El Paso: Music Under the Stars: Chuco Soul Project

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

July 2017
Music Under the Stars at the Chamizal National Memorial

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

The Chuco Soul Project! I have sentimental feelings for this band. It grabbed me at the Bad Ass Mountain Music Festival in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, back in July 2013. Oooh, this video:

And here they are at their July 2017 Music Under the Stars performance:

A smoooooth sway for a summer evening.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

Sometimes when I listen to music, I think about the special cruelty of cultures that forbid music, song, dance. Such strictures have nothing to do with any deity. In fact, these rules of oppression defy the laws of nature, in which virtually every living creature engages in some form of song and rhythmic movement. Even the wind sings.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

And then I feel gladness to be in a place and a culture that celebrates music and how it unifies souls.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

The night was beautiful.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

Seeing El Paso's star on the mountainside was a special treat.

Chuco Soul Project, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, Texas. July 2017.

Here's a lagniappe from the evening:

El Paso: Independence Day at the Chamizal

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Independence Day 2017.

My go-to Meetup group, El Paso Live Music, hostessed by the gracious Yadira, got together at the Chamizal National Memorial for the combo Music Under the Stars and Independence Day celebrations.

Although I arrived fairly early, it wasn't early enough to avoid the need to park many, many, many blocks away. Fortunately, this enabled me to discover a tidy, interesting neighborhood.

Two other members of our group, Sara and Duane - constant early arrivers like me - found each other and we set up our homestead in readiness for later arrivals. Sara knows I love jicama and she thoughtfully brought fresh, juicy, cold, crispy, crunchy slices with her. Plus Tajin, of course. Mmmmmm.

A video of the fireworks below before I get distracted:

The band for the night was Neon Circus, a Brooks and Dunn tribute band.

And here is a good place to suggest that El Paso might be the center of the tribute-band universe. Which stands to reason, I guess, because El Paso is kinda off in a corner geographically (and US-centristically, it goes without saying), so we're more likely to attract tribute bands than the real thing.

Our Meetup group was in a shady spot faaaaaaar away from the stage, so our own conversation among the cool grass and leafy trees, along with the ambient energy of thousands of chuckling, amiable families around us, stole the show, so to speak.

And then when I swam upstream to the stage for some snaps, I was more taken with the genius body language of one of Neon Circus' lead singers than the music. Damn photogenic.

Neon Circus, Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

 The swollen, close-to-full moon added drama.

Neon Circus, Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

I couldn't choose just one photo to post here.

Neon Circus, Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Preach!

Neon Circus, Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Oh. Yeah, there were fireworks, too.

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

I leave you with a video of the finale:

No, now I'm really leaving you. This time with a warm glow of fireworks and humanity:

Independence Day at the Chamizal, El Paso. July 2017.

El Paso: Chamizal: Carlos Flores

Carlos Flores, "The 187," exhibited at the Chamizal, El Paso, Texas. October 2016.

October 2016


I visited the art exhibit at the Chamizal National Monument one day. Carlos Flores was the featured artist.

"The 187," above, unsettling. I wish I knew more about it. I did look up "the 187" and discovered it is a reference to murder. The scope targets on the chests of the woman, girl, and man are obvious. The girl's eyes, she who is studying English, disturb.

Carlos Flores, "Refogios," exhibited at the Chamizal, El Paso, Texas. October 2016.

I love the painting above. The grandmother at the ready to protect the young boys. Her direct gaze, no-nonsense strength. Her beauty of character.

Carlos Flores, "La Batalla por Juarez," exhibited at the Chamizal, El Paso, Texas. October 2016.

There is this Mexican-US border art that prizes warrior women; it draws me.

El Paso: Chopin Piano Festival

Eric Zuber, 2016 El Paso Chopin Piano Festival

September and October 2016

I attended all three of the Chopin performances. OK, full disclosure: I left during intermission at the final performance.

Alright, let's just get to the truth of things for me.


Alex Beyer performs Chopin's Scherzo No 2, Op 31, in 2014:

I feel only tepid about Chopin. Yes, there were moments here and there when I sat up straighter in my seat, leaned forward, and felt almost grabbed, but the feeling of almost was as far as it went, and I slumped back into the dutiful attempt of reaching a better appreciation of a composer I should probably like more.



 Eric Zuber performs Chopin's Etudes, Op 10, in 2012:

With that bit of awkardness out of the way, let me share all that I liked about the festival.

• Free! Holy smokes, such a great exposure to classical music that is available to all of us, regardless of means. 
• The venue - Chamizal National Memorial - a beautiful place that honors El Paso's intercultural history and arts. 

Chamizal Memorial, El Paso, Texas

• The tidbits about Chopin's life and the backstory of various pieces. The grande dame of the festival, Lucy Scarbrough, was the most generous with details about Chopin's life. Alex Beyer, the youngest of the three pianists, shared the most interesting backstories about the works he performed. 
• The pre-concert quartet, which played in the lobby at all three of the performances, offered a lovely, lovely aperitif for us line-standers to enjoy until the theater doors opened.   

Listen to the quartet here, with a little dancing lagniappe from "Mr. Chopin" and a partner:

• Ms. Scarbrough invited anyone in the audience to come along with her and her party to dinner at an El Paso restaurant after the concert - that impressed the hell out of me. 
• Mr. Zuber and Mr. Beyer each received a kick-ass cowboy hat as an El Paso thanks for participating in the festival.

Quartet that played before each Chopin performance, 2016 El Paso Chopin Piano Festival

Lucy Scarbrough performs Chopin's Prelude Op 20 in 2016: