The Annual Pilgrimage...

32nd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio

                         by Cristina Balli

Los Dos Gilbertos 

Everyone marks their calendars a year in advance; second or third weekend in May is reserved for what has become a pilgrimage of sorts, the annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio.  Now in its 32^nd year, the conjunto mega-event is hosted by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in the conjunto mecca of the world, San Antonio’s west side. 

I’ve been attending this festival since 1997 when I was a social worker at St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home in San Antonio’s south side.  My sister, Cecilia, was writing her undergraduate honors thesis on Tejano music and would fly down from Stanford to do her “research.”  I was her “research assistant” and would take vacation from work to attend five straight days of “fieldwork.”  Those were the days. 

Back then I had no idea I’d one day be doing this work myself, or that I’d work closely with festival founder and organizer, Mr. Conjunto Guru himself, Juan Tejeda.  My professional path went from social worker to public radio producer in south Texas, to the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center in San Benito – the other spiritual center of conjunto music – and eventually to my current post at Texas Folklife.  It’s been a beautiful journey.

Linda Escobar & Conjunto J
at Ruben's Place

But through it all there’s always been one obligatory stop in the calendar year to pay homage to the conjunto maestros, to visit with all the other pilgrims who make the trek from throughout the state, from Louisiana, California, Virginia, Chicago, Monterrey, Holland and Japan!  This is where I see friends, músicos and colegas who I may not have kept in touch with throughout the year.  I get to relax, breathe, and just revel in the music, visit San Antonio spots where the after parties brew with even more conjunto music late into the night.  I reconnect and recharge the batteries of the soul.

Thoze Guyz

Each year is unique and special and 2013 did not disappoint.  Highlights included the “New Directions in Conjunto Music” show on Thursday night, where my favorites were Thoze Guyz from Sweetwater, Texas.  Texas Folklife staff members, including Program Manager Sarah Rucker, were thrilled to see one of our Big Squeeze champions, Nachito Morales, land a coveted spot on the TCF line-up.  Nachito (only 17 years old) and his brothers Rudy (11 on bajo) and Cheke (8 on drums!), together with another Big Squeezer, Michael Lopez Ramos on bass, already recorded their first album as Los Morales Boyz and are turning heads. 

Other personal highlights included hearing some of my favorite artists – Eva Ybarra, Los Desperadoz, and a surprise appearance by Oscar Hernandez with Bene Medina.  I enjoyed reading essays by Rogelio Nuñez and Abel Salas in the festival’s magazine, Tonantzin.  I always meet great new people at the TCF, and this year that included pilgrims from Cajun country Eddie Bourque and fiddle repairer Tom Pierce, and history professor Daniel Margolies from Virginia.  The four of us discussed roots music revival movements over carnitas listening to Santiago Jimenez Jr. on Sunday morning.

Santiago Jimenez Jr. at Carnitas Uruapan

As always, it was great to see our dear friend Gilbert Reyes from Hohner Accordions and Reyes Forum, Eduardo Diaz from the Smithsonian Latino Center, Rudy Lopez from Conjunto Heritage Taller, Sheila Lee of Heritage Arts Productions, Karlos Landin from Karlitos Way Accordions, festival fixture Joe Lopez from Gallista Gallery, Lupito Acuña, Venessa Hill and Ric Vasquez shooting away on their cameras, and my amigas Linda Escobar and Chumbe Salinas who organized another great international afterparty at Ruben’s Place.  I also enjoyed seeing all the Brew Crew members support their favorite bands.  

I was grateful to my friend Alex Avila who accompanied me during the drive from Austin, although he witnessed me getting a speeding ticket!  Ugh.  A big congrats to Maricela Olguin who showcased her Sweet Chela’s deserts at the festival; I loooved that strawberry shortcake…

I leave you with a musical taste of this festival with maestros Oscar Hernandez and 

Bene Medina.  (please excuse the terrible videography; it's the music that matters...)

At the risk of leaving out anyone else who is dear to me and that I connect with at the festival, I’m including more highlights in pictures on our Facebook page.  Please visit us and “like” us!

https://www.facebook.com/texasfolklife

See ya in 2014!

Help us Kickstart our Accordion Kings & Queens Live CD!

Please support our Kickstarter campaign! 

We are asking for your support in funding the completion of our first ever "Accordion Kings & Queens Live" CD.  Pledge rewards are listed below.

The 2012 stellar lineup including Grammy award winners Mingo Saldivar, Los Texmaniacs with Max Baca and David Farias, and Flaco Jimenez. Other performers on the CD include Dora & Her Zydeco Entourage, the Ennis Czech Boys, the 2012 Big Squeeze contest finalists – Peter Anzaldua, Omar Garza, Luis Gonzalez, Michael Ramos - and the reigning 2011 contest champion, Nachito Morales with Los Morales Boyz. The CD will include special bonus tracks of the grand finale jam between Flaco, Mingo, the Texmaniacs, and the newly crowned 2012 Big Squeeze champion Peter Anzaldua. 

Pledge $5 or more

A personalized thank you note from Texas Folklife's executive director. 

Estimated delivery: Jun 2013

Pledge $15 or more

Be one of the first to receive a copy of the CD with free shipping. Estimated delivery: Jun 2013. Add $5 to ship outside the US

Pledge $35 or more

2 tickets for preferred seating at the 24th annual Accordion Kings & Queens show on June 1, 2013. PLUS: a copy of the CD with free shipping. Estimated delivery: Jun 2013.  Add $5 to ship outside the US

Pledge $60 or more

Complimentary or Renewal of Texas Folklife membership for one year PLUS: a copy of the CD and 4 tickets for preferred seating at the 24th Annual Accordion Kings & Queens show on June 1, 2013.

Estimated delivery: Jun 2013. Add $5 to ship outside the US

Pledge $100 or more

A Texas Folklife t-shirt and a copy of The Big Squeeze on DVD. PLUS: a copy of the CD, 4 tickets to Accordion Kings & Queens, and a complimentary or renewal of Texas Folklife membership. Estimated delivery: Jun 2013. Add $5 to ship outside the US

Pledge $250 or more

A thank you on our website and up to 10 tickets to Accordion Kings & Queens PLUS: and a copy of the CD, a Texas Folklife t-shirt, a Big Squeeze DVD, and a Texas Folklife membership.

Pledge $500 or more

A special thank you from the stage of the 2013 Accordion Kings & Queens PLUS: a copy of the CD, up to 10 tickets to Accordion Kings & Queens, a Texas Folklife t-shirt, a Big Squeeze DVD and a Texas Folklife membership.

Pledge $1,000 or more

A special thank you on our website and the stage at Accordion Kings & Queens PLUS: a Texas Folklife t-shirt, a copy of the Big Squeeze DVD, a copy of the CD, 10 tickets to Accordion Kings & Queens, and two Texas Folklife memberships

Texas Folklife in New Orleans: The Katrina Connection

Big Chief Cyril "Iron Horse" Green, 2004. Photo by Eric Waters.

Update 7/8/13
See this video of the second line from the New Orleans Times-Picayune 

On Tuesday April 2nd I attended Cyril 'Big Chief Iron Horse' Green's funeral in New Orleans.  As Big Chief or leader of the Black Seminoles Mardi Gras Indian tribe, Iron Horse was a well-respected community leader of New Orleans' 8th ward.  His use of a wheel-chair earned him his nickname, but Iron Horse didn't let his condition slow him down:

Green was involved with other Indian tribes, beginning as Second Chief of the Flaming Arrows in 1992. He then held the same title with the Young Cheyennes before forming his own tribe, the Black Seminoles. He was inducted into the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame in 2006 and received its highest honor, the Crystal Feather; he then served as Vice President of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Circle of Chiefs. He was also a computer scientist, holding an associate degree from Delgado Community College. He made regular visits to local schools and to the Jazz & Heritage Festival, where he was scheduled to appear again this year. 
(Offbeat: Louisiana Music & Culture)

Iron Horse passed away in late March and while there was grief and sadness from Iron Horse's family and friends during the funeral ceremony, the second line funeral parade that followed reminded me that a funeral in New Orleans isn't like a funeral anywhere else.  I had met Big Chief Iron Horse in Austin, TX and New Orleans, LA while conducting ethnomusicology research for my master's thesis at UC Santa Barbara.  Iron Horse lived in Dallas, TX for a time following hurricane Katrina, while other stewards of New Orleans culture including musician Cyril Neville and Mardi Gras Indians including Iron Horse's relative Big Chief Kevin Goodman of the Flaming Arrows, and Big Chief Darold Gordon of the Young Navajo ended up in Austin.  My previous work with Mardi Gras Indians explored the ways they continued their cultural practices in other cities after they lost their homes and possessions in the 2005 levee breach.  When Iron Horse passed, I was invited to go on a trip to New Orleans for the funeral by my friend and collaborator Jimmie Dreams, an Austin-based guitarist who performed with many of the musicians and Mardi Gras Indians in the years following Katrina.  We hit the road with Lori Stevensen, a supporter of New Orleans music and culture and close friend of many of those who ended up in Austin after Katrina, on what was to be an action-packed 30-hour stay in the city. After an all-night, bleary-eyed drive through Houston and across Louisiana on I-10, we arrived in New Orleans in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday and eventually headed to Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on St. Roch Avenue for the funeral.

The outpouring of community support for Iron Horse was indicative of how the Mardi Gras Indians tradition continues to bring many people from different wards of New Orleans together.  Several chiefs from other Mardi Gras Indian tribes also attended the ceremony, including Darryl Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas, Bo Dollis, Jr. of the Wild Magnolias, and Victor Harris of the Fi-Yi-Yi.  Several members of the Queen council, the female leadership of the Mardi Gras Indians, and Thomas "Big Chief Bo" Dean also made remarks at the service.  At the end of the church ceremony, the pall bearers carried Iron Horse's casket outside the church, where a massive crowd awaited.  A neighborhood brass band, several groups of Mardi Gras Indian tribes, and the second line of community participant tambourine players and dancers then marched through the streets of the 8th ward along with a hearse carrying Iron Horse's casket.  It was a moment of a community defining itself, saying goodbye to a local hero and leader that helped shape it and carry its traditions forward.

While important questions about the "true Indianness" of the Mardi Gras Indians is often raised by those unfamiliar with the tradition, as well as some Native American Studies scholars, there are two critical issues at play in understanding this.  First, this urban tradition arose when African-American communities in New Orleans grappled with what cultural studies scholar George Lipsitz calls families of resemblance, that is, the similarity of their own struggle for dignity and equal rights and that of another oppressed people, Native Americans. Secondly, many African-American in Louisiana can in fact trace their own Native heritage, but many are barred from claiming citizenship in Native American tribes because they are seen as 'too mixed' and therefore not Indian enough to qualify for the benefits granted by the State and Federal governments.  Elwin Green Gillum (Queen Chief Warhorse), leader of the Chahta Indian tribe of Louisiana, was one of those in attendance for Big Chief Iron Horse's funeral. She is the direct descendant of the last Queen of the Tchefuncta Nation, who ruled over the nation when, as a part of the Florida Territory, they lived under treaty with Spain. Like the Seminole, who harbored black people seeking to escape enslavement, Chahta bloodlines are now thoroughly intermixed. (Examiner.com)  The Chahta Indians and the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans are bound through community, shared histories, and ambassadors who continue to forge the connections between the city's musical and cultural heritage and the traditions of the surrounding area's Native tribes.

Texas Folklife continues to highlight the cultural overlap of Texas and Louisiana, from the longstanding shared tradition of the accordion to the more recent Katrina connections highlighted here.  In December 2012 Texas Folklife helped with a youth-produced radio story about Big Chief Darold Gordon for the Stories from Deep in the Heart youth radio program.  Look for more on the Katrina connection in the coming year.

The Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame is accepting donations for the Big Chief Iron Horse burial fund.

                                                      (All photos by Charlie Lockwood)

Interning at Texas Folklife

A Venture in Geography, Place & Culture

By: Eliana Ramirez

I have always been addicted to culture.  As a child, this obsession started with acknowledging and embracing my own unique culture as a Latina growing up in the Rio Grande Valley.  As a college student, it has manifested itself in the form of Anthropology and Mexican-American Studies classes I have taken as part of my Cultural Studies strand in the Bridging Disciplines Program at UT.  Most recently, I have satiated this cultural longing through my internship at Texas Folklife this past semester.

           

I first volunteered with Texas Folklife when I was a freshman in college.  During this time, I mainly took pictures and wrote small blog pieces.  Now a senior at UT, I thought Texas Folklife would be the perfect fit for my concentration in Geography, Place & Culture.  Geography?  Check.  Place?  Check.  Culture?  Double check.  The name says it all.

            

Flaco Jimenez at Accordion Kings & Queens 2012
Photo by Eliana Ramirez

My primary job at Texas Folklife has been helping plan their accordion programs:  The Big Squeeze accordion competition in the spring, and the Accordion Kings & Queens festival and finals competition in the summer.  My involvement with this program has allowed me to dip my feet in many parts of the media pool, including:  conducting online research on the history of the accordion in Texas, watching and totaling videos of past Big Squeeze and Accordion Kings & Queens competitions on YouTube, creating an interactive Google Map of past finalist's and semifinalist's hometowns, and utilizing spreadsheets to calculate Big Squeeze statistics on the age, gender, location, and song genres of former contestants.

            

The best part about interning at Texas Folklife this semester has been concurrently learning to play the accordion and participating in UT's Conjunto Ensemble.   As I watched videos of past contestants and read through their musical selections for the Big Squeeze tryouts, I would catch myself thinking, "Hey! I remember that song!" or "Wow, I remember learning to play this!"  While I am years behind Texas Folklife's talented accordion players, I can now say that I fully admire and appreciate their awesome technical and performance skills.

            

Of the many things I learned at Texas Folklife, I think the most important has been realizing how the organization highlights the relationship between geography, place, and culture.  This folklife agency centers its agenda on the idea that geographic and physical space creates a long lasting and intangible cultural space.  I have spent the whole semester grasping at this idea with my accordion research, and now that it’s within the palm of my hand and my time at Texas Folklife finally comes to a close, I know that I’ll be able to hold onto this discovery as I embark on my future cultural experiences.

The Texas Folklife staff wishes Eliana lots of luck in her future endeavors. It was great having you as part of our team last semester, Ellie!

A Year of Firsts...and Seconds!

Big Squeeze 2012
By Sarah Rucker
Photos by Michelle Mejia

As I stood in the wings at Miller Outdoor Theatre hearing the name of the 2012 Big Squeeze champion being called, I found myself looking back over the highlights of the last three months.

Rudy Salinas preparing for audition

The search began in February with the first audition in Houston, the city that hosts our Accordion Kings & Queens concert and Big Squeeze finals and is also home to two of our six champions. Our media assistant, Michelle Mejia, and I set off to locally-owned Cactus Music & Record Ranch on Portsmouth. Soon we had some familiar faces arrive to audition and a special performance by a past finalist. 2007 finalist Robert Vega (who can be seen in our documentary) played an electrifying set of “Rockteño” with his band Promesa Mortal who features his sister, Tina Vega on electric bajo sexto, brother on guitar and cousin on drums.

Then in early March it was down to the Rio Grande Valley which has always been a hotbed of great Texas accordion music. Since Michelle and I were tied up with our Board Retreat that weekend we had a good friend organize the audition, 2007 Champion Juan Longoria, Jr.  Hosted by Harlingen Performing Arts Center, this audition made the record for most contestants at a single location. Our friend Mayra Cruz helped wrangle all of the nervous contestants, Juan introduced each one, and his brother Federico Longoria assisted when contestants needed bajo sexto accompaniment.  Then their band Conteño performed. This audition had another special moment and a first for the history of the Big Squeeze contest. Juan’s son, Juan Longoria III, became the first child of a winner to audition for the contest.

Los Texmaniacs with Robert Casillas
on a hot Dallas afternoon

Michelle and I hit the road again to Dallas for our contest auditions and public program at the Latino Cultural Center on Live Oak Street in late March. We were greeted by the amazing LCC staff and our reigning champion, Ignacio “Nachito” Morales and family. There was a special presentation the night before the auditions by Karlos Landin, owner of Karlito’s Way Accordions, on the history of Conjunto music. Sunday we were blown away by the variety of styles the contestants played. After the auditions, Nachito played an opening set for the Grammy-award winning Los Texmaniacs.

Rodolfo Lopez announcing
contestants at Gallista Gallery

For our last audition of 2012 we returned to the Gallista Gallery in San Antonio where we were greeted by our friends and collaborators Conjunto Heritage Taller. Many of the contestants in San Antonio were students of Conjunto Heritage Taller or Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin in nearby Seguin. CHT founder Rodolfo Lopez helped me introduce the contestants while Bene Medina accompanied them on bajo sexto. We had one of our youngest contestants at the age of 6.

In addition to the auditions, we had many mail-in entries from players from all over the state. In early April, came the nerve-wracking part: a panel of judges had to meet to narrow the dozens of contestants down to eight semi-finalists. The news was released the Monday after Easter. Previous finalists Isaiah Tellez from Houston and Omar Garza from Mission made it.  Candie Cerda from San Benito was chosen as the only female semi-finalist for 2012. Peter Anzaldua, a semi-finalist in 2010, advanced. In the 12 and under category, Zeth Lara and Juan Longoria III were chosen. And Michael Ramos and Luis Gonzalez from the Dallas area made it to the next round.

Joel Guzman autographing
Candie Cerda's accordion

At the semi-finals in Austin on April 28, the judges and audience were in awe of the amount of talent of the eight finalists who were accompanied by a full band at this point – led by Austin drummer and Big Squeeze supporter, Clemencia Zapata. 2010 Finalist Ruben Paul Moreno gave the crowd a taste of his Zydeco revolution. And Grammy-award winner Joel Guzman closed out the afternoon with his group.

Flashing forward to my moment in the wings on June 2 in Houston…

After watching the four finalists, Peter Anzaldua, Omar Garza, Michael Ramos and Luis Gonzalez steal the hearts of nearly 6,000 audience members, the results were being announced by Texas Folklife director, Cristina Balli. Brownsville native Peter Anzaldua took the title, becoming the second of six winners from Brownsville, Texas.  Previous champions Juan Longoria Jr., Johnny Ramirez and Keyun Dickson were there to congratulate him along with Texas Folklife staff and board members and the other finalists and their families.

Board members Armando Sanchez and Gus Voelzel presenting
Peter Anzaldua with his Grand Prize certificate and accordion
Photo by David Dodd

So another great year for the Big Squeeze was coming to an end. We made many new friends, got to see old friends and supporters in each city and made some great memories. Now time to plan the audition dates for 2013 – stay tuned and keep squeezin’!

Texas Folklife Receives City of Austin GTOPS Award Certificate

The City of Austin's Grant for Technology Opportunities Program (GTOPS) award presentation took place during the Austin City Council's March 22nd meeting.  The GTOPS program was designed in 2001 by the City's Telecommunications Commission to support digital technology projects that show promise of benefiting our community.

This year the City of Austin awarded Texas Folklife $22,415 to support "Stories from Deep in the Heart", the educational collaboration with Austin Independent School District and KUT-FM in which students and teachers are trained to produce short documentaries about their own communities for public radio.

Board Member Susan Morehead and Former Executive Director Nancy Bless accepted the award on behalf of Texas Folklife.  Congratulations!

Former Executive Director Nancy Bless and Board Member Susan Morehead 

 

Texas Folklife & Fisher's BBQ at SXSW

Texas Folklife has a special guest on our patio for South by Southwest 2012!  Fisher's Bar-B-Q from Houston, TX is serving up some delicious Texas BBQ all day and night during the festival.  

Adam Fisher