Latin IS America: Tejano Sound Band with Diego Rivera

What happens when you combine Lansing’s very own Tejano Sound Band (TSB), the Latin IS America group, the Michigan State University College of Music, the Chicano Latino Studies Department, Mark Sullivan, Veronica Reyes and then sprinkle in local favorite Aldaco’s Taco Bar food? You get an evening full of information, candid conversation between a panel discussing the health of Tejano Music, some great food by Aldaco’s, and the Tejano Sound Band along with well known saxophone player Diego Rivera joining in. Saturday, April 19, 2014, in front of about 75 people in a building with a capacity of 400, don’t let the photos fool you. There was plenty to discuss when the panel, which consisted of Rolando Revilla, Sheila Contreras, Johnny Vasquez, Baldemar Velasquez and Diego Rivera shared their ideas of Tejano Music past and present. As the panel finished, Aldaco’s set up as people continued to stream in. After all, no one likes to be the first one to a dance right? Their pulled pork was great and everything was freshly prepared. Definitely a treat to enjoy the baile and get fed by one of Lansing’s most popular restaurants. Santos Gutierrez even provided dance lessons right before TSB started and several folks took advantage of this. With about 175 people in attendance, Tejano Sound Band and Diego Rivera started playing and it was obvious that the extra room that MSU provided came in handy. With no alcohol allowed, there were several kids under 10 years old on the dance floor. No one complained about the no alcohol rule as most people were enjoying the music and with the added sounds of Diego Rivera and friends, it was a fun night the way los bailes were always intended to be. In this day and age of dwindling spots for Tejano Music in the Lansing area, it was refreshing to see such a family friendly venue for all to enjoy. Much props go to Mark Sullivan and Ricardo Lorenz for pushing forward with the “Latin IS America” Series and including Tejano Music in this years 10 day Fest. Although I mention about one night, there were a total of 6 nights which brought in different talents showcasing many different types of artists. Latin IS America strengthens the perspective that Latin American and U.S. cultures are increasingly intertwined, and examines arts and cultural connections through this event series. Definitely something to remember as they look forward to the 2015 Series. To keep informed on the 2015 Latin IS America Series please go to: https://www.facebook.com/MSUlatinisamerica For more information on the Chicano Latino Studies Department at Michigan State University: https://www.msu.edu/~cls/ Aldaco’s Taco Bar can be found at: http://www.aldacosauthenticmexican.com/