Aaaaah...at last. Do you hear me sighing with pleasure? Here's a word in español I've learned: sonrisa. Sounds like sunrise, doesn't it? It actually means smile, and we all know how smiles can be like the sunrise.
Last weekend San Pancho's plaza was filled with sonrisas y musica during the 12th Annual San Pancho Music Festival. Thanks to Chris Parsons -- who jumped in at the last minute to be the organizer extraordinaire -- with the help of his beautiful wife, Pam, and many others, I'm sure, we enjoyed three nights of delicious music, dancing, and pure joy.
Those particular smiles are on the faces of The Panchito's Dancing Girls, who boogied on Friday night to Juan-Ted and the Amazing Rhythm Roosters.
Geno with Q on harmonica -- photo by Chris Parsons
Dancing Girls photos by Bill Kirkwood
I find it delightful that the word "play" is used when talking of music. "He played the guitar." "He plays piano." "They played together."
On Saturday, we were treated to some excellent playing by Dave Fisher, on guitar and vocals, and Joe Hadlock on keyboard.
The duo, billed as The Trigger-happy Goldfish, performed several of Dave's original songs, and then a couple of Randy Newman classics. Personally, I think Dave's songwriting is just as good as Randy's, but Dave remains (for now) our own semi-hidden treasure.
Dressed in black and wearing shades, Joe was dubbed Joey Wonder by some creative audience members.
The audience filled the plaza every night, noshing on tacos, chiles rellenos, and quesadillas cooked up fresh by two of our favorite local restaurants who moved in for the weekend. Beer was plentiful, the proceeds going to help our local banda, who played in their inimitable energetic fashion at the end of both Saturday and Sunday nights.
Photo by Chris Parsons
Also abundant were bottles of wine and various vodka and tequila concoctions carried in and shared among friends. (Thanks, Franny and Jack ☺)
As they say, there's no rest for the wicked, and all who were back in place on Sunday were treated to surprise after surprise. One of the sweetest was a song by three generations of the Gonzalez family.
Steve O'Connor played a long set of fine jazzy guitar, and invited Lonney Ford to join him for a song.
Photo by Chris Parsons
Steve donated the weekend proceeds from his CD sales to the Festival, which had the biggest audience turnout of any to date. They showed their appreciation by donating nearly 9,000 pesos to the festival fund, many of which pesos were stuffed into the guitar that Pam (our own Vanna White) carried through the crowd.
Tatewari performed next (photos to come soon). Then a captivating fellow in a red t-shirt took the stage and boggled everyone's mind with his virtuoso performance on a great big guitar.
He turned out to be Werther Ellerbrock from Guadalajara. He sent me into deliriums of joy by playing Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag, which I'd not before heard on guitar, followed by a bunch of his own arrangements that were so good, I don't even know how to describe them. His CD's sold faster than fresh tortillas. I have one.
You can hear his version of Scott Joplin if you want to:
Werther's rendition of Maple Leaf Rag
Be sure to listen to his Amazing Grace and American Medley, too, at the same link.
After Werther's solo set, he played a set with Andy Crawford on bass and Elsavio on drums. When it came time for an encore, Dave Fisher joined in to sing a gutsy, bluesy version of Kansas City that had the crowd cheering like mad.
Sorry about the brief delay on today's post. Internet in San Pancho has been unusually glitchy this week, and many of us have been busy working on the Circo de los Niños (stories to come!), so we're still trying to finish downloading photos of the festival. Chris took some more beauties -- I'll publish more next week, along with a link to his elegant website.
Nearly all the musicians have pledged a return engagement next year, so we're expecting the 13th Annual San Pancho Music Festival to be even bigger and better than this year's. If you're trying to figure out when you want to visit, you might want to mark your calendar for the last weekend of February, 2012. It'll come quicker than we'd think, and I for one can hardly wait.
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Looks like a wonderful time! And now I know what sonrisa means. My cousin and his wife recently stayed in San Pancho and loved it, so next trip to the Vallarta area, it'll be our destination!
Posted by: Beck | March 08, 2011 at 06:18 AM
Hola, My new wonderful friend and second mother to my daughter. Oh what fun, I do believe I should be there... Loved the Panchito's dancing girls!
Posted by: Julie | March 07, 2011 at 12:46 PM
Simply wonderful, thank you for letting us share it with you....
C xoxo
Posted by: Char | March 05, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Isn't it amazing what great musical talent finds it's way to our little coastal hideaways? I had the pleasure of hearing Steve O'Connor several times in Lo de Marcos -- truly magic fingers! Love the tee shirts on you girls -- looks like you know how to party the night away!
Posted by: Dee | March 05, 2011 at 08:47 AM
Looks like everyone had a wonderful time! Lots of fun!
Posted by: Jeanne | March 04, 2011 at 06:22 PM
ours is the same over here.... been down all day in Ajijic... to be expected I suppose!.... but who cares, Sonrisa's are always the trump card in this part of the world and I have seen the sun todos las dias... Thanks for our Friday Sonrisa!
Posted by: Gretchen | March 04, 2011 at 05:58 PM