The 9th Annual Tucson Desert Song Festival Celebrates Songs of Love January 20th through February 12th, 2021. This concert of Latin American music titled Amor Latino features Carlos Zapién (voice), Edwin Guevara-Gutiérrez and Misael Barraza-Diaz (guitar).

Armando Manzanero, Mexican composer, author of songs such as Somos novios, Esta tarde vi llover (Yesterday I Heard the Rain), Contigo aprendí and Adoro, has died.

Entiendo la desesperación de un hijo, de una hija, de un padre, que ya no podrá ver a su ser querido. Entiendo la razón de ser de las medidas de seguridad que establecen los centros de salud. Espero que todo esto llegue a su fin pronto.

Estoy triste.

After a private performance in Tubac, AZ, my team and I headed to Elvira’s Restaurant. What a nice place to dine! My steak was very good and the Mango Caribbean Flounder was delicious! Beautiful atmosphere and friendly people. A very good way to end this day in Tubac. Highly recommended!

A week ago I had the honor of participating in a musical program with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and choristers from the Diocese of Tucson, conducted by John McMeen. Two of the works performed are my own: the Ave Maria that was performed last year and this year we had the opportunity to premiere an Our Father (Padre Nuestro), also my own.

Ya de regreso en el hotel, después de mi participación en el programa Noche a Noche con Carlos Cuevas, que se transmite en Televisa Guadalajara. Grandes anfitriones el tocayo Cuevas y el “quizás-pariente” Ricardo Caballero.

Lisa Rodriguez and Nayelli Acevedo were part of the pedagogical program of the Festival Ars Vocalis Mexico, taking voice lessons and early music and baroque interpretation with Eric Mentzel and August Denhard, as well as in a masterclass with countertenor Michael Chance. Both singers participated in the program for three years; later they emigrated to Spain to carry out postgraduate studies in the subject. They returned to Mexico and now they founded a group of early and baroque music called Los Farsantes.

En días pasados fui al estudio de grabación con la intención de grabar Flor de Azalea. Esta bella obra fue escrita por Manuel Esperón y Zacarías Gómez Urquiza. La bella actriz Elsa Aguirre fue la inspiración para crear esta canción.

Rara vez visité la casa de mis abuelos paternos. Recuerdos de ellos no tengo, pero sí me acuerdo que un día mis padres me llevaron a la casa de los abuelos. El aparato tocadiscos estaba prendido y el abuelo quitó el disco LP y puso un cassette a tocar. Me acuerdo de la voz que escuché: en ese momento pensé que era voz de pájaro (esto sucedió cuando yo tenía unos 4-5 años), pero esa voz era femenina, muy bella, nítida.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of collaborating with Misael Barraza Díaz, a wonderful guitarist living in Tucson. Misael and I had talked about the possibility of recording “Alma Mía,” a song that we presented at the gala recital in San Xavier a few months ago and was well received by the public.

A month ago, the music video for Tú Me Acostumbraste was released. I must say, the filming process was a wonderful experience.

I always enjoy the moments that I can share with members of the Cathedral Schola. I was in Yuma, AZ. to prepare and direct the local choir that participated in the funeral Mass for Monsignor Richard O'Keefe, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Tucson who was the pastor at Immaculate Conception for several years.

A few weeks ago, I posted on Facebook a video that contains the audio of the bolero Tú Me Acostumbraste, but the video contained only the text of the song and a photo with a flower. That video reached more than 150,000 views, 3,500 shares and likes.

On Sunday, March 31 I had the pleasure to perform at the beautiful Mission San Xavier del Bac, where I was invited by Patronato San Xavier to give a recital, which was titled Boleros at San Xavier. It also included some traditional songs from Mexico, such as La Llorona and Malagueña. The program included classics such as Bésame Mucho, Sabor a Mí and Solamente una Vez/You Belong to my Heart.

Hoy tuve la oportunidad de ser entrevistado en el programa de Arriba Tucson (canal 14), con motivo de mi próxima presentación para el Patronato Xavier. Aproveché el espacio para interpretar Tú Me Acostumbraste, mi más reciente sencillo, el cual ya está disponible en todas las plataformas digitales.

The Discalced Carmelites are a fundamental part of the development of Catholicism in southern Arizona, sending priests to attend to different chapels and parishes in the Diocese. In the following image we can see 5 Discalced Carmelites - 4 priests and a brother - who lived in the Tucson community and who, upon their return to Spain, died at the hands of Franco's troops in 1936.

Mission accomplished! What a wonderful time I had with Giampaolo Bandini & Cesare Chiacchiaretta, collaborating with Ballet Tucson and Tucson Guitar Society. Muchas gracias...y Viva Piazzolla!

Today, January 29, I met Gianpaolo Bandini and Cesare Chiacchiaretta at Jim Brady, who welcomed us in his studio to have a music rehearsal for Viva Piazzolla! We were prepared for a long rehearsal, but we just used less than 40 minutes to go throught the entire repertoire for the show.

Ha fallecido uno de los más grandes compositores de música para bandas sonoras. Pianista y un virtuoso del jazz, Michel Legrand obtuvo 5 Grammys. Sus obras han sido interpretadas por Charles Aznavour, Tony Bennett, Björk, Ray Charles, Jessye Norman, Diana Ross y Barbra Streisand, por mencionar algunos.

Vino hacia mi y puso sus patas en la ventana del carro. Pude ver que el perro estaba sediento. Afortunadamente tenía una botella de agua en el carro y pude darle agua a beber. El perro parecía muy feliz y relajado. Creo que le caí bien, porque el perro saltó y se sentó en el asiento de pasajero cuando abrí la puerta del carro.