One of county's finest venues sits right here in south county. The Mello Center, rebuilt to replace the Watsonville High School after the 1989 earthquake, has been the site of concerts from a diverse number of artists including the cross-cultural mix of Ozomatli, flatpicking guitar hero Tony Rice, and tongue-in-cheek cowboy historians Riders In The Sky.
(A couple of months out, on Saturday April 6th, KPIG favorites Antsy McClean and the Trailer Park Troubadours play the Mello, with a PBS film-crew in tow.)
THIS Saturday brings something equally diverse and very cool to our little local venue: The San Pablo-based Los Cenzontles ("The Mockingbirds") play its Mexican-roots music this Saturday at 7:00 pm.
Eugene Rodriguez and Berenice Zuniga-Yap created Los Cenzontles in 1989, and it's a jack-of-all-trades organization. Yes, it's a band, but it's also a nonprofit, a music academy, a community space for youth and families, and a hub for Latino artists – all working to amplify Mexican roots in the Bay Area and beyond. The music academy produces original music, videos, and educational tools. They teach classes to hundreds of youth in traditional Mexican music, dance, and arts and crafts.
A key part of their charter is to "re-definine the future of Mexican American music, mixing electric bass and drums with traditional instruments to create a powerful contemporary sound". This show is a benefit for two local arts organizations:
- Sueños Aztecas, a ballet folklórico troupe composed of students at Pájaro Valley High School, who will also perform.
- Esperanza del Valle,Watsonville’s premiere Mexican dance company.
Tickets for the event are $12.00 and available at Jansen Music, 1931 Main Street in Watsonville or by contacting Snazzy Productions at (831) 479-9421 or snazzyproductions.com.
