Tag Archives: music

Join My Photo Exhibit!

¡Puro Mazatlán, chiquita!

Click the link above to play the song while you read; it has a delayed start, so please be patient.

Please join me next week, Thursday March 1st at 7 pm in the Galería Peralta for the opening of a terrific photo show about the beauty and uniqueness that is Mazatlán. That evening will be the inauguration of my third one-woman photo show—the largest I’ve ever had (36 photos), sponsored by our beloved CULTURA Mazatlán, and this time in my own hometown!

Photo Exhibit by Dianne Hofner Saphiere
Yo Soy Fuereña Nací de Aquí Muy Lejos
I am a Foreigner Born Far Away from Here
Galería Peralta
(2nd floor of the theater)
7 pm Thursday March 1st
Free of charge

We will have music, drinks and eats at the inauguration, plus quite a few of the photo subjects tell me they will be present to talk with visitors. Sadly there is no elevator for handicapped accessibility, only the stairs. The exhibition will continue for six weeks, through 14th April. If you’d like reminders, just respond to our event on Facebook and you’ll get them. If you can’t make the grand opening, you can come another day to view it and sign the guest book.

I was so very honored when CULTURA Mazatlán Director Raúl Rico called me into his office last fall and asked me to do a photo exhibit on any topic of my choosing, in any gallery. Of course I chose our beloved adopted home as the subject of the expo; but for a theme? What better than our unofficial city anthem, the Corrido de Mazatlán? So many of us love that song, you here it everywhere around town, and I could make “mini-galleries” of photos according to the stanzas of the corrido. Raúl fortunately loved the idea, and I’ve been working hard ever since.

The gallery is huge, with 15 different walls for displaying photos under these stanzas:

  1. Donde el Pacífico es algo sin igual / Where the Pacific is beyond compare
  2. Para esta gente que es puro corazón / For these people who are all heart
  3. Y hasta en el faro se escucha mi canción / As far as the lighthouse you can hear my song
  4. Hay que bonito Paseo del Centenario / How beautiful is Paseo del Centenario
  5. Hay que bonita también su catedral / How beautiful also its cathedral
  6. Aquí hasta un pobre se siente millonario / Here even a poor person feels like a millionaire
  7. Aquí la vida se pasa sin llorar / Here life passes without tears
  8. El gran orgullo de ser de Mazatlán / The great pride to be from Mazatlán
  9. Que lindo es todo lo que hay en Mazatlán / How gorgeous is everything in Mazatlán

While many of you know me from this blog or from seeing me around town, here is my photographer’s bio:

Dianne has worked with people from over 100 countries during a 38-year career facilitating cross-cultural collaboration for major multinational organizations. USA-born, she has lived in Mazatlán since 2008, spent seven childhood summers in Coyoacán (Mexico City), and twelve years working in Japan.

Dianne documents daily life, community events and “human cultural treasures,” often through the lenses of ethnography. One critic says of Dianne’s work, “There is poetry all around us. Dianne pays attention and calls attention to that in a way of beauty. That is art.” Another says, “Looking Thru Di’s Eyes opens us to things we too often fail to notice. Dianne’s images transmit to us the soul of her subject; we feel we are experiencing it with her.”

Dianne has had solo shows in Paris and Vienna; her work has been selected for curated group exhibitions in Mazatlán, Tijuana, Culiacán, Paris, Vienna and Casablanca, as well as several state and local calendars. Her latest project is an edited volume of photographs called “Cliché or Consequential,” which focuses on debunking stereotypes from around the world. Proceeds will benefit refugees. Dianne’s photos can be purchased at Casa Etnika (Sixto Osuna 50) and Baupres Gallery (Heriberto Frías 1506).

Please invite your friends and family and come join me! I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Classical Guitar Concert Tonight!

Do you love classical guitar? I know I do. I also love supporting young people with a vision and a passion for our city.

A group of young Mazatlecan men including Jorge Birrueta, son of Turismo Mazatlán’s Julio, has organized a non-profit “Sociedad de la Guitarra Mazatlán,” the Mazatlán Guitar Society. Their goal is to promote classical guitar-playing here in town by holding as many concerts as they are able to.

A concert will be held TONIGHT in María del Mar Church, on the corner of Carnavál and Gemelas in Playa Sur, at 7pm. Carlos Viramontes from Torreón will play selections from Napoleón Coste, Joaquín Rodrigo, Francisco Tárrega, Leo Brouwer, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Sergio Assad.

A donation of $80 pesos or US$4 is requested at the door. For more information call mobile number 55 4194 9431.

AC/DC in Mazatlán!?

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AC/DC is easily one of the most recognized names in Rock & Roll. Their music can be heard all over the world, all over the radio and all over Mazatlán, streaming out of bars, nightclubs, pulmonías, aurígas and cars. To many they are Rock & Roll, with an appeal from today’s youth (like my 21-year-old son) to those who rocked to the band’s first album in 1975. After the original lead singer, Bon Scott, died in 1980, Brian Johnson stepped in and became the “voice” and “sound” of the band until his sudden retirement last year. Axl Rose stepped up to finish the tour, but the future of the band is now in doubt. One thing seems to be for sure: the days of hearing Brian Johnson belt out You Shook Me All Night Long are gone. But wait….

What if I told you that you could see a group called Highway to Hell, with a lead singer who can hit high notes like a young Brian Johnson? What if I told you that group will be playing in Mazatlán at the International Convention Center on Saturday, January 28? Would it help to know that this group not only sounds like AC/DC, but looks like them, right down to Angus Young’s schoolboy outfit and Brian’s hair? They have performed all over the world and are respected enough by the real AC/DC to have shared a stage with Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams (bass player, soon to be retired). They rocked Hermosillo in November (https://youtu.be/2fcxqdQeLNg) and recently played to over 10,000 in Mexico City. This is the closest you can get to seeing AC/DC and it is coming to you real soon.

How does something like this come to happen? The commitment and energy of a local expat and longtime music fan, Ray Wright of El Sol La Vida, is making this happen. He has partnered with Tecate, the Mazatlán International Center and TV Azteca. If it’s a success, and I’m sure it will be, he promises to bring more acts to Mazatlán. I had a chance to catch up with Ray recently, and here’s what he had to say. Pay special attention towards the middle for a special promise from the band if the event is a success:

To see AC/DC on their last tour was price prohibitive. Even back in the 80’s, I’m sure I paid over $20 US (plus parking) to see a concert. Call it flashback pricing or whatever you like, but Ray is able to bring us this amazing outdoor open-air event with multiple bands and a DJ, encompassing six hours of music, for only 200 pesos. If you are a VIP rocker these days, 600 pesos gets you a seat at a table. The tables are for eight people, so why not invite some friends to come along as well? Either way you can’t go wrong with affordable food and beverages easily available. Here are the quick facts:

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Saturday, January 28, 7:00 pm
Mazatlán International Center
Tickets 200 pesos (VIP 600) – available all over Mazatlán:

Gran Plaza (beginning Friday, January 13) – look for a special kiosk
Mazatlán International Center
Bikinis Bar in the Golden Zone (Thursday – Sunday 6 pm – 4 am)
Athina Spa – Calla Bellisario Dominguez 1600 in El Centro
Reason’s Hair Salon in the Marina
Surf’s Up Cafe
TBM Offices in Marina next to Dock 7
or by calling Ray Wright 669-146-1626

Schedule is more or less as follows:

Doors open at 6:00 with DJ Nhas starting at 6:30
Opening Act: Local band, Beggars Banquet 7:30 – 9:00
Highway to Hell takes the stage around 9:30 and plays until around 11:30 or midnight
DJ Nhas returns and will play music as long as people are buying beer!

Let’s face it, living in Mazatlán rocks (pun intended). But it means that to see an international performer or band, you have to travel to Monterrey, D.F., or even the United States. Tribute bands are a way to fill the void without traveling. And if you’re going to see a tribute band, you should see the best of breed, which Highway to Hell certainly is.

Are We Blessed or What?

12650991_10208208775554212_2260076847104623997_nWhat an honor to go to the Temporada Gordon Campbell concert today with my friend Jessica, who is a total groupie of Maestro Cambell’s. She was beyond thrilled when I introduced them, she couldn’t believe she actually got to have a conversation with him, and then—the cherry on top of everything—she got to get a picture with the Maestro! It is such a complete pleasure when we are able to bring joy to our friends’ lives. Especially, perhaps, when it’s something simple, as we all know that the Maestro is very down-to-earth, approachable, and so very passionate and committed to his audience.

Last season we published a series called “Behind the Chamber,” in which we conducted interviews with the Maestro and his wife, Guianeya Román. I was so very happy to have Gordon tell me that Daniela Liebman, the then-12-year old piano sensation, had been able to obtain first-class representation in part due to the article we wrote about her. Love it when good things go around and come around!

This season’s line up is also magnificent. I don’t know where Gordon gets his incredible creativity from, but the ideas just seem to flow from him. The season is already half over, so be sure to get your tickets now for the remainder of the schedule. The season resumes after Carnavál, on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.

The “Gordon Campbell Season” is a series of six concerts on Sundays at noon. As the program always takes place during Carnavál, there is one concert that is held in Casa Haas instead of in the Angela Peralta theater. Due to the smaller size of the venue, two showings are scheduled that week, at noon and again at five.

Today was that concert, and it was completely sold out, standing room only. And my oh my was the music good! Performers were Cuarteto Ventura from Culiacán, and to say they played Mexican boleros is a huge understatement. Their classical guitars (including a small one called requinto), congas and incredible harmonies resurrected the original arrangements of music from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema—that era of bad movies and wonderful songs. During the set they also played one Cuban son, and, after the standing ovation, they played a ranchero as an encore. Other than that, the event dripped romanticism as you’ve rarely heard it. We so very much enjoyed ourselves! I kept both the official program list of the songs they intended to play, and the list of the songs they actually played, and I’m planning to put together an online playlist of this gems of Mexican romantic music.

Click on any photo below to view it larger or see a slideshow. My apologies, but I only took my cell phone this time. People recently get very cranky when I take a camera to an event; a bit of NOB mentality impinging itself in our paradise…

Last week’s concert was also incredibly cool. Tiempos Pasados, an antique music ensemble from Guanajuato, performed using instruments that were breathtakingly gorgeous works of art mostly handmade by the group’s Artistic Director, Armando Ávila, who played a different instrument for nearly every song the group played. He is an incredibly talented gentleman—a physicist, instrument maker and musician! Lord knows what else he does in his spare time.

He played a different instrument every song
LOVED this instrument!
Hand carving
Gorgeous handcrafted instruments

The last three events of this season look to be outstanding as usual. I love how Gordon speaks in both Spanish and English, educating us to the things we might miss without his narration. His rapport with the musicians, and the ear he has for bringing to Mazatlán unique events, are a true gift to our city. Be sure to get tickets (at any Angela Peralta outlet—theater or Rico’s Café) and take advantage!