Entretenimiento

La entrada es libre.

Redacción.- A Chapala llegará una obra de teatro en formato radioteatro contemporáneo que promete ser toda una experiencia auditiva, se trata de “El Vocho” que se presentará el martes siete de septiembre en el Centro Cultural González Gallo (CCGG) con acceso sin costo al público. 

“El Vocho” permite acercarnos a través de la escucha a la historia de Marcela y Renata, quienes migran en busca de Teresa en un país lleno de incertidumbre, políticas antiinmigrantes, feminicidios y guerras no declaradas. Un panorama cercano a la realidad que guarda una ligera línea entre el apocalipsis y la tercera guerra mundial.

El autor y director es Emmanuel Medina, mientras que la producción ejecutiva está a cargo de Armando Amezcua, contando con las voces de  Lucia Cortes como Marcela, Mónica Tafolla como Renata y Lilah Martín del Campo como Ma. Teresa, con voces adicionales de Vriceida Guillén,  Alejandro Rizo,  Anahí Luna, Diego Ortiz y Kenji Kishi  y el diiseño sonoro y musicalización de Kenji Kishi.

Fecha: 7 de septiembre

Hora: 18:00 horas

Lugar: Centro Cultural González Gallo (Chapala)

Dirigido a: Adolescentes y adultos

Duración: 36 minutos

Entrada libre

Lake Chapala Community Orchestra.

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic,  JAL.  The Lake Chapala Community Orchestra Chamber Ensemble will return to the stage in full force Thursday August 26 and Friday August 27 in a “Summer Serenade” concert  with special guests the Arche String Quartet from Guadalajara and Ely Molletones of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra.

Poster for Summer Serenade concert

The  12-member Chamber Ensemble will play works by Mozart, Faure, Telemann, Tchaikovsky and many more. The two concerts will be held at the Unitarian/Bare Stage in Riberas, starting at  4pm. Orchestra Conductor Michael Reason will lead the Chamber Ensemble and play the piano.

Doors will be open at 3.15pm along with the bar which will offer wine, beer and soft drinks. Admission is free, but seat reservations are required..  Covid precautions will be in effect and masks must be worn while  in the building. Reservations are available by email at lccotickets@gmail.com with the date and number of seats  desired.

Christine and Tony Valle Hernandez on stage with Los Amigos Big Band.

Patrick O’Heffernan Ajijic ,JAL. Lakeside’s only big band jazz orchestra  went to the Centro Cultural Presidencia Antigua in Chapala to broaden its mostly Expat audience with a fundraising concert for Mexican families to help its Mexican band members battered by Covid restrictions. 

Concert organizer and Big Band saxophonist Christine Philipson said, “ This is the third concert for the Band, with that many again cancelled due to Covid, so we are very pleased to  finally be able to support our Mexican band members”.

The Jazz for  Families was an exciting success with all seats in the socially distanced auditorium sold out and an overflow crowd in the courtyard on folding chairs.  Many of those in the auditorium and the courtyard were Mexican families with children. All announcements from the stage were in English and Spanish and a special drawing for music lesson prizes for the children in the audience – all Mexican – brought smiles, “ah’s” and applause as children – some shy and some grinning  – climbed onstage to accept their prizes.

For adults, Expat and Mexican, two bottles of local Sandy y Daniel tequila were awarded to lucky ticket holders.

Los Amigos Big Band ‘s current stage is 4toSintido  in Riberas, a four-star restaurant that easily holds a 100+ audience with plenty of room to dance.  The Jazz for Families concert in Chapala was performed in the largely Mexican community of Chapala, with a very low ticket price and children under 16 free to make it accessible to families.   

Only the Mexican members of Los Amigos were paid for the performance – Expat performers like Philipson volunteered. The concert was co-sponsored by Semanario Laguna.

The set list, guided by conductor and music director Paul Silverman, consisted of American jazz standards mixed with Mexican favorites like “Azulito” by the famous El Maestro Ray Santos,  “Perfida” by Albert Dominguez, and “El Mundo Raro” by the ranchero singer/songwriter  José Alfredo Jiménez.     Band Leader Silverman introduced local Mexican musicians in the band like Dani Real, Carlos López Desales and his Uncle ‘Chepe’ José Manuel López Hernández,  Angel Chavarria, Esteban Olvera,  and Tony Valle Hernandez who also translated.

Los Amigos Big Band will be playing  one of their popular «Tea Dance» concerts Tuesday Sept 7th – 12 – 2pm at  4toSento  in Riberas.  

Fueron cuatro las participantes.

Redacción.- Una noche de diversión, apertura, protesta y búsqueda de conciencia, así fue como se desarrolló el “Certamen gay” en Jocotepec, realizado el 24 de julio. Los asistentes al certamen pudieron observar una pasarela con traje típico que representaba las raíces de las concursantes así como vestido de gala, siendo acompañadas de las porras de amigo y familiares.  

Con estos eventos buscan crear más espacios para la comunidad gay.

El concurso realizado en el salón providencia, ubicado sobre la calle Vicente Guerrero, recibió a las primeras personas a las ocho y media de la noche, poco a poco el lugar se fue llenando para dar inicio con la música con la que los presentes pudieron bailar. 

Vianey, quien ya fue reina de un certamen gay y quien ha organizado otros concursos, realizó la actividad de diversidad en Jocotepec, aunque en esta ocasión con personas que apenas comienzan a adentrarse en el mundo del transformismo, teniendo desde un inicio la intención de que ahora participaran “chicas” amateur. 

Hacer conciencia en la sociedad fue parte de lo mencionado en el certamen.

Además de las pasarelas y la muestra de traje típico y vestido de gala, las participantes dieron un pequeño discurso, como de minuto y medio, en el que abordaron problemáticas de las personas con preferencias sexuales distintas, algunas tocaron el tema de rechazo y el miedo de la sociedad, la apertura de espacios para la comunidad y la discriminació y hasta ataques que se siguen dando. 

Mientras las participantes convivieron con sus amistades y familiares y observaban el actuar de ballet folklorico Jalisco diverso, integrado por personas de la diversidad sexual y procedente de Guadalajara, el conteo se realizaba detrás de la cortina. 

La ganadora participará en un concurso estatal.

La ganadora fue Cristina Evangelista de Jocotepec, que competirá en un certamen a nivel estatal; en segundo lugar, Alisson Hernández de La Loma; en tercero Vania Gavilán de Potrerillos y en cuarto Helen Orozco de El Sauz.

Luego de conocer los resultados, la gente se paró a bailar y se puso a disfrutar de los llamados himnos de la comunidad gay, como canciones Talia, Gloria Trevi, Alaska y Dinarama entre otros.

Con información de Ricardo Cortés.

Cruz performed two shows on a Sunday afternoon , July 25.

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic JAL. Freddie Mercury impersonator Roy Gómez Cruz put on a bang-up show for a full house at the Lake Chapala Society  that took the audience on an energetic, visual, and emotional journey through the songs and life events that made Freddie Mercury. 

Cruz performed two shows on a Sunday afternoon , July 25, on the LCS lawn that included high energy music, dancers, videos, and the singer strolling through the audience and serenading tables.  The crowd loved it and from all appearances, so did Cruz.

The concert was part of the Lake Chapala Society’s Concert on the Lawn series and been previewed by a surprise appearance by Cruz  in June so there was a lot anticipation and Cruz delivered the two shows in spades – he gave the audience everything they wanted – familiar songs, great music, jokes, recreations of Mercury’s classic videos including a vacuuming housewife, and flirting. As he sang.

Cruz plays Mercury in a running show in Puerto Vallarta even though Freddie Mercury and the band Queen are not as popular in Mexico as in other parts of the world, mainly because of a disastrous tour in 1981 marred by visa snafus, stampeding crowds, terrible organization, and eventually the audience throwing shoes at the band when Mercury threw water at them – a routine part of his act. No water was thrown at the LCS audience.

The Concert on the Lawn is an ongoing series at LCS which brings outstanding artists to  Lakeside to generate income for the Society and entertain people in Lakeside.  The next concert is the Crooners Tribute starring Marc Lopez on August 22.  Tickets available online or at LCS. 

Blue Jay Slim sings a loving duet with his wife at El Barco.

Blue Jay – or just “Jay” as he is known in the music community, played a final concert with his all-star  blue Machine Band of Javier Villaseñor on guitar, Chelo Gonzales on drums, Sergio Casas on bass, Christian Jimenez on piano plus guest horn players coaxed out of the audience.

Blue Jay announced at the opening of his first set that this would be his last concert because he was headed back NOB, but he told Laguna the move was not permanent and that he and wife will return, maybe after the end of the year – no date specified.  But since many people who know him remember that he went back to the states in 2013 only to return to Ajijic , bigger and better, there was no doubt they would see him again.

Chelo  Gonzales, Javier Javier Villaseñor,  Blue Jay Slim with his wife on stage at El Barco.

Blue Jay has played for years in Lakeside  with the Blues Machine and an earlier band, The Tone Blasters, after an illustrious (and still going) career of recording and live performing in the US.  He has opened for  major bands like Shemkia Copeland, Marcia Ball, The Nighthawkes and many others.  He has played major venues and festivals in the US, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame from Deleware in November 2013.  His Ajijic band was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame last year.

The goodbye concert featured  2 sets with originals like “Don’t Look Up’, and “The Call Me the Boogie Man” and  “Seven Woman Man” plus classic blues favorites like “Back Magic Woman” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”.  

 El Barco’s upstairs outdoor venue began filling up an hour before showtime and it was standing room by the time the band got on stage. But their fans made room for dancing, especially during the loving duet “Some Kind of Wonderful” with his wife.

Fans told Laguna they can’t wait until he returns, but in the meantime they will be enjoying The Blues Machine and Javier Villaseñor flaming guitar licks.  Fans who need their Blue Jay fix can sgream his albums Call Me the Boogie Man and Blue Slim and the ToneBlasters on Spotify

Poster.

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic. Lakeside’s music season is off to a great start with the International  Music Festival this weekend, produced by the Ajijic-based music organization Ray Velvet Productions,  directed by Ray Domenech of Casa Domenech. The festival launches Friday evening  with R&B and funk,  moves onto Saturday with soft rock by Ajijic’s own SAGREY, and wraps up Sunday with hot Latin music from Mexico, Cuba and Venezuela.

The festival will be held at Number 9,  a large outdoor venue owned by a local musician,  located at Aquiles Serdan #9, 20 steps down from Vinos America on the Carretera. Festival goers will enjoy a Mexican all-you-can-eat buffet  dinner with fresh handmade tortillas, a cash bar, and socially-distanced tables.   

Friday’s lineup is ON FIRE , a R&B and jazz funk band with Willy Zavala on keys, Armando Curiel on drums and “Malabres” on bass and featuring Ajijic’s star saxman, Chuco Soto.  Saturday evening will bring the vocals of Barbara Sagrey,  fronting the SAGREY ban , with Diego Casas on drums, Kevin Real on bass,  Azael Medeles on Keyboard, Ray Domenech on guitar  and  Kenji Matsui from Japan on lead guitar. 

The Festival wraps up Sunday, April 25, with MANO PA’RRIBA, playing red hot Latin Music  with the beloved Freddy Adrian from Venezuela on standup bass, Mexico’s  Giovanni Figueroa   on drums and Ronald Rivero from CUBA on the keyboard and fronted by Jackie Jacks  with her beautiful vocals.

Tickets are $700 for VIP and $580 for general admission for each day (discount for multiple days). You can buy your tickets online at: Paypal.me/rayvelvetpro or in Casa Domenech, Zaragoza 109 Ajijic ,or At Angelina’s inside the Lake Chapala Society.  Doors open at 6:30pm each day.

From left to right: Emmanuel Medeles, Artistic Director, Michael Reason,  Conductor, Lake Chapala Community Orchestra, Fabiola Ramos, Administrador Areli  Medeles, Tutor. 

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic. The legacy music school founded over 20 years was on the brink of closing until its fans and supporters stepped up with enthusiastic support of an online fundraising campaign based in Canada.  

“We had fallen from 55 students to 25,  a major loss of tuition revenue, and we were not able to produce on any concerts, a major source of revenue”, Michael Reason , Founder and Conductor of the Lake Chapala Community  Orchestra and a supporter of CREM  told Laguna.  He explained GoFundMe is not supported in Mexico so he set up a Canadian campaign that allowed people to easily donate on line from Mexico.

“As a musician and the founder of the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra it was obvious to me that if the pandemic was to go on a long time a lot of educational institutions  – especially in music – would suffer because of the economic conditions and the public health situation, “ he said, adding that  “CREAM relies on tuition fees but its philosophy is that it doesn’t not matter what your economic situation is they will offer scholarships.”

Reason got involved when a member of his orchestra told him about CREM’s financial problem and since, he has “ always been committed to music education – its important to a person’s character as well as music knowledge,” he stepped in to help out the beloved institution.

CEM was founded 1n 1990  by the late beloved Ajijic singer and music composer Victor Manuel Medeles, beginning with a children’s choir and then introduced instrumental training over time until its present curriculum. It became a registered non-profit under the name CREMusica A.C. in 2013.

Most students – all Mexicans – are children or teens, but there is no age limit. Until the pandemic, CREM had 55 students and several instructors and tutors who taught music theory, trained students on various instruments and operated an orchestra and choir, chamber music groups, and various ensembles. Once a year there is a public exam where students play pieces they have prepared over the year.  Many of the first generation of its graduates are part of the Jalisco Philharmonic or are professional musicians.

Reason and the staff and students and families of CREAM are excited at the success to date of the GoFundMe campaign and hope it reaches its goal in a few weeks.  The school has limped along with a few online classes and some backyard or home practice sessions  but neither of these provide the funds or the education CREM and its students need.

Ramos  feels that meeting their GofundMe goal will tied them over  but Ramos and Reason are realistic about the mid- and long term success of the school and its funding.

“We will need to continue to raise funds, perhaps with small house concerts this summer for scholarships to bring our students back,” CREM Administrator Fabiola Ramos told Laguna, adding that ;they may try to produce some all school concerts this summer.

 Monthly tuition is $535 pesos – very low for most schools, but still a significant amount for the average Mexican family in Lakeside, so scholarships are important to guarantee that that school is open to everyone regardless of financial situation, one of the school’s goals. 

People who want to donate or volunteer should go to the school’s Facebook page at facebook.com/CentroRegionalDeEstudiosMusicales or directly to the GoFundMe campaign at https://bit.ly/2PF8z7v

The Los Amigos Big Band entertains a a sold out crowd at Quatro Sentido.

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic. The 20-piece Los Amigos Big Band entertained an oversold afternoon crowd in Quatro Sentitido’s vast rooftop space in its debut as a big music venue without a hitch.  The band, led by Paul Silverman,  set up for the Christy Philipson-produced concert with the lake and mountains in a stunning backdrop.

The restaurant staffed up for the 100+ Covid-spaced crowd and got people checked in and guided to their reserved tables and served drinks with smooth efficiency.  Snacks and dinners were available from the menu and rolled out of the kitchen as if an overflow crowd was an everyday routine. Quatro Sentido has been hosting a smaller version of the band on Thursdays for some time, so this was not a completely new experience, although the audience size was much larger than the Thursday crowds.

Cristy Carter Cauldwell MC’s and belts with the with the Los Amigos Big Band at Quatro Sentido debut big band concert.

The band, comprised of 20 Mexican and Expat artists, plus 4 outstanding vocalists–Christy Carter Caldwell, Andrea Pérez Romero, Wanda White, and Lorenzo Elmo Adam, was founded by local musician and entrepreneur Christine Philipson. She brought in a professional sound setup with a full control board, microphones for each of the 20 musician and for the vocalists, all tuned and monitored by a skilled sound engineer who delivered clear, high quality sound at precisely the right level.

Quatro Sentido added extra sunroofs to keep the band and the audience cool while leaving the airiness and sunny feeling of their rooftop location. Because of the spaciousness of the venue couples could dance  without coming within the Covid distance of the tables.

 Los Amigos delivered 2 sets with a 25-minute break.  The highly polished music was mostly jazz standards with a little swing and Mexican classics.  The band delivered instrumentals as well as music for the 4 vocalists, with hot guitar, drum and trumpet solos and section breakdowns  that demonstrated the high level of skill of every member of the band.  A mobile radio microphone enabled the vocalists to move freely around the stage. 

Andrea Perez Romero rocks with the Los Amigos Big Band at Quatro Sentido debut big band concert.

Given the success of the first concert, Philipson is envisioning more concerts or even musical reviews at Quatro Sentido or even visiting talent.  Her idea may strike a spark with local audiences; as one person said, at the concert what a great way to spend a Wednesday afternoon.

Kassi Valenti getting the new Stoplight Club for its grandopening April 15.

Patrick O’Heffernan, Ajijic. The Los Amigos Big Band’s “Welcome Spring” concert will open  Wednesday April 7 at the 4TO Sentido restaurant in San Antonio Tlayacapan, after two previous concert dates had to be scrubbed because of Covid.  The concert will kick off at 3:30pm with 2 hours of Expat favorites and some classic Mexican hits.

The Los Amigos  Big Band,  comprised of 20 Mexican and Expat artists, features 4 vocalists–Christy Carter Caldwell, Andrea Pérez Romero, Wanda White, and Lorenzo Elmo Adam,  was founded by local musician and entrepreneur Christine Phillipson.   Philipson worked hard to assemble a multicultural band of the best musicians she could find locally, although a few of the musicians, like the famous swing band leader Klaus Mayer,  are from Guadalajara.  The concert band will be directed by Paul Silverman of Ajijic, formerly music director at Big Band de Playa del Carmen.

“It was a lot of work to put together a bi-cultural big band – a lot of phone calls,” Philipson told Laguna in a phone interview, “ but our mission is to help local musicians who have been hurt terribly by Covid,” she said, adding that musicians who contract Covid can have problems with their lungs for years after the virus has left their body, especially impacting singers and horn players.

Poster for Welcome Spring concert by Los Amigos Big Band in Sn Antonio

Los Amigos Big Band is the third big band Philipson has created. The child of a musical theater family in Canada, she formed a band while in the Canadian military in 1990, and then full big band in 2009 after she left the military that is still going. She moved to Ajijic for the sunshine and founded the third big band, Los Amigos Big Band.   

“My mother once told me I have a love of music, but not a gift for music, so playing would not be my career,” she said, noting that she actually plays the alto sax in the Los Amigos Big Band. The Band allows her to indulge her love of music while helping musicians and providing unique entertainment to the Lakeside community.

The April 7 concert at the 4TO Sentido – formerly the Hole-in-One and then the Avocado Club – will be produced with full Covid protection, including mandatory masks for dancers.  Philipson pointed out that most of the anticipated 100-person audience should have had a Covid-19 vaccination by April 7. The restaurant is known for its fine international cuisine and may serve a  special menu of classical Mexican and word food.

“Welcome Spring”, Wednesday April 7 at the 4TO Sentido, Chula Vista 89 in San Antonio Tlayacapan. Tickets are $180 pesos with one drink: food is extra. Tickets are available at   mxnphilly@gmail.com or at the restaurant.