MAS Magazine / 8 - 9 - 2009

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J U LY 2 0 0 9

CONTENTS 7 Giving back Delano superintendent known for great attitude & great leadership.

16 Cover story Kern County Youth Mariachi Foundation fundraiser to help keep the musical tradition alive.

Bring Home the Warmth of Mexico

Bring home the warmth of Latin America with our unique selection of beautiful Mexican folk art handmade by the very finest artisans and personally selected for your home and gift giving needs!

11 More Mento!

Ska-riffic new CD is on its way for local band favorites, Mento Buru!

• Folk Art • Home Furnishings • Accessories

18 Spinning a web!

“Spider Baby The Musical” gets inspiration from horror movie genre.

“Located in the Heart of the Downtown Arts District”

1609 19th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301

(661) 325-0000

Monday - Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-4 www.kukasfolkart.com

14 End of chapter Eva Patiño retires from teaching Spanish, but continues to inspire.

Gaby Trujillo

STAFF EDITORIAL Olivia Garcia VP/Content ogarcia@bakersfield.com Gene Garaygordobil Managing Editor ggaraygordobil@bakersfield.com 716-8642 Teresa Adamo Associate Editor tadamo@bakersfield.com Matt Muñoz Staff Writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com Sandra Molen Staff Writer/Copy Editor smolen@bakersfield.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MARIA AHUMADA-GARAYGORDOBIL, NOE GARCIA, JOSEY HERNANDEZ, DENISE ORNELAS, DEBORAH RAMIREZ, GABRIEL RAMIREZ, EDDIE RONQUILLO

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS FELIX ADAMO, MARIA AHUMADA-GARAYGORDOBIL, DANIELA GARCIA, HENRY A. BARRIOS, TANYA X. LEONZO

(661) 703-6288 ON THE COVER: Elia Robles of the Kern County Youth Mariachi Foundation. See story on the group’s fundraiser, page 16.

PHOTO BY: Tanya X. Leonzo ADVERTISING Jaime de los Santos Sales Manager jdelossantos@bakersfield.com 716-8632 Gustavo Carrillo Sales Executive Mark Wells Sales Executive Anthony Menchaca Sales Executive William Guerro Sales Executive

ART

OFFICE

Glenn Hammett Design Editor ghammett@bakersfield.com

Marisol Sorto Office Administrator msorto@bakersfield.com 716-8640

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gtrujillorealtor@yahoo.com License # 01411398

Si buscas comprar una in version llamame.

Propredades desde 30k Casas financiadas pordueño

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ENTERTAINMENT

Mento Buru

Re-Invasion

After nearly 20 years on the scene, local Latin alternative music legends prepare to release ‘best of’ collection in August

By Nick Belardes Special to MÁS

1992 was a year to remember for Bakersfield band, Mento Buru.

Recording the band’s first demos, little did they know they’d still be teaching Bakersfield how to groove in 2009 and having a party to celebrate the release of their new CD “15 Crucial Traxx,” on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 p.m. at Fishlips, 1517 18th St. Those original Jamaican inspired ‘ska’ recordings were raw, fast, with punk rock backbeats. Though this young group of musicians was part of a third wave of a worldwide musical youth movement, it was a first for Bakersfield streets.

“I used to take ska music tapes to Bakersfield College marching band rehearsals back in ‘89. They thought it was circus music,” member Matt Munoz said, describing perceptions of the music’s melodic fast-blowing horns and off-time beats.

For the uninitiated, “ska” refers to music similar to American R ‘n’ B formed in Jamaica during the ‘60s.

Through the late ‘70s and ‘80s, UK bands like The Specials and Madness helped re-invent the sound with dashes of rock and punk stylings. This sound would arrive on U.S. shores and take over sound systems across the nation.

PHOTO BY HOLLY CARLYLE

It’s about time! Local fave band, Mento Buru — From left, Paul Perez, Caleb Moore, Matt Muñoz, Cesareo Garasa, Pablo Alaniz, Robert Martinez and Joe Vazquez — will release a new CD Saturday, Aug. 8. Party at Fishlips!

15 re-released songs capture the spirit of Mento Buru

The band is currently in the middle of promoting the August release of Continued on page 12 August 2009

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their new CD, “Mento Buru: 15 Crucial Traxx,” a greatest hits compendium designed for the band’s legions of fans, some of whom missed out on two previous album releases.

“It’s a collection of our best songs so far and defines what Mento Buru is about,” says Munoz. The album includes “Move it, Girl,” and “Streets of Gold,” off the band’s ‘97 Moon SKA Records debut album “No Dancing, Please.” Some songs featured off the band’s 2000 self-titled album are “Double Jeopardy,” and “Shame and Scandal.”

What’s not surprising is that fans are begging for it.

Saxophonist Paul Perez, who has been with the band for about seven years, says he doesn’t just stay in the band for the money, but for its legendary status and loyal fans.

“It’s insane,” Perez says.

“Everybody loves the group.”

Mento history: Munoz dives into ‘80s ska invasion

Formed in ‘91, Mento Buru was originally called “Triple R Sounds” (think: roots-rock-reggae).

“There were no ska bands before Mento in Bakersfield,” Munoz says. “Here I was still trying to preach the ska word.

We knew we would be the only band in town doing it.”

In October ‘91, Munoz finally got the courage to take his love of ska into the Bakersfield music scene with Joe Vazquez (trombonist), and mentor Scott Thompsett (saxophone), fellow horn players and friends from the Bakersfield College marching band.

“Scott was a brotherly mentor early on, who turned us on to a lot of different types of music,” Munoz says of Thompsett.

The first show as ‘Triple R Sounds’

“We placed an ad in a newspaper called “The Music Note” run by Andy Zepeda from the band 2 Lazy 2 Steal,” Munoz remembered. “We got a call from the Triple R band and a guy came to my work, named Jon Higgins. He said, ‘Why

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don’t you come and hang with us? We have a dub reggae band (instrumental).”

But Munoz said the guys in Triple R were more interested in partaking of “the herb,” than being a serious band.

“We (Munoz and Vazquez) went to sit in with the band.

But Triple R were smoking out and things became kind of confusing to say the least.”

But Munoz and crew had bigger aspirations than Triple R. “Me, Joe, Scott, and the band’s vocalist Bob Dunn, moved on,” he said.

Some other original members included bassist Jason Grooms, Mike Brown on keyboards and percussionist “Ras” Larry Roberts. Dunn died from cancer in the mid‘90s, after which, Munoz took over at lead vocals.

Drummer Cesareo Garasa joined the band very early on in ‘91, but soon moved to Idaho to get married. He was replaced by drummer Kyle Burnham.

Percussionist Marcos Reyes (now with WAR,) who used to sit in at various gigs, became a full-time member after Roberts left.

After the departure of Reyes in ‘98, percussionist Robert Martinez has become a Mento fan favorite with hard-hitting conga and timbale solos, plus his trademark humor.

“Playing with these guys makes me happy,” he said, smiling. “Seeing people dance, and the ‘thanks’ we get from fans. We’re like a family, and I’m happy to be able to share the gift that God gave me with everyone.”

Early recordings and packed shows

In ‘92, Munoz and Mento Buru made their first original recordings in a Bakersfield Christian Life Center classroom, now the location of Olive Drive Church. “We made a four-song demo, and you could hear the outside sprinklers on the recordings,” he laughed.

The band’s initial performances were in the ‘90s at downtown Bakersfield venues like the underage venue Bam Bams aka Mars, which had a reputation for being a punk and gay

teen hangout. They also performed at Chaos Coffee and Mannequins, another downtown club.

Drummer Cesareo Garasa has plenty Mento memories of his own.

“The one thing I remember about the early shows was this feeling that people really dug it,” said Garasa. “We’d be playing at Mars in downtown, and as soon as we’d play the first note — we’re talking about a midnight show on a Sunday — literally 10 minutes later, the place was packed out.”

Mento Buru: A staple of the Bako music scene

Eventually the band landed “Mento Buru Thursdays,” regular gigs at John Bryant’s Tavern in southwest Bakersfield during the mid ‘90s and at Suds Tavern, now Azul’s in the Wall Street Alley.

“Mento Buru was known as a party band for years,” says saxophonist Paul Perez, who believes the band has matured musically, especially after adding guitarist Pablo Alaniz in ‘06.

Alaniz is the grandson of Al Garcia of “Al Garcia and the Rhythm Kings,” a legendary Central Valley band that began playing and recording surf music in the ‘60s. Mento Buru and The Rhythm Kings share a similar history, as both began incorporating Latin flavors into their sound as years progressed.

“Joining Mento was an opportunity to perform music genres of which I’d always been a fan,” said Alaniz. “It was also a thrill to be in a group that strived for originality.”

Bassist Caleb Moore has been with Mento Buru for 13 years. He says he sought the band out after Mento Buru had been flown to play a show in Ridgecrest, where he lived.

“I came over here (Bakersfiel) on a CSUB jazz scholarship. I saw these guys play in Ridgecrest, which isn’t a very big place,” he says. “I knew I was going to be playing with them. Here it is 13 years later, and I can’t get away from them,” Moore laughs. “It’s my therapy.”

Today, Mento Buru continues to perform and inspire people of all ages.

“Success for us is about the music,” says Munoz. “Sure, we were on the Moon SKA label.

But being signed to a label isn’t everything. We’ve had some of the city’s best talents in this band, too many to mention in one sitting … haha.”

Munoz believes future great musicians are hidden among Bakersfield’s talented youth just waiting to be inspired.

Mento Buru often gives local music students inspiring talks about their experiences in music coming through the school system.

“We’ve been a champion of the local arts since day one and support keeping music in schools,” Munoz says. “It’s done so much for our lives and we’ve helped create a lot of memories together with people who’ve followed us all these years.”

Yet inspiration isn’t just about assisting the younger teens and children. Mento Buru has been needed as Bakersfield’s musical compass to help provide direction for bands and musicians of all ages.

Munoz aptly describes the ever-changing Bakersfield music scene as a rollercoaster through the decades. And he’s right about one further inspiring thought about a scene of revolving door bands: “One thing that has always remained is the consistency of Mento Buru,” he said.

Mento Buru factoid:

The band’s name refers to two types of Jamaican folk music drum rhythms — ‘Mento’ and ‘Buru.’ Together they are the foundations of ska and reggae music..

“15 Crucial Traxx” is available locally at World Records and Going Underground Records in Bakersfield, and all Mento Buru live shows. Their entire music catalog is available at: Amazon.com and iTunes.

Visit their Web site for complete schedule: www.myspace.com/mentoburu