December 3, 2007
Playing Through Time
6:00pm - 8:00pm

Xoloitzcuintli, Jarocho Conjunto  
FOLKORICO ENSEMBLE
Mexika with Master Musician Martin Espino
and Percussionist Christopher Garcia
SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY Luis Villegas
Sal Lopez YOUR HOST

En ESPAÑOL >>

Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way  
Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
DIRECTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL>>

MEXIKA brings a virtual museum to performances, performing on a vast array of such cool instruments as Gourd Water Drums, Bamboo and Stone Marimba, Clay and Bamboo Flutes and Ocarinas, Sea Shell Trumpets, Eagle Whistles and more! Each member of MEXIKA always takes time to explain our music and demonstrate instruments. We teach culture to our audiences but ask them reflect on their own roots. Our heritage is Mexican, we are mostly native Americans, our ancestors were among the first settlers of the Americas, possibly over 60,000 years ago!

MARTIN ESPINO
38 years professional musician, classically trained B.Mus with Honors (performance & ancient European music). Since 1975, I have been playing the instruments of my ancestors not because I saw someone else doing this; because there was NO ONE to copy…but because I had inspired myself. The main thought I had was: “I’d love to help bring these instruments back to life” and so, for more than 29 years of my life (in the beginning it wasn’t cool to play these instruments and no one was playing these instruments), I have conducted honest scholarly research into my ancestral Mexicano heritage, which includes not only my Hispanic but my Indigenous heritage. I am Tepehuano (Durango), Yaqui (Sonora) and Spanish = Mexicano. Since the 80’s: I pioneered performance/teaching methods into what I call “Interactive Performance”, gaining heavy experience working with all ages, ethnicities and abilities which I incorporate into the performances/workshops that both MEXIKA and I present! During this time I was also one of the very people to present/perform instruments of the Andes with Bolivian folklorist, Mario Torrico. Since the early 90’s I helped revive/preserve such little known Mexican instruments as the “Water Drum” (Yaqui/Huichol etc.); the “Tawitol” (Hunter’s Bow instrument of the Tepehuano/Cora etc.). Both the Water Drum and the Tawitol are instruments of my heritage. I also invented such instruments as the “Jaguar Voice” and the “Arco de Lluvia”. Since the 90’s: I have toured throughout the U.S., mostly California, and Mexico (Baja California, Colima, Guerrero, Tabasco and Chiapas). Since the 90’s: I have been making instruments, becoming an expert with gourd and bamboo. I have made more then 40,000 instruments in workshops and those that I play and sell. I am honest with my art, myself and to others. Please: Beware the artists who do not tell who they learned from (usually they learned from me or Xavier Quijas).

CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
Chris Garcia, Mexicano, is a percussionist and classically trained musician (Cal Arts). He has made his career as a master of the North Indian drum called Tabla. He also plays a very mean marimba and drum set in various styles as well being familiar with a vast variety of "world" hand percussion. He currently performs/tours with groups/people like: Alex Degrassi, Michael Manring, Nels Cline, Quarteto Nuevo, Continuum, Frank Zappa_s Grande Mothers of Invention, Michael Pierre Vlatkovich, Ancient Grooves and many others.
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Luis Villegas
Internationally renowned guitarist, Luis Villegas -- a first-generation Mexican-American born in East Los Angeles -- grew up between two musical crosscurrents: the traditional music he heard at home and the rock and roll of Hollywood's Sunset Strip.

Luis and his band gained a large following by performing constantly and consistently in the Los Angeles area for a few years before signing his first recording contract and releasing his debut CD, Cafe Ole (Domo), in 1998. It had reviewers grasping for definitions. "Fiery," "intense," "potent," and "a demon of technique" were a few of the more picturesque pronouncements. Cafe Ole won Villegas a spot on the Grammy ballot for Best New Age Artist of 1999 and gained Luis a cult following amongst fellow guitarists.

Audiences grew larger still when he made appearances at the nation's highest profile jazz festivals including the Playboy Jazz Festival, Catalina JazzTrax Festival, and the Sedona Latin Jazz Festival. During this time his music was on heavy rotation on smooth jazz radio coast to coast boosting sales of his two CDs to the highest levels they had ever been and sealing his reputation as a virtuoso guitarist amongst audiences and critics alike.

Luis Villegas recent filmography includes performing with the La Rodeo Band on the soundtrack of the 2004 film “Collateral starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx.
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For arrival to the Autry National Center’s Museum of the American West during the DWP Holiday Light Festival

Los Feliz Boulevard/Crystal Springs Drive is not recommended for incoming or outgoing traffic during evening hours of the Holiday Light Festival.

Nightly – November 20 – December 30, 2006 4:30pm-10pm.

Please note that last year the wait for entrance off Los Feliz Blvd. was up to 2 hours.

Please use any of the following alternative routes:

Via surface streets, the Museum can be reached from Forest Lawn Drive and Victory Boulevard.

EASTBOUND on the Ventura (134) Freeway, exit VICTORY – turn Right at the top of the ramp, then make an immediate Left, and follow the signs to the LA Zoo and Autry Museum.

WESTBOUND on the Ventura (134) Freeway, exit ZOO DRIVE –follow the signs around the soccer fields and over the freeway to the LA Zoo and Autry Museum.

SOUTHBOUND on the Golden State (5) Freeway, exit WESTERN – turn Right at Western, turn Left at Victory (2nd light), and follow the signs to the LA Zoo and Autry Museum.

NORTHBOUND on the Golden State (5) Freeway, exit ZOO DRIVE–turn Right at the stop sign, go over the freeway, and follow the sign to the LA Zoo and Autry Museum.

The Department of Transportation will be at all intersections.  They will clear you for entrance to Museum parking.
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Clásica. Las raíces de la música.
Lunes 3 de diciembre de 2007.
6:00 – 8:00 P. M.
Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Ángeles, Ca.

Evento totalmente gratuito.
La Asociación Sinfónica de Pasadena, presenta la más electrizante experiencia musical con “Clásica; Las raíces de la música”.

Disfruta de una nueva y excitante diversidad musical, explorando las raíces del folclor latino, hispano, indígena, tradicional y la música clásica. La Asociación Sinfónica de Pasadena irrumpe dentro del fenómeno musical y cultural en generaciones prolíficas de músicos y actores.
Cada acto iniciará con danzantes y grupos locales que reflejarán la concepción cultural de su comunidad, pero también la ilustrativa y dominante influencia familiar.

Disfrute a MEXIKA, con Martín Espino y Christopher García, percusores de la cultura musical indígena y ancestral.

Admire a Luis Villegas y su guitarra
La apertura estará a cargo del conjunto jarocho Xoloitzcuictli.

Conducirá el evento el popular Sal López, nuevo valor del cine y la televisión.

El evento se realizará el 3 de diciembre en el Autry National Center, de las 6 de la tarde a las ocho de la noche y es patrocinado por la Fundación James Irvine.
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