Somos Tejanos, that nonprofit on whose board I sit (and do a little blogging for), is hosting their first “unofficial” SXSW Showcase at Jovita’s on South First in Austin, TX on March 10, 2012. Executive Director Amaury Nora and a great team of event planners has put together what will be a special celebration of music, culture, and an important message.
We are billing this showcase, Dos Centavos, to send a message to National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). It is important for people to realize how hard it is to “make it” in the music industry. Now that the NARAS has eliminated 31 categories of music from the GRAMMY Awards, people must realize that 70% of those abolished categories affected ethnic- and color-based genres, including Tejano music. This is an opportunity for Tejanos/as to state their dos centavos (two cents) to NARAS and others who attempt to minimize our music and culture, while supporting the very musicians who add to Texas’ cultural palette.
Come out and enjoy an afternoon of fabulous local artists at Jovitas for the first Somos Tejanos SXSW showcase. All Ages. $8 at the door.
And the line-up is pretty awesome, which includes the awesomely talented Gina Chavez:
Mike Z: 12pm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Radio-Valley
http://www.youtube.com/user/MusicRadioValley
Dereck and Erich: 1pm
Only Beast: 2pm
http://www.facebook.com/OnlyBeast
http://www.myspace.com/onlybeast
http://www.youtube.com/onlybeasthouston
Shand Walton & The All Amigos Club: 3pm
Shand Walton and the All Amigos Club play edgy Americana music, uniquely blending rock, folk, country, mariachi and blues. The group includes Shand Walton on guitar and vocals and various amigos on violin, accordion, and other instruments. The fall of 2008 brought acclaim for the band as they were warmly welcomed during their tour of Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium. In April 2008, the group released the EP album, Rancho Motel Sessions, on the Toil & Trouble record label in Austin, Texas. In the spring of 2010, Shand Walton recorded and produced a full-length album with RPM Challenge.
http://www.facebook.com/allamigosclub
Son De Rey: 4pm
Son de Rey is one of Austin’s premiere Latin groups and has been cultivating a style that combines Cumbia and Salsa with Tejano roots creating a contemporary and powerful original sound. Son de Rey attracts diverse audiences with their modern arrangements and blend of musical styles. Their high energy performances are filled with memorable melodies & danceable grooves driven by jammin’ percussion breakdowns.
http://www.facebook.com/sonderey
http://www.sonderey.com/
Danny Meeker: 5pm
Steven Baranowski: 6pm
Steve Baranowski is not your typical singer-songwriter. As a guitarist his unusual mixture of rock, pop, jazz, folk and classical is miles away from (and above) the typical three-chord strummer. As a writer, the memorable songs range from absurd to sublime, populated with madmen, superheroes, mystics, zombies and cats. No whiskey and trains to be found. A unique addition to the Austin scene.
Cilantro Boombox: 7pm
Cilantro Boombox’s dance and Afro-Latin based sound organically integrates elements of hip-hop, funk, electronica and traditional Venezuelan music. Danceable percussive beats, infectious bass lines and vibrant horns and synths are some of the hallmarks of Cilantro Boombox’s distinctive fusion of styles.
http://www.facebook.com/cilantroboombox
http://soundcloud.com/cilantroboombox
Thanks to folks like Professor Raul Reyes and the Student Activities office at Lone Star College-Kingwood, programs like Monday night’s screening of The Longoria Affair are bring offered to suburban communities in North Harris county. And Monday night attracted over 230 students, faculty, and members of the community.
The Longoria Affair, a documentary produced by John Valadez, takes us back to the days of WWII when a Three Rivers, TX soldier by the name of Felix Longoria died in the field of battle. When his widow was making funeral arrangements and requested a wake at the funeral chapel, the funeral home owner did not allow the wake because his white patrons would not like that.
