Saturday Aug 13, 2011
Time: 7 PM
Admission: FREE
Contact Name: Jonathan Holden
Phone: (520) 624-1515

This free, all-ages concert features Yaqui guitar maestro Gabriel Ayala jazz & flamenco Trio, acoustic World Pop from singer-songwriter Rahe & her six-piece band illumiNation, the internationally acclaimed Reveille Men’s Chorus, and Tejano 10-piece dance music from Suerte.

This concert coincides with the monthly 2nd Saturdays Downtown urban fest downtown on Congress St. (6 to 10:30 p.m.).

Visit the Happy Birthday Tucson website www.tucsonsbirthday.org for more information:

This is our second annual concert showcasing Tucson’s unique cultural diversity,” said organizer Richard Elias, Pima County Supervisor, District 5. “We hope this free event will attract families downtown to enjoy great music at the beautiful Fox Tucson Theatre.” The performance is presented by Celebrate Tucson! In collaboration with Tucson Meet Yourself, Community Investment Corporation and 2nd Saturdays Downtown. Made possible by grants from the Pima County Board of Supervisors, The office of the Honorable Richard Elias, Service Employees International Union of Arizona (SEIU Arizona), Community Partnership of Southern Arizona (CPSA), The Pasqua Yaqui Nation, Cox Communications, Providence Service Corporation, the Honorable Regina Romero of the City of Tucson, La Frontera and the Fox Tucson Theatre.

The Gabriel Ayala Trio features Yaqui guitar master Gabriel Ayala, percussionist Greg Curtiss and bassist Gilbert Nagore. Based on a foundation of classical guitar compositions, the trio embraces the passion of Spanish flamenco with jazz improvisation and polyrhythmic world rhythms. Gabriel Ayala’s original repertoire is complemented by material from such diverse musicians as Chick Corea, Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Erik Satie, and The Eagles. Gabriel Ayala was recognized for musical achievement by former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and nominated by the Native American Music Awards for Best Independent Recording. He has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. and at La Festival Internacional de la Guitarra Academica in Venezuela.

Rahe & illumiNation– Award-winning multilingual vocalist/composer/guitarist Rahe was raised in Spain, Japan and the United States. Her music can best be described as Acoustic World Pop, blending influences from Spain, Brazil, Africa, American Soul and Jazz. Her fresh, original sound includes Rahe on vocals and nylon string acoustic guitar, a saxophone quartet (alto, tenor and 2 baritones) and drums. In February she released her debut CD of all original multilingual material, Out of the Box, which reflects the diversity of her multicultural upbringing and passion for creating music that crosses boundaries, genres, and world cultures.

Reveille Men’s Chorus– Tucson’s internationally recognized men’s chorus is now in its 17th year of changing lives through music. What began in 1995 as a gay men’s community chorus with an array of singers has grown into a community institution of seasoned performers with an added public health focus on HIV/AIDS awareness, education and prevention. Under the leadership of artistic director, Shawn Cullen, Reveille continues to change lives through music via its community outreach, volunteer work and musical productions filled with humor and heart. Reveille Men’s Chorus is dedicated to musical excellence and performs worldwide to promote human rights, diversity and a world free of AIDS.

Suerte formed in 2009 to play old school Tejano music with a big band sound. This 10-piece orquesta features vocals with two trumpets, saxophone, piano, guitars, bass, percussion and drums. Tejano music originated in 19th century Texas when German, Czech and Polish immigrants introduced waltzes and polkas which blended with the corridas sung by Mexican musicians with guitars, flutes and drums. Suerte is comprised of veteran musicians who have played with groups in our city dating back to the 80′s and 90′s. Today, Tejano music incorporates elements of pop, rock and R&B as Suerte continues the evolution of this infectious border dance music.

To hear District 5 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias talk about this upcoming birthday event on the Buckmaster radio show, click here. Supervisor Elias’ ancestor was here in the Tucson area since 1775, when the Presidio was first established.

Saturday, May 8, at 7 – 10pm

This free concert will be at the lovely Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street. Info from their website:

“From The Rialto Theatre and Hotel Congress on the east end to The Fox Theatre on the west, downtown Tucson will come alive in a series of free-to-the-public, arts, entertainment, shopping and dining happenings called 2nd Saturdays Downtown, set to kick off Saturday, May 8, 2010 and every second Saturday of the month thereafter.

Kicking off the 2nd Saturdays series in grand style is a world-class free concert by the Portland Cello Project (www.portlandcelloproject.com) at the Fox Theatre. This indefinable ensemble transcends your typical conceptions of what a string group can do, playing everything from inspired original compositions, to obscure 19th -century folk songs to straight-ahead rock n’ roll. As a special treat, Tucson-based singer-songwriter Howe Gelb will join the ensemble as they combine symphonic stylings with one of Tucson’s most renowned musical collectives.

Portland Cello Project, photo by Tarina Westlund

Thanks to Tucson’s Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ: PRSC) for helping to underwrite this show.”

And thanks to Ian Fritz (co-organizer of the Eat More Pie! Contest) who alerted me about this concert, as his sister Anna (pictured above) plays in this Portland Cello Project.

2nd Saturdays Downtown (www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com) monthly events will be from 5 to 10 p.m., with the next ones scheduled for June 12, July 10, and August 14. Check out their website for more activities, for this ongoing “Urban Street Fest”.

This inaugural Saturday event will also feature an outdoor stage on Scott Avenue between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd., to include music by The Modeens (6 to 7 p.m.), The Mission Creeps (7:15 to 8:30 p.m.), and Greyhound Soul (8:45 to 10 p.m.). Sounds like Downtown Saturday Night has finally returned, on a monthly basis.

Another reason to go on down to downtown!