Up, up and away—Media Luna and Gato Negro!
Published in Vallarta Tribune
By Christie Seeley
Vallartasounds.com
I returned last week to Puerto Vallarta after a week with a full to do list in my Oakland, California home. As usual, I came down with a cold—seems inevitable after a flight these days. My horoscope, which I follow with limited conviction, kept telling me this was going to be an exciting week, full of energy. “Not the way I feel” I thought. But the universe knew better.
The weekend of May 24, 25 is the important celebration honoring the patron saint of the Gypsies, Saint Sarah, in the south of France. There suddenly appeared on my radar screen an opportunity to see two of my favorite groups inspired by the music of the Romani people; the charming and energetic gypsy rumba band of Media Luna in beautiful San Miguel de Allende and the simpatico and super talented jazz manouche group Gato Negro in the historic city of Leon. Since the stars were propelling me, I lined up a trip.
My plan was to fly the inexpensive (yet very comfortable) direct Interjet flight from Puerto Vallarta to Leon airport, take a shuttle (Bajiogo) to downtown Leon where I would stay at the Hotel Leon, the location where Gato Negro would be performing the following night. The morning after their concert I would take a bus to San Miguel arriving at my airbnb with plenty of time to prepare for a wonderful evening with Media Luna.
I met Osmar Esquivel of Gato Negro several years ago when he was playing with Nacho Flores and Diego Mateo of Moruno at Cuates y Cuetes by the pier in Puerto Vallarta. Their jazz manouche music, so reminiscent of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli of the Paris jazz hot era in the 1930’s and 40’s, immediately attracted me. Later, Osmar and fellow musicians, Victor Quijas and Alfonso Jimenez Martinez formed the group Gato Negro in The City of Leon where they produced their impressive original work Ciudad de Arcilla, available on CD and seen at live performances in the area. This was my second trip to Leon to enjoy their wonderful music which I hope will soon be heard in Puerto Vallarta as well.
Media Luna is already very popular with Puerto Vallarta audiences and extremely well loved in San Miguel de Allende where they first established their hot flamenco rumba/Latín fusión band. I never miss their performances when they play at Incanto, Babel Bar and Cuates y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta during winter season and have now made various trips to the beautiful Bajío region to enjoy their creative, energetic and ever evolving music there.
I arrived in Leon early enough to enjoy a walk around old town with its magnificent plazas, churches, lion sculptured fountain and entertaining street music; and to enjoy a rich bowl of pozole followed by a frozen fresh fruit paleta before returning to my hotel situated right on the main square. The show I came to attend was not until the following night so I had plenty of time to roam and sample some of the special treats Leon has to offer including plentiful artisan ice creams and a very hot sandwich (guacamaya) made of chicharrón on a thick bun and smothered in an extremely hot sauce.
Friday night, in the elegant restaurant of Hotel Leon, Osmar gave a brief introduction to the uninitiated of jazz manouche, the music inspired by the Romani people of France and made famous by Django Reinhardt. In addition to the group’s marvelous music featuring Osmar on violin, guitar and accordion, Victor on double bass and Alfonso on guitar, Osmar treated us to several jazz pieces on piano, the first instrument on which he excelled as a child performing with symphony orchestras at age six. The crowd loved the music and the group didn’t wind up until after 11:00.
Saturday morning I bused to San Miguel de Allende and made ready for Media Luna’s concert that night. My airbnb was conveniently located giving me a chance to cruise through the colorful streets of San Miguel before the show. It was such a treat to see and be welcomed again by brothers Caleb and Jaír Cabrera and cousin Gibran Monzalvo Cabrera at Paprika Restaurant where the event was held. The full band experience featured guests including an impressive Luis Badillo on bass guitar, the talented Charly Peña on flute and gena, and San Miguel’s own Andres Perales on percussion. They put on a fantastic show for a full house on the delightful out door patio. Media Luna is currently living and performing in Mexico City where they enjoy a lively summer musical scene. Keep your eyes on my website calendar for more spectacular music from them this winter in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding communities!
I was up early on Sunday to enjoy a breakfast at my favorite spot, El Correo, near the plaza principal where they never let you down with their traditional dishes and historic ambience, before being whisked off by my prearranged Bajiogo shuttle ride to the Leon airport for a comfortable flight home. Life is indeed good when music is involved.
For more details visit my website vallartasounds.com
For further reading see this Celebrating Django Reinhardt from Puerto Vallarta to the “Bajio”—Moruno, Gato Negro (and Media Luna) in a previous issue of Vallarta Trubune, August 2018.
Published in Vallarta Tribune
By Christie Seeley
Vallartasounds.com
I returned last week to Puerto Vallarta after a week with a full to do list in my Oakland, California home. As usual, I came down with a cold—seems inevitable after a flight these days. My horoscope, which I follow with limited conviction, kept telling me this was going to be an exciting week, full of energy. “Not the way I feel” I thought. But the universe knew better.
The weekend of May 24, 25 is the important celebration honoring the patron saint of the Gypsies, Saint Sarah, in the south of France. There suddenly appeared on my radar screen an opportunity to see two of my favorite groups inspired by the music of the Romani people; the charming and energetic gypsy rumba band of Media Luna in beautiful San Miguel de Allende and the simpatico and super talented jazz manouche group Gato Negro in the historic city of Leon. Since the stars were propelling me, I lined up a trip.
My plan was to fly the inexpensive (yet very comfortable) direct Interjet flight from Puerto Vallarta to Leon airport, take a shuttle (Bajiogo) to downtown Leon where I would stay at the Hotel Leon, the location where Gato Negro would be performing the following night. The morning after their concert I would take a bus to San Miguel arriving at my airbnb with plenty of time to prepare for a wonderful evening with Media Luna.
I met Osmar Esquivel of Gato Negro several years ago when he was playing with Nacho Flores and Diego Mateo of Moruno at Cuates y Cuetes by the pier in Puerto Vallarta. Their jazz manouche music, so reminiscent of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli of the Paris jazz hot era in the 1930’s and 40’s, immediately attracted me. Later, Osmar and fellow musicians, Victor Quijas and Alfonso Jimenez Martinez formed the group Gato Negro in The City of Leon where they produced their impressive original work Ciudad de Arcilla, available on CD and seen at live performances in the area. This was my second trip to Leon to enjoy their wonderful music which I hope will soon be heard in Puerto Vallarta as well.
Media Luna is already very popular with Puerto Vallarta audiences and extremely well loved in San Miguel de Allende where they first established their hot flamenco rumba/Latín fusión band. I never miss their performances when they play at Incanto, Babel Bar and Cuates y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta during winter season and have now made various trips to the beautiful Bajío region to enjoy their creative, energetic and ever evolving music there.
I arrived in Leon early enough to enjoy a walk around old town with its magnificent plazas, churches, lion sculptured fountain and entertaining street music; and to enjoy a rich bowl of pozole followed by a frozen fresh fruit paleta before returning to my hotel situated right on the main square. The show I came to attend was not until the following night so I had plenty of time to roam and sample some of the special treats Leon has to offer including plentiful artisan ice creams and a very hot sandwich (guacamaya) made of chicharrón on a thick bun and smothered in an extremely hot sauce.
Friday night, in the elegant restaurant of Hotel Leon, Osmar gave a brief introduction to the uninitiated of jazz manouche, the music inspired by the Romani people of France and made famous by Django Reinhardt. In addition to the group’s marvelous music featuring Osmar on violin, guitar and accordion, Victor on double bass and Alfonso on guitar, Osmar treated us to several jazz pieces on piano, the first instrument on which he excelled as a child performing with symphony orchestras at age six. The crowd loved the music and the group didn’t wind up until after 11:00.
Saturday morning I bused to San Miguel de Allende and made ready for Media Luna’s concert that night. My airbnb was conveniently located giving me a chance to cruise through the colorful streets of San Miguel before the show. It was such a treat to see and be welcomed again by brothers Caleb and Jaír Cabrera and cousin Gibran Monzalvo Cabrera at Paprika Restaurant where the event was held. The full band experience featured guests including an impressive Luis Badillo on bass guitar, the talented Charly Peña on flute and gena, and San Miguel’s own Andres Perales on percussion. They put on a fantastic show for a full house on the delightful out door patio. Media Luna is currently living and performing in Mexico City where they enjoy a lively summer musical scene. Keep your eyes on my website calendar for more spectacular music from them this winter in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding communities!
I was up early on Sunday to enjoy a breakfast at my favorite spot, El Correo, near the plaza principal where they never let you down with their traditional dishes and historic ambience, before being whisked off by my prearranged Bajiogo shuttle ride to the Leon airport for a comfortable flight home. Life is indeed good when music is involved.
For more details visit my website vallartasounds.com
For further reading see this Celebrating Django Reinhardt from Puerto Vallarta to the “Bajio”—Moruno, Gato Negro (and Media Luna) in a previous issue of Vallarta Trubune, August 2018.
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