dancing to architecture” and hit him with a litany of interview questions:

George Worthmore: If I went into a record store, where would I find you? Under what is now being called “world music?”

Tony Cox: Most South African record stores are confused as to how to label me—they often just stash me under jazz.

GW: How would you describe your music and how would you say you’ve grown as an artist and musician over the past years?

TC: My music is a diffusion inspired from various sources, with a strong African presence coming through in the rhythm and harmony. I really don’t pay any attention to my “growth as an artist.” I simply exist to play, write and perform music, and to love my loved ones.

Cox agreed that touring can be a fascinating nightmare, but also a lot of fun. As far as favorite places: “I don’t really have a favorite. I very much enjoy venues in the countryside that are warm and intimate. My favorite place would be where an attentive and eager audience is waiting for the show.”

Cox and Worthmore play here April 17–26, in three concerts and at a number of San Miguel’s warm and intimate venues.

Burnin’ for Learnin’ earns scholarships for Mexican students
By Keith Wall, Photos by Jon Sievert

The Jovenes Adelante musical fundraiser Burnin’ for Learnin’ at Teatro Ángela Peralta on March 26 was a smashing success.

 Musical offerings were rich and various: an original opening vocal piece by Doug Robinson and Ken Bichel; thrilling flamenco guitar playing by “Guillermo Blanco” (Billy White) accompanied by percussionist Victor Monterrubio; inspired belly dancing performances by Carmen, Julietta and Frida, fueled by the mesmerizing musical accompaniment of Blanco, Monterrubio and Peter Ross on the shakahachi (wooden flute); and original, improvisational piano duets by celebrated local musicians Robinson and Bichel.

This wonderful, talented and extraordinarily generous group of musicians devised this evening of unique performances just for this concert and for its beneficiaries—local Mexican students who need money, collateral support and encouragement to pursue university degrees.

Jovenes Adelante plans to fund scholarships for 25 more students this year, and with ticket sales and contributions during the evening (including three full scholarship pledges), the concert raised more than US$20,000.

These funds will provide full five-year university scholarships to four local, talented high school graduates who otherwise might return home to assist with domestic matters, look for semiskilled work in town, or perhaps venture north in search of employment.

Phyllis Culp, Jovenes Adelante secretary, opened the evening with a welcome and a few words about the organization, which currently supports 40 students. Beside her was Christian Negrete Cisneros, a third-year scholarship student studying tourism. Cisneros translated Culp’s remarks into Spanish and in a first-act break later spoke briefly about how Jovenes Adelante enabled him to pursue a career in tourism.

Remedios Hernandez Mancilla, who is in her fourth year of law, spoke during the second act of her experience with the organization, which has made possible her career as an attorney.

Integrated with the evening’s music were several brief appeals by co-master of ceremonies Robinson for pledges and contributions to fund scholarships.

Jovenes Adelante is hugely indebted to Ken Bichel and Doug and Glenda Robinson for their creativity and enthusiasm in producing and publicizing this concert, and to Guillermo Blanco and all the people who performed and assisted in making it happen.

Credit and thanks also must be given to Nataraj Ishaya, who recorded the concert on video for a song. Gracias! 

Jovenes Adelante continues to seek contributions for new fall scholarships. Interviews and screening of 60 applicants begins this week. Your pledge or contribution now could mean one more “yes” to a motivated and high-scoring student pursuing his or her dream of going on to college.

More information: jovenesadelante@gmail.com. 

Keith Wall is a semi-retired writer and photographer and a Jovenes Adelante member and a mentor to one of the students.

Not only does he sing beautifully, he touches your heart!

Concert
Xavier Gibler
AARCOSMA Fundraiser
Fri, Apr 11, 6:30pm
Auditorio Miguel Malo
Bellas Artes
Hernández Macías 75
100 pesos

Xavier Gibler sings romantic moving ballads, blues, boleros, huapangos and more, brilliantly accompanied by Victor Monterrubio, percussion and drums; Gabriel Hernandez, piano; and Antonio Lozoya, bass.

This unique singer, a resident of San Miguel for a little over five years, performs passionately and with magnificent harmonics. He may be singing of love attained, or forsaken sorrows. His mellow tones, a powerful baritone with rich mid-range nuances, play with and surround your senses. He sweeps you up on a silky high note as he moves into falsetto for his rendition of “El Jinete,” “La Cigarra” or “Cucurrucucu Paloma,” and then, gently, the dove finally expires. His guitar and singing become one voice.

Gibler comes from Tampico and has been singing and recording since the age of 12. He has performed at Festival Cultural Ceiba in Tabasco with the composer Victoria Barbosa, at the Festival Internacional Tamaulipas, at the Museo and the Teatro de la Ciudad de México. 

In 1989, one of his first vocal coaches said, “To him it is like a game, he sings like a lark.”

“This is what I think of this voice,” said another, “Soft, it’s like a tender lullaby, a sweet caress; loud, it’s like thunder resonating in your soul.”

The proceeds of this concert will benefit AARCOSMA (Amigos del Arte Contemporáneo de SMA). Tickets are on sale at the Teatro Ángela Peralta box office, Hernández Macías 62, 9am–4pm, or at Bellas Artes outside the auditorium before the concert.

Benefit concert with violinist Turkkan Osman
By Russ Archibald

Violin Recital
Music in the Country with Friends
Turkkan Osman
Fri, Apr 11, 3:45pm
Pedro Paramo 35
El Mirador (abajo de Los Frailes)
Donation

Critics in the musical world have recognized Turkkan Osman’s exceptional talent and admirers have risen to support him financially. Opportunities to study under master teachers in the US are becoming available and he needs scholarship funds to develop his talent.

“Friends of Turkkan,” with help from the San Miguel Community Foundation, are forming a scholarship fund and “Music in the Country with Friends” is offering to help him once again. The program was started some years ago by Margaret Galloway and Nonie Mulcaster, who opened up her country home and garden to classical recitals for charitable causes.

The public is invited to an afternoon recital by Osman, accompanied by San Miguel pianist Liz Stone. To hear the brilliant performance of violin in the open air, surrounded by green lawns, flowers and trees, has proven to be a memorable experience in the past. Please plan to attend and make your donation to the scholarship fund.

Osman began playing the violin at the age of nine in his hometown of San Miguel, where he was born in 1989, the son of the American artist Ed Osman and Maria Estela Macías de Osman. He started on the violin with the Suzuki String Program at Bellas Artes and soon began studying with Professor David Mallory, a former resident of San Miguel. He studied piano with Marta García Renart at Bellas Artes and also studied piano and musical composition with the late Margaret Galloway. Osman attended a bilingual school in San Miguel and received periodic instruction over several years from violinist Jorge Risi from Italy, Mexico and Uruguay. In 2004 Osman twice joined the student program of the summer Festival de Música de Cámara. Since 2004 he has attended the Escuela de Música Vida y Movimiento, Centro Cultural Ollin Yoliztli, in Mexico City, studying with Russian violinist Serguei Gorbenko. He graduates from there in June. 

In the summer of 2007 Osman participated in the highly competitive nine-week Aspen (Colorado) Festival and Music School, studying with Juilliard violin professor Naoko Tanaka. In December 2007 he applied to five prestigious music schools in the US with letters of recommendation from Gorbenko and San Miguel’s renowned cellist Gilberto Mungia. He auditioned in the US in person at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Cincinnati College of Music, and studied briefly with Professor Patrinka Kopec at the Manhattan School of Music in February.

Osman’s strong interests are chamber music and improvisation in the modern classic style on both the violin and piano. His report on his Aspen adventures appeared in the September 14 and December 28, 2007, issues of Atención. (To read his report online go to http://www.atencionsanmiguel.org/, click on ‘archives’ then ‘music’ and scroll down to September 14, 2007. Then click on “Letters from a Young Musician.”)

For information, contact Russ Archibald, 152-7156 or email russell_archibald@yahoo.com. 

Soothing the IRS blues

Concert
Rafael de la Rocha
Tue, Apr 15, 7:30pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
100 pesos

Local favorite Rafael de la Rocha, versatile singer, composer and accomplished guitarist, will help you forget all about the IRS on April 15 at Teatro Santa Ana.

De la Rocha will interpret themes of his own inspiration in a variety of styles with a voice of unbridled passion. He promises a musical evening of his own work plus international favorites such as “Aloila,” “Mañana de Carnaval,” “Ojos Españoles” and “La Malagueña.”

Flashing fingers, flying hands
By Edward H. Simpson

Concert
Sergio Basurto
Mon, Apr 14, 7:30pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
150 pesos

As you or I might lift a hand to adjust our eye-glasses, a gesture so commonplace and natural it’s virtually unconscious, so Sergio moves his fingers over the strings of his guitar beginning an Argentinian milonga, a piece of musical subtlety.

His instrument is part of him, an extension of his body as of his mind and soul. He plays softly and between numbers speaks gently of the variety of rhythms he performs. Now, a delicate throbbing figure produced by the fingers on one string at time while the thumb plucks the melody gives a haunting air to a piece of romantic enchantment. And then he sets his guitar aside and takes the harp into his arms. This embrace produces a bright sound. 

From Paraguay comes the folk song of strings the harpist now brings forth, and then from the plains of Venezuela the lively dance Alma llanera. All 36 strings of Sergio’s folk harp contribute to the music.

Sergio Basurto is our versatile musician. It is recommended to get tickets in advance, as seating is limited. Tickets at the theater box office.