In my "out and about" stage of creative exploration, I have developed
a great admiration and respect for a lot of local bands and musicians
especially “Frontera Bugalu”. It is one of the first original music bands I
heard (post elected office) and have been supporting them ever since. I have known some of the musicians and their
previous musical acts for many years, but this band is an electrical, roots
based, Latino influenced band that has a pretty amazing stage presence and their
self-titled debut CD, has songs that stay in your head.
In Frontera Bugalu's creative mixture
of talent is Adrian Perez, harpist
for the band.
Adrian Perez is a 22
year old card carrying Native
American. Many of his fellow band members did not know this fact but after
sipping a few tequila shots at my house in Austin with the band and friends of
the band, those who did not know, learned that Adrian is a member of the Ysleta
Del Sur Pueblo (Tigua) tribe here in El Paso. Part of the artwork hanging
in the house, is Native American art, and I have several Tigua art pieces I have collected over the years that he
recognized. In a very subtle and
non-assuming way, he motioned to artwork on the wall and stated it was “Tigua”. I answered “yes, it is. You know the art origins because you are Tigua”. Adrian pulled out his federal Native
American ID card and shared it with the group.
It was down time for the band as everyone was feeling
accomplished about a very strong performance and final gig of the “mini Texas tour” for the after party
show in Austin, Texas. Frontera Bugalu played at the SXSW Film Festival reveal of a film by local
guitar genius and filmmaker Omar
Rodriguez Lopez. Adrian was one
of the band members who crammed a three day gig starting in Marfa and ending in Austin.
He clearly has the most sensitive instrument, the harp, and travel with
the instrument I assume is a delicate task.
In fact in 24 hours, from the gig in San Antonio to Austin,
he discovered a few “dings” in his
treasured harp and he had a knob that tunes a string, break. Although, visibly concerned, he is mild
mannered and extremely respectful and simply stated he only needed some “super glue” and he could do a
temporary fix for the gig. He didn’t complain, whimper, or sulk. In true musicianship form, he fixed the problem so he could perform!
Adrian Perez, is
a multi-instrument classical guitarist.
He started playing at 7 years old with whom he calls a classical guitar maestro named “Domingo” a Mexican national from Mexico City. At that young age, he concurrently played
with a relative of “Domingo” named “Joseph” (a music student at Berklee College
of Music in Boston) whom Adrian learned rock and blues guitar. His interest in music continued and at 13
years, he was studying James Clarkston
style guitar (that blends Flamenco with classical guitar), and he joined his
first mariachi group at Valley View
Middle School.
When Mariachi Vargas
came to El Paso Adrian says he was taken by the harpist, and bugged him about showing him some exercises. Shortly after, his
father (a guitar aficionado and musician) bought Adrian a harp.
He started attending music conferences and at the Las Cruces International Mariachi
Conference, he met his “mentor, teacher, friend” Sergio Alonzo who plays with
the “Mariachi Camperos De Nati Cano”
one of the 3 top mariachi groups in the world.
(Mariach Camperos De Nati Cano are
Grammy Award winners and the mariachi group that collaborated on Linda Ronstadt’s
“Canciones de Mi Padre” recording). He studied with “Checo” during Spring break, Christmas break and summers and has utilized
the mentorship and studies to advance his playing. Because of him he says, Adrian has been
influenced to teach the tradition and Checo's sessions have greatly influenced his public performance.
At 18 years old, he says he was fortunate and honored to perform as a substitute for Checo with Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. After that, he was invited to
audition for “Mariachi Sol De Mexico”
and he is a musician that is “called up” regularly to perform with other groups across the country.
In January of 2011, he started to play with “Frontera Bugalu” which he calls
“more of a pop culture, Mexican-Latino roots group”.
Tonight (May 6,2012), he performs in the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo tribes newest
entertainment venture, Socorro Entertainment Center. Frontera
Bugalu opens for multi-Platinum record, Grammy and Latin Grammy Award
Winners, “Calle 13”, for the general
public and tribal members and their families!
His parents are Jesus
and Virginia Perez and he has a younger
sister Kristina and younger brother John Paul. His family members include political leaders of the tribe including 2 former Governors of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo including his uncles, former Governor Art Sinclair and David Sinclair served on Tribal Council (Adrian's mother is their sister). His cousin former Governor Albert Alvidrez, served as Governor of the tribe during the time they had Indian Gaming on the Reservation. All of them are supportive of the young and talented Adrian Perez and his musical career. His father played trumpet and
guitar in a band, influencing the young Adrian.
Although capable of playing multiple instruments, his focus now is on the
harp.
He has incredible stage presence and is a gifted musician to
watch. Make sure to keep an eye out on
any performance by “Frontera Bugalu”. Tonight we watch the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
Native son, perform on tribal land.
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