Zócalo Tucson’s arts, culture, & desert living magazine / april 2017 / no. 84
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inside
April 2017
07. What’s New 09. Events 19. Food 23. Culture 26. Art Galleries & Exhibits 29. Film 41. Performances 43. Desert 46. Tunes 50. Crossword 56. Scene in Tucson 58. Poetry On the Cover:
Arizona artist Oscar Diaz’s rendition of a western diamondback rattlesnake.
Zócalo is an independent, locally owned and printed magazine that reflects the heart and soul of Tucson.
PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Olsen CONTRIBUTORS éCraig Baker, Jefferson Carter, Oscar Diaz, Carl Hanni, Jim Lipson, Jamie Manser, Troy Martin, Gregory McNamee, Janelle Montenegro, Amanda Reed, Diane C. Taylor, Jocelyn Valencia LISTINGS Amanda Reed, amanda@zocalotucson.com PRODUCTION ARTISTS Troy Martin, David Olsen AD SALES: advertising@zocalotucson.com CONTACT US:
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April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 5
Sweet Feldman’s Bungalow, 1923 with Studio Guesthouse. 436 E Drachman St. 263k
CALL: 520.977.8503 susan.denis@gmail.com
Gorgeous Adobe in the Elysian Grove Barrio. 560 S Samaniego. 410k
what’snew Z
New Pit Stop In early March, The Garage Eatery and Pub finished renovations and set up shop in one of West University’s more familiar spots. Located at 802 N. 4th Ave, on the northeast corner of 4th Ave. and University Blvd, The Garage’s building dates to the early 1950s when it was a two-bay auto repair shop. During the 1970s the north bays were added to the building to bring the masonry block building to its current size. Many current residents remember the building as Boatner’s service station in the 1990s and early 2000s. During its almost seven decades, the building has also pumped gas (the tanks were removed and the ground remediated after the service station shut down), been a used car lot
and an upholstery shop. Although The Garage Eatery & Pub has been completely remodeled to serve a different clientele, the walls are original and the glass garage doors facing 4th Avenue remind patrons of the building’s history. The restaurant offers a gastro pub style menu with 14 local and regional craft brews on tap. They offer a ‘quick serve’ lunch to accommodate busy schedules and a ‘full service’ dinner so you can relax with friends and family on their open air patio. It’s also a great place to watch the Cats. Visit them online at TheGarageOn4th.com n
TEP Building’s New Tenant MiAn Sushi & Modern Asian Cuisine opened in downtown Tucson in early March. Bin and Ginny An are the owners of the new establishment located on the ground floor of the ninestory TEP building at 88 E Broadway. MiAn’s interior is an open, modern-looking 5000 square feet with floor to ceiling windows. The restaurant features a visible kitchen, cocktail bar and sushi bar plus a private dining area for intimate events. The new restaurant also boasts two patios with seating for almost 100 guests. The restaurant features traditional Asian fare including: fresh sushi, Japanese noodles and Chinese fusion. And the name? It’s a double meaning: “Mian” is the Chinese word for noodles, but it is also the nickname of Bin and Ginny An’s daughter Misha. n April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 7
The students and staff at City High School & Paulo Freire Freedom Schools invite you to…
PENNINGTON
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Y T Y C C II T
STUDENT EXHIBITIONS PROJECT BASED LEARNING ARTS & ACADEMICS LIVE MUSIC & THEATER FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
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37-47 E
photo: Christian Chan
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Tucson Earth Day One Small Part of an Enormous Global Effort by Craig Baker It all began in 1970. The Vietnam War would wage on for another half a decade, though nobody knew it yet as then-President Nixon, in his second year in office, both announced a decision to begin withdrawing troops from Vietnam and expanded the United States’ military presence into Cambodia. It was that announcement which would eventually fuel the fire behind the protests at Kent State that left four unarmed students dead and another nine wounded at the hands of National Guardsmen. That same year also saw the release of the last Beatles album, Let It Be, as well as the death of Jimi Hendrix, and the birth of San Diego Comic Con. And, though it exists now on almost every calendar in print around the world (unfortunately, I didn’t see a marker for it on my smartphone), 1970 also marked the origins of what would grow to become the largest secular celebration on the planet—Earth Day. It began as a fairly simple idea: a Democratic US Senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson— horrified by the aftermath of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif. and inspired by the enthusiasm of the student antiwar movement—called the media to action to promote a “national teach-in on the environment.” He recruited Pete McCloskey, a Republican Congressman from California, to serve as his co-chair for the event and brought on a Harvard Law student named Denis Hayes to coordinate the effort, perhaps due in part to Hayes’ own tendency toward activism (during his undergrad at Stanford Hayes had once led a group of fellow students to takeover a weapons research lab there).
With a staff of 85, Hayes organized the nationwide event for April 22, 1970—right in between spring break and final exams. In a massive coordinated effort, thousands of colleges and universities and a total of about 20 million individuals across the nation took to the streets and demanded that lawmakers begin a discussion about protecting the deteriorating environment. That effort eventually led to the formation of the EPA, as well as the passage of landmark pieces of legislation such as the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Hayes later established the Earth Day Network—a collaboration of more than 50,000 partner organizations working together to continue the Earth Day effort each year on April 22, as well as year-round—and today that effort has gone global, reaching some 1 billion people in almost 200 countries world-wide. “Clearly there’s an element of activism there,” says Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers, “but this is about public health, and the safety of our children.” She says that most citizen Earth Day efforts are locally-focused and small in scale, though as human-caused climate change has become more of an obvious problem over the years, the organization has been forced to take on “bigger and bigger global issues.” Still, Rogers says it takes a core of motivated and informed individuals to create change. “You can’t fix any of (these issues) unless you have a large group of people who are educated and can figure out how to take action,” Rogers says. continues... April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 9
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ANNUAL STUDENT JURIED ART EXHIBITION April 10 - May 5, 2017
Today, in the face of a political administration that denies the effects of climate change outright and apparently hopes to undo everything accomplished by the Paris Accords (which were signed by President Obama a year ago this Earth Day), the educational and motivational efforts of the Earth Day Network are perhaps more important than ever before. Regardless, Rogers insists that Earth Day activities and educational events should not be seen as politically divisive by nature. “It does not matter what your politics are,” she says, “if your air is dirty or your water is dirty, most people will not trade the health of their kids to put more money in the pockets of wealthy individuals. So it’s our job to educate as many people as we can, and to give them the skills and the training they need to be able to do something about it.” Still, Rogers readily admits that the end of certain industries which might be replaced by cleaner and more efficient energy sources would likely mean swaths of people losing their jobs and having to find training in new fields. She says that the so-called Green Revolution is probably inevitable, but that those profiting the most from industries like oil and coal are likely to “drag their feet” on the issue as long as politically possible. But Rogers also insists that there is plenty of money to be made in a Green Revolution, despite the growing pains that might accompany such a change. “And if we don’t lead (that revolution),” Rogers says, “trust me, other countries will.”
Reception/Award Ceremony: April 13, 2-4 p.m.
Pima Community College will provide reasonable ADA accommodations upon request; to ensure availability of services, please immediately contact the College ADA office at 520-206-4539 or the Center for the Arts at 520-206-6986.
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Illustration: Sloth Astronaut
Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery
On the national scale, this year’s Earth Day will feature a massive “March on Science” on the National Mall in Washington DC. Here in Tucson, the event will take place between 10am and 2pm at the Tucson Children’s Museum for the first time since 2007, and will feature free admission to the museum (children must be supervised by adults and vice versa to get in), hands-on activities and exhibits, food, and a bicycle obstacle course. In an individual sense, it can be easy to dismiss such free educational events as little more than a fun afternoon downtown with the family (which is certainly nothing to scoff at). But such programs also provide many people— especially young people—exposure to environmental concepts and issues of which they might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. And for Rogers, that particular mission is personal. “It’s important that my kids have jobs when they’re older in a field that makes a difference in the world, is healthy, and makes them money,” Rogers says, “and I wish that for every kid in America.” And if we don’t take that responsibility on as a nation, Rogers says the future of American Industry as well as the American environment could be bleak. “If we as a nation continue down our current path, we’re not going to be leading the 21st Century the way we led the 20th,” she says, “and that would be a huge disappointment.” n For more information on the Earth Day Network, its mission, and upcoming events visit earthday.org. For more on the local Earth Day festival at the Children’s Museum, visit TucsonEarthDay.org. April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 11
photo: Mamta Popat
Z events
april Cyclovia is Sun, April 2
Apr 1 - 30 BIKE FEST Celebrate your love of bikes all month long with fun events like the build a bike workshops, a bicycle scavenger hunt, and the Great Cowtown Campout. See website for more information: BikeFestTucson.org
Sun 2
WONDER AT THE MUSEUM
Discover your inner child at this adults only event presented by Yelp, with nibbles and beverages, face painting, balloon twisting, airbrush tattoos, and games. 21 and up. 6 9pm. Free to attend but RSVP required on the Yelp event page. Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. 6th Ave. 520792-9985. Yelp.com
Sat 15 & Sun 16 EASTER AT REID PARK ZOO Set within the zoo grounds this special event features the Easter Bunny, arts and crafts, and live animal encounters. Admission: $10.50 Adults, $6.50 kids ages 2-14, free for members. 10am - 3pm. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court. 520-7914022. ReidParkZoo.org
CYCLOVIA Bike, walk, jog, skate or stroller your way through the streets at this special cyclical celebration. 520-261-8777. See website for more information: CycloviaTucson.org
Tues 4 - Sun 9 US NATIONAL SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP This year the national championships come to Oro Valley! See website for schedule and more information. Free admission. Oro Valley Aquatic Center, 23 West Calle Concordia. 520-2977946. TeamUSA.org
Fri 7 WINE GONE WILD Live animals and lively spirits await you at this fundraiser for the zoo with wine sampling, animal encounters, live music and hors d’oeuvres. This year a special “Winos for Rhinos” VIP package allows you to meet or even scratch, one of the resident rhinos! Tickets: $25-$150. 6 to 8:30pm. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court. 520-791-3204. ReidParkZoo.org
Sat 8 TARTAN DAY
Celebrate Celtic heritage with live music by the Out of Kilters and the Seven Pipers Scottish Society, whiskey tastings, rune readings, and food. Hosted by the Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games. Suggested donation of $2. 3 to 7pm. Many Hands Courtyard, 3054 N. First Ave. 800-7453000. TucsonCelticFestival.org
GREAT PAPER AIRPLANE FLY-OFF For the 6th annual competition, spectators can watch kids aged 6 to 14 fly their folded creations for the opportunity to win prizes such as a flight over Tucson. 9am - 3pm. Pima Air & Space Museum, 6000 E. Valencia Rd. 520-574-0462. GreatPaperAirplane.org
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Sat 8 - Sun 9
Weds 19 DINE OUT FOR SAFETY
featuring 29 studio locations with artists working in a variety of mediums in the midtown area. 10am - 4pm. Find maps and more information online. HeartofTucsonArt.org
Dine at participating restaurants and up to 20% of your bill will be donated to help survivors of sexual assault. See website for participating restaurants and for more information. 520327-1171. DineOutForSafety.org
Fri 7 - Sun 9
Weds 19 - Sun 30
HOME & PATIO SHOW Discover current home improvement trends and renovation and landscaping ideas at the largest home and garden show in Tucson. Produced by the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association. Admission: $8, kids 12 and under are free, military discounts, 1/2 price for ages 50 and over on Friday. Hours: Fri & Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 5pm. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. 520-7953025. SAHBAHomeShow.com
ARIZONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
HEART OF TUCSON ART An Open Studio Tour
ROSE TREE PARADE AND FESTIVAL
An event to celebrate the 132nd blooming of the World’s Largest Rose Tree with old time costumes, a lunch box auction, live entertainment, and a pet parade on Sunday. Free admission. Fri 10am - 6pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 5pm. Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, 223 E. Toughnut St. Tombstone. 520-457-3326. TombstoneRoseTree.com/Annual-Rose-Festival
Sat 15 EGGSTRAVAGANZA
A free community wide event put on by Parks and Recreation, featuring carnival games, egg hunts, and meeting the Easter Bunny. 10am - 1pm. Mansfield Park, 2000 N. 4th Ave. 520-791-4873. TucsonAZ.Gov
The selection of films this year include 26 features and 70 shorts from 19 countries. See website for schedule. Tickets: $6-$100. The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. 520-287-3685. FilmFestivalArizona.com
Sat 22 BAT DAY Celebrate bats and earth day through family friendly hands on activities, theater presentations, and more. 10am - 4pm. Kartchner Caverns State Park, 2980 S. Hwy 90, Benson. 520-586-4100. AZStateParks.com
EARTH DAY
Celebrate this special day with speakers and panel discussions, science and live bat demonstrations, local food, kids activities, and an evening concert with Calexico. Tickets: $32 (includes concert seating and an Annual Pass). University of Arizona Biosphere 2, 32540 S. Biosphere Rd. 520-838-6200. Biosphere2.org
EARTH DAY FESTIVAL Environmental activities, alternative vehicle displays, and a recycled material parade are some of the fun experiences you can encounter at this special celebration. Free public admission. 10am 2pm. Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. 6th Ave. 520206-8814. TucsonEarthDay.org
events Z
Great Paper Airplan Fly-Off at Pima Air & Space Museum on Sat, April 8
PRESIDIO DISTRICT WALKING TOUR Join knowledgeable experts as they lead you on a tour thorough this historic Tucson neighborhood, including five historic houses. Tickets: $40 includes lunch at La Cocina. 10:30am - 1:30pm. Tour begins at the Presidio Museum, 196 N. Court Ave. 520-837-8119. TucsonPresidio.com
Sun 23 WINGS OVER THE SONORAN DESERT A memorable gala evening with fine dining, auctions, and live music set within the grounds of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. 4 - 9pm. Tickets: $200. 2021 N. Kinney Rd. 520-883-3055. DesertMuseum.org
Sat 22 & Sun 23 SOUTHEAST AZ WINE GROWERS FESTIVAL Twenty Arizona wineries come together in a weekend filled with new wine releases, a chili cook-off, live music, wine and food vendors, hosted by Kief-Joshua Vineyards. 11am - 5pm. 370 Elgin Rd., Elgin. 520-455-5582. KJVineyards.com
Weds 26 - Sat 29 TUCSON INTERNATIONAL MARIACHI CONFERENCE Celebrating 35 years with workshops, a student showcase and a Friday night concert. See website for tickets and for more information. AVA Amphitheater, 5655 W.Valencia Rd. 520-838-3913. TucsonMariachi.org
Ongoing PLANETARIUM SHOWS
Explore the stars and beyond every Thu-Sun with a laser light show on Fridays and Saturdays. $5-$7, kids under 3 are free. See website for program times. Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, 1601 E. University. 520-621-7827. Flandrau.org
Mondays MEET ME AT MAYNARDS
Southern Arizona Roadrunners’ Monday evening, non-competitive, social 3-mile run/walk, that begins and ends downtown at Hotel Congress, rain/shine/holidays included! Free. 5:15pm. 311 E. Congress St. 520-991-0733, MeetMeAtMaynards.com
Wednesdays MEET ME AT LA ENCANTADA A free social walk and run with a raffle and restaurant discounts. Meet at the Central Courtyard between 5:15 and 6:30 pm. La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. 520-299-3566. MeetMeAtLaEncantada.com
Thursdays FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS
Hosted by The Sunshine Mile Merchants. Dinner from 5-8pm. Free parking. Sunshine Mile Plaza 2419 E. Broadway. TucsonFoodTrucks.com
Sundays
Apr 28 - May 7
PINTS & POSES This laid back yoga class takes
AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL The 9th Annual
place every Sunday at Pueblo Vida Brewing Company. $5 includes a pint. 10:30 - 11:30 am. 115 E. Broadway. 520271-8174. PuebloVidaBrewing.com
festival celebrates the cultural significance of agave on our region through educational experiences, garden tours, and culinary festivities such as the mezcal and chocolate pairing seminar. Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St. 520-622-8848. HotelCongress.com
Sun 30 THE EVENT
Enjoy an evening under the stars with 50 of Tucson’s top restaurants featuring wine tastings, dancing, and live music at this fun culinary event. Proceeds benefit The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson. Tickets: $125-$150. 6 - 9pm. La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. 520-573-3533. TheEventTucson.com
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 13
Wesley Fawcett Creigh, Of Rocks and Bullets, at “Peripheries”: Border Video Works Examining the Intersections of International Borders and Community
Z events
april fri 21 Pennington street showcase spotlights student projects and performances from three schools – the Paulo Freire middle schools and City High School. Join students and teachers as they put their project-based learning on display to share and engage with the community. The showcase takes place Friday, April 21 from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at City Hight School downtown. The family-friendly
SAT 22 Exploded View Microcinema Presents “Peripheries”: Border Video Works Examining the Intersections of International Borders and Community A group of five artists from diverse backgrounds will be exhibiting an array of video works in an event that raises money for Mariposas Sin Fronteras, a Tucson-based organization that provides legal counsel and support to LGBTQ immigrant detainees. All participating artists will be in attendance. The inspiration for this exhibition came from a chance connection made by a mutual friend of participating artists Jennifer Hijazi and Wesley Fawcett Creigh. Wesley had learned from the friend that Jennifer was looking for a space where she could organize a show with other artists who were doing border related work. At this show she intended to present her master’s thesis project which involved a collection of 360˚ videos that she had taken at international borders in both the Middle East and North America. This video footage, which will be viewed at several VR viewing stations at the Exploded View exhibit, will be accompanied by audio interviews conducted by Jennifer with residents of the respective border regions.
event is free and the community is welcome. n
Meanwhile, Wesley was looking for a space to exhibit a project of her own, an animation and installation project entitled “Of Rocks and Bullets: An Animated Discourse”. This project received recognition during its development in 2016 when it was awarded a New Works grant from the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona. This work will be part of an interactive viewing-booth installation and contemplates the occurrence of Border Patrol violence on and across the US-Mexico border.
fri 28
After being connected, Wesley and Jennifer reached out to Exploded View and other artists to put the exhibition together. Three additional artists complete the lineup, all bringing diverse perspectives and approaches yet sharing the common threads of community and international borders:
Speakeasy, Give Greatly Fundraiser for the IDEA School, at Hamilton Distillers, makers of Whiskey del Bac, from 7pm to 9pm. The event honors Mark Wasko, who helped establish the IDEA School and build the distillery. “Speakeasy, Give Greatly” includes live music, food, drink, and a silent auction, with all proceeds benefitting IDEA School’s Scholarship Fund. The IDEA School is an independent K-8 school in Tucson focused on inquiry-based learning and social-emotional development. More than 70% of its students attend on scholarship, which they couldn’t do without the support from the community. More information about the event and IDEA School can be found at explorebuildlearn. org/speakeasy n
Conor Elliott Fitzgerald presents his video piece dealing with retirees and winter residents (snowbirds) that live in close proximity to the US-Mexico border. The work relates to the diversity of communities in the Southwest and how aging Anglos living in border states play a role in the debate around immigration and border security in this country. Khaled Jarrar is a Palestinian multidisciplinary artist who is internationally renowned for his sometimes controversial installation work. He will be presenting a short documentary, Khaled’s Ladder, about one of his recent projects, a sculptural work created from materials gleaned from sections of the US/Mexico border wall. Jason Aragon is a long-time member of Pan Left Productions, an organization which has empowered the Tucson community through media literacy and resources for 20 years. Jason will share a collection of his videos in a dedicated viewing room that encapsulate the last 10 years of the immigrant rights struggle in Southern Arizona. The event takes place on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 7:30 to 10:00pm at Exploded View Microcinema 197 E Toole Ave #2. Admission to the exhibition is free but donations will be accepted to support the work of Mariposas Sin Fronteras. More information at explodedviewgallery.org n
14 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
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LODGE NEAR UA: 2001 E. Speedway ** Buffalo Outlet in Nogale•s,795-0508 441 N. Grand Ave. • 520-287-9 AZ ** 241 BUFFALOEXCHANGE.COM • April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 15
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april
Tracie Morris
FRI 17 Kore Press Presents “An Evening with Tracie Morris” Artist, actor, experimental vocalist and scholar Tracie Morris comes to Tucson after an 8-year political hiatus, along with many other performing artists in response to Arizona’s SB1070 legislation. Morris performs vital work that explores diversity and class issues. Using sound and performance, the work offers new ways for audiences to think about the tumult in current national life. In An Evening with Tracie Morris, the artist performs a sonically rich variation of the well-know Stanley Kubrick film, Eyes Wide Shut, injecting a black female perspective into a story where it does not exist. Morris “talks-back” as if in conversation with the film as it screens, presenting other voices and an alternative storyline which opens with “The scariest people in the world are not Black.” Morris’ work resonates with Southern Arizona’s long-standing commitment to its diverse citizenry, cultures and traditions. Kore Press aims to raise public awareness about the power of art to inspire empathy, critical public dialog, and empower the strength of a just and civil society. The engagement offers opportunities for diverse communities to connect with one another across gender, race, and class differences and promote critical thinking about power. Embraced nationally by the literary and contemporary art worlds, Morris performs in museums like the MOMA, the Whitney, Guggenheim, DIA: Chelsea, the New Museum. Versions of Morris’ performance can be found in her latest book, handholding: 5 kinds, (Kore Press 2016), a literary work which experiments with contemporary artists on race, gender, sexuality, class, power, and art. Calendar of Events: Performance: “Tracie Morris Talks Back.” Provocative dinner theater event, at the Scottish Rites Cathedral. Friday, April 7, 5-9 pm. UA Professor Dr Stephanie Troutman will talk on-stage with Morris about the performance.
Morris for a meet-n-greet, talk and reading from her recent book of vocal and poetic experiments. Works from the collection by John Cage and Kurt Schwitters (featured in Morris’ new book) will be on view. FREE and open to the public. Panel Discussion: “Sound & Politics,” at the Jewish History Museum/Holocaust History Center, 564 S Stone Ave, 85701, Saturday, April 8, 12:30-2pm. Join “noise” musicians and scholars Tracie Morris, Mark Hosler, and Bob Ostertag for an interactive conversation on how sound shapes politics, history, activism, and protest. The panel is part of the Tucson Noise Symposium. FREE Performance: Collaborators Noise Showcase, Steinfeld Warehouse, 101 W Sixth St, 85701, Saturday, April 8, 3-5pm. Tracie Morris and poet - musician Sam Ace will create a collaborative-improvisational set. The showcase is part of Tucson’s Noise Symposium, co-sponsored by POG, UA Poetics Research Group, and Tucson-Poetry Festival. FREE. Workshop: Poetry and the Body, Dunbar Pavillion, 325 w. 2nd St, Sunday, April 9, 9am-noon, Tracie Morris leads a workshop on how sonic intent and sonic exploration can be cultivated as a way of creating page-based, physicallyembodied poetics. Discussion, freewriting, body work, play, writing and revision with sound. $40 Event Details: The event takes place Friday, April 7,at the Scottish Rites Cathedral, 160 S Scott Ave, with dinner & cocktails: 5-6pm: Casual dinner by Feast, Barrio Bread, & EXO with open bar; Food trucks and drink tickets available for lower priced ticket. Piano by Mary Turcotte. Performance time is 6:00-8:30pm, with intermission. Ticket price: $65/person for dinner theater table seating (incl food, open bar + performance). Tables of 8 are $500; tables for 2 are $125. $25 performance-only seats. (food trucks and drink tickets available). Tickets and more information at korepress.org n
Meet the Author: Tracie Morris, at the University of Arizona Museum of Art, 1031 N Olive 85721, Thursday, April 6, 3-5pm. Join visiting author Tracie April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 17
PUCCI retail $700 OZMA $56
BETSEY JOHNSON retail $300 OZMA $34
MOSCHINO retail $900 OZMA $74 GENTS COMME DES GARCONS retail $450 OZMA $46
Guilt-Free Glamour 6TH & 6TH
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FRI • SAT 11-6, SUN 11-5
food Z
Local Greens
Closed School + Greens + Fish = An Urban Farm Success Story?
I
by Diane C. Taylor
n the past few years, Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) has closed a number of schools. Some find new life as charter schools. One is finding new life as an urban farm – of sorts. Located in a somewhat residential area on the field of such a school at 555 S. Tucson Boulevard, the four-hoop house greenhouse of Merchant’s Garden Argotech is unexpected. The 10,000-square-foot building is 80 feet by 120 feet, with a ceiling up to 17 feet to take care of the rising heat in the summer, CEO and founder Chaz Shelton explained enthusiastically. Computercontrolled evaporative coolers keep the greenhouse at 78 to 80 degrees year round. Merchant’s Garden began in January 2016, Shelton said. The greenhouse arrived in March and was assembled between April and June. The aquaculture part began in August. Shelton, who has studied Economic Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Indiana University, has always been interested in health care. “Wellness and prevention of illness are best practice,” he explained. He came up with the idea of combining food with fish as a way to make fresh food more available and help people eat better. It’s also a way of bringing the farm into the city. So, here’s the deal: With 14 beds and 26,000 holes in a styrofoam-type material over ponds of water, Merchant’s Garden is growing lots and lots of greens: butter, red and green leaf lettuce, romaine, watercress, red bok choy,
cilantro, Mexican marigolds and several kinds of basil (Thai, citrus, Genovese, cinnamon). They’re adding flowers and his dream would be to raise hops for the many microbreweries. Right now the garden is growing about 400,000 heads of lettuce a year. On the morning of my visit, they had packed around 500 pounds of romaine – about 1,000 heads – for TUSD. Items are picked and delivered immediately. It’s about a mile and a half from downtown, Shelton continued. And just a block from the TUSD Food Services Division, which distributes food to the various schools. “The greens get from Merchant’s Garden to TUSD, thanks to the Community Food Bank, whose CEO Michael McDonald has been a great supporter of this project.” What about the tendency of hydroponic vegetables to be flavorless? “Not our greens,” Shelton said. “We’ve gotten a lot of compliments on how much flavor our greens have. People didn’t realize what lettuce is supposed to taste like. We don’t dump a lot of chemicals and pesticides on our plants.” What they do use is, more or less, fish poop. Next to the rows and rows of greens there are several large blue tanks, a couple filled with small fish, about 3,000 in all. Tilapia, which come from a farmer in New Mexico, were chosen because they’re resilient in the heat. It takes 42 to 48 weeks for the fish to mature enough from tiny fingerlings to about 1.7 pounds for the market, Shelton explained. This first batch is not quite mature, but when the time continues...
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 19
Z food
Chaz Shelton
comes, he’ll be looking for ways to get them to restaurants. He has no plans to process the fish at the garden. He’s also excited about the possibility of becoming involved in a research project with a medical facility, since doctors in Brazil are using tilapia skins as grafts for burn victims.
learn about food and hopefully improve their eating habits. Yet another modular unit functions as the germination room, with 500 to 5,000 seeds at any given time. They take about 14 days to sprout, Shelton explained. Then the sprouts are transferred to the greenhouse, where they grow about 30 days before they’re harvested.
How it works
Why Tucson?
If nothing were done to the water, the fish would die from the ammonia in what they excrete, Shelton explained. Instead, the water flows through a biofilter made up of thousands of “biobeads”, which offer more surface area on which bacteria naturally grow and turn the ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates, which serve as fertilizer. This water is circulated through the plants, which take out the nutrients they need and return some oxygen to the water. This refreshed water then circulates through the fish, and the cycle begins again. Additional oxygen is pumped into the fish tanks, to be sure the fish remain healthy. “It’s all about creating an environment for Nature to do what Nature does,” Shelton laughed. So, how does one go about purchasing these greens? Merchant’s Garden is just that: no direct sales to individuals. Products go to some 20 to 30 restaurants, a few groceries and TUSD. If you want to taste their greens, you’ll find them at Time Market, Rincon Market and the Food Conspiracy Co-op. Or eat at one of the growing number of restaurants the group supplies with its same-day harvesting. These include Falora, Downtown Kitchen, Seis, Ermanos, Urban Fresh, Ventana Canyon, Casino del Sol, La Cocina, Welcome Diner, Wilco, 5 Points Market & Restaurant, Reilly’s, the Mountain Oyster Club, Loew’s Ventana Canyon, and Canyon Ranch. Barrio Bread uses its basil. On the grounds are several modular units. One serves as an office for Shelton and company. Another is used by TUSD when school children come on a field trip as part of an educational program. First, they learn about the project, Shelton said. Then they visit the greenhouse. Often they help harvest the greens. A TUSD chef then makes the greens into a snack for the visitors. This way the children
“My stepdad since the age of 2 – Billy – was here. We don’t always agree, but we work together well,” he said. Billy, as it turns out, is co-founder and COO Bill Shriver. The two of them, with the help of Farm Support Specialist Isaiah Barnett and intern Emily Derks, do everything. Shelton did some research and found that the University of Arizona was well known in the area of hydroponics and aquaculture. He saw local groups like the Community Food Bank and the university as very supportive, so he approached Startup Tucson with his idea. Then, through an extensive network of Indiana alumni interested in building up entrepreneurs in science and technology, he got funding. Meantime, co-founder Shriver was hanging out at the University of Arizona, finding out all he could about hydroponics, aquaculture and the combined aquaponics. “The University of Arizona has some leading experts in these fields, such as Gene Giacomelli and Kevin Fitzsimmons in the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. They’ve been very helpful and supportive of our venture. And we’re looking at ways to help them with their research as well,” Shelton added.
20 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
And for the future? “We could expand a little on the grounds here,” he said. “But we’re also talking about having facilities in other parts of Tucson. Merchant’s Garden is already cash-positive and is seeing a 4% weekly growth in number of customers. Every day is an adventure here.” n For more information: www.merchantsgarden.com
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culture Z
Part of a sequence of murals at New Pascua Village, Tucson, this one depicting a Yaqui Deer Dancer by Yaqui artist Carlos Valenzuela.
The Sorcerer’s Birthday by Gregory McNamee
L
ike practically everyone else in Tucson, I came here more or less by accident, compelled by a little experience and a lot more in the way of heady dreams. I first visited in 1973, thinking I might go to the University of Arizona, and had barely set foot on campus when a rock band started playing out on the sidewalk in front of the main gate, a beautiful young woman walked over and handed me a joint, and dancing broke out everywhere. I moved here from Virginia two years later, with thoughts of that moment and that young woman still much in my mind, but reinforced by a couple of cultural trends that convinced me that Tucson was the right place to be. The first was country rock music, which I’d been playing Back East but that seemed more natural in a setting of cacti and tequila sunrises; it didn’t hurt that Linda Ronstadt was from here, nor that the reigning local bands of the time, among them Summerdog, the Bob Meighan Band, and the Dusty Chaps, were just so damn good. The second, I am now a little ashamed to admit, was a book—a book that we should now classify as a novel, perhaps, but that seemed all too real to me and many other readers Back in the Day.
That book, Carlos Castaneda’s The Teachings of Don Juan, is now nearly half a century old. Born in the heady days of 1968, when the search for “nonordinary reality” became an international pastime of the young, Castaneda’s evocative tale of an apprenticeship with a Mexican Indian sorcerer quickly found millions of readers—and out on the street, thanks to devotees of The Teachings, the popularity of peyote, “Mescalito,” soared. Surviving present realities has long since taken precedence over questing after new ones, and Castaneda’s book finds fewer readers today. Still, it remains in print, a rare survivor of the quick-in, quick-out cycle of commercial publishing. At last check, it ranked 14,800th on the Amazon.com list of bestselling books, meaning that it’s definitely in its long-tail phase but still very much alive. That it has enjoyed so many decades in print makes The Teachings of Don Juan one of the more successful hoaxes in literary history—or so scholars who know the ground have long alleged, among them the eminent scholar Edward Spicer, a Tucsonan who, originally an admirer of the book, came to doubt its reality as he dug deeper into it. For, although it is presented as ethnography, as the factual account, according to its subtitle, of “a Yaqui way of knowledge,” continues...
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 23
Z culture most of The Teachings is the product of its author’s gifted imagination. Although its realistic style readily accommodates belief, many of the events in the book could never have happened, which forces us into the land of what literature teachers call “the willing suspension of disbelief,” fine for novels, not so much so for books that purport to reveal the realities of other cultures. Readers of The Teachings will remember that in 1960, as the story goes, the anthropology student Carlos Castaneda—who describes himself here as Peruvian, there as Brazilian, and who, born in 1925, was already a little long in the tooth as counterculture heroes go—met an elderly Indian in a desolate bus station on the border of Arizona and Mexico, where Castaneda was purportedly looking for “medicinal plants” used by “the Indians of the area.” Ethnographic writing demands the use of specific detail, but Castaneda does not name the border town, the plants, the Indians, or the area. The wizened Indian, who calls himself Don Juan, tells Castaneda that he was born in the American Southwest in 1891, was taken as a child into northern Mexico, and was exiled with his family and thousands of Sonoran Indians to central Mexico in 1900. There—again, no specific details are given—he lived until 1940, whereupon he returned to the United States to practice his white magic, to wander the hidden alleys of the world with the aid of peyote, psilocybin, jimson weed, and other mind-altering desert plants. He is, Don Juan finally tells Castaneda, a Yaqui, a revelation that for many reasons should cast immediate doubt on the truth of most of those details. In fact, Spicer came to think of Don Juan as a mestizo who traded in many cultural influences, most originating far from the Yaqui homeland, none specifically Yaqui. To name just one objection of Spicer’s, peyote and psilocybin are scarcely known among the Yaqui, even back in the glorious ’60s, though their use has been well documented among indigenous peoples in Mexico, making those substances—well, not part of a Yaqui way of knowledge, at any rate. Don Juan, the tale continues, takes a fretful Castaneda under his tutelage, leading him through sometimes terrifying encounters with a variety of psychedelic plants, favoring him with magic and homespun philosophy, introducing him to talking lizards and singing rocks, teaching him to fly on his own power with the aid of the elusive Mescalito. “Diableros [sorcerers] have their own laws,” intones Don Juan, “and one of them is that a diablero has to teach his secrets to one of his kin.” Don Juan would go on to reveal those secrets to adopted cousin Carlos 24 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
through the pages of eight books, and the apprentice would go on to become a master sorcerer himself, bravely battling the forces of evil and recruiting other students to the cause—the classic tale of the magician and his apprentice, in other words, that figures in cultural milestones from Fantasia to The Hobbit. The seemingly simple, well-crafted story—and it is well written, to be sure—and its hero with a thousand faces is shot through with contradictions and inconsistencies. Don Juan appears not to speak a word of Yaqui, said to be his native tongue, nor to have mastered Mexican Spanish; like Castaneda’s, his English, on the other hand, is perfect. Supposedly an honored shaman among his people, Don Juan seems to find no connection with traditional Yaqui culture—critically important concepts such as seataka, for instance, or “spiritual power,” and the extraordinary cycle of lyrics through which the yoemem, the Yaqui people, honor the world that exists in parallel to our own, about which Larry Evers and Felipe Molina have written in their indispensable book Yaqui Deer Songs. Owing to his peripatetic childhood, Carlos admitted early in the life of his book, Don Juan’s “knowledge may have been the product of many influences.” Castaneda added that Don Juan was not a “pure” Yaqui and therefore could not be expected to behave as a “pure” Yaqui would— strange talk for an anthropologist, that notion of purity. These are but quibbles, Castaneda devotees—and he has a strong following, nearly 20 years after his death in April 1998—may well object. A sorcerer makes up his own rules, after all, and only mere mortals are bound by ordinary reality, kinship, culture, and the law of gravity. Still, Castaneda disappeared from public view after anthropologists who knew the Yaqui and other Mexican Indian peoples at first hand began to air their misgivings about his respect for scholarship and fact. After decades and many more books of alleged Yaqui wisdom, he never emerged to share his fieldnotes, to show photographs of his mentor and of flying sorcerers, to refute his critics. Throughout its pages, there are hints that Carlos was making his “Yaqui way of knowledge” up as he went along, especially within the brilliant parody of anthropology, the so-called structural analysis that closes The Teachings. And at one point in the book Don Juan remarks to his apprentice, “Your notebook is the only sorcery you have.” For years, Carlos Castaneda practiced a sorcery of paper, living out an ingenious Trickster story of his own invention. To most readers, of course, whether The Teachings of Don Juan is a book of reportage or invention is of little importance. Read for the succor that myths
of noble and wise indigenes bring, it has changed lives, fired imaginations, delighted millions of readers, just as a good fairytale should do. Read as a work of art, it is blameless, though in a time when we are more sensitive to questions of cultural appropriation, a good editor would probably insist on a subtitle change: A Hybrid Way of Knowledge, perhaps. But it does matter, I think, to the Yaqui people of southern Arizona and northern Mexico, who for years have had to fend off Don Juan’s would-be apprentices, some addled, some dangerous, all intrusive; who have suffered by outsiders’ words and deeds for centuries; and who, like all people, deserve accurate representation in the world. And they have it: Through writers and singers such as Felipe Molina, Mini Valenzuela, Miki Maaso, Refugio Savala, and Miguel Mendez, a generously shared, indisputably authentic Yaqui way of knowledge flourishes on the page and is available to readers everywhere. In their words lies the real magic, words that those who wish to be truly at home in the Sonoran Desert should know. n
One of the most moving of all forms of religious expression in our region, in my view, is the cycle of Yaqui observances of Easter Week, which this year ends on April 16. In the Tucson area, two Yaqui communities, Old Pascua and New Pascua, hold ceremonies that are open to the public. For information, see www.pascuayaqui-nsn.gov. In part owing to abuses by outsiders in the past, the Yaqui people forbid note-taking, drawing, photography, sound recording, and the like at any of these observances. If you visit, please dress and behave as if you were attending church—though the Gloria ceremony on Holy Saturday has its raucous moments, it is still a solemn occasion, and a transcendent one at that. n
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 25
Z art galleries & exhibits ARIZONA HISTORY MUSEUM Currently on view: Wall of Faces: A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You, I Am Tucson, Chasing Villa, The Silverbell Artifacts, Geronimo Exhibit, Arizona Historical Society 150 Exhibit. Hours: Mon & Fri 9am-6pm; Tues-Thurs 9am-4pm; Sat & Sun 11am-4pm. 949 E. 2nd Street. 520-628-5774. ArizonaHistoricalSociety.org
ARIZONA STATE MUSEUM Featuring more than 35,000 basketry and woven pieces from the permanent collection, Woven Through Time: American Treasures of Native Basketry and Fiber Art opens Apr 8 with an opening celebration featuring basket weaving demonstrations, from 10am-3pm. Snaketown: Hohokam Defined is on view through Sep 23. The Pottery Project and Paths of Life are on view until 2020. Hours: Mon-Sat 10am5pm. 520-621-6302. 1013 E. University Blvd. StateMuseum.Arizona.Edu
CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY The INFOCUS Juried Exhibition of Self-Published PhotoBooks and Flowers, Fruit, Books, Bones are on view to Apr 29. Hours: Tue-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 1-4pm. 1030 N. Olive Rd. 520-621-7968. CreativePhotography.org
CONTRERAS GALLERY The Isle of Men is on view Apr 1 to 29 with a reception Apr 1 from 6-9pm. Hours: Weds-Sat 10am-4pm. 110 E. 6th St. 520-398-6557. ContrerasHouseFineArt.com
DAVIS DOMINGUEZ GALLERY A Natural Order with landscape paintings by James Cook and new figurative paintings by Tim Murphy, is on view to Apr 29 with a reception on Apr 1 from 6 to 8pm. Tues-Fri 11am-5pm; Sat 11am-4pm. 154 E. 6th St. 520-629-9759. DavisDominguez.com
DEGRAZIA GALLERY IN THE SUN
In the Little Gallery, “Dreams of the Dead” mixed media by Diane Ganski and Melody Prentice is on view to Apr 7. Hours: 10am-4pm daily. 6300 N. Swan Rd. 520-299-9191. DeGrazia.org
DESERT ARTISANS GALLERY No Gray Walls and In the Night Miniatures runs through Apr 30. A Trunk Show with work by Julie Stein & Clydean Troner is on Apr 1 from 10am to 1pm. Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 10am-1:30pm. 6536 E. Tanque Verde Rd. 520-722-4412. DesertArtisansGallery.com
265 S. Church Ave. 520-624-5019. MOCA-Tucson.org
MAT BEVEL’S MUSEUM OF KINETIC ART Kinetic Saturdays is on Apr 1 from 5-8pm with character demonstrations by the artist throughout the evening. $5 admission, 12 years and under $3. 2855 E. Broadway Blvd. 520-604-6273. MatBevelCompany.org
MEDICINE MAN GALLERY Howard Post - New Works is on view Apr 8 to May 15. Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-4pm. 6872 E. Sunrise Dr., Suite 130. 520-7227798. MedicineManGallery.com
MINI TIME MACHINE The Art & Science of Portrait Miniatures featuring over forty portraits created between the 18th and early 20th centuries is on view to Apr 16. Hours: Tues-Sat 9am-4pm and Sun 12-4pm. 4455 E. Camp Lowell Dr. 520-881-0606. TheMiniTimeMachine.org
PHILABAUM GLASS GALLERY & STUDIO North Carolina Perspectives featuring work by Shane Fero, Robert Gardner, John Littleton, Kenny Pieper ad Kate Vogel is on view to May 27. Tues-Sat 11am-4pm. Call for glassblowing viewing. 711 S. 6th Ave. 520-884-7404. PhilabaumGlass.com
PORTER HALL GALLERY Frida: Portraits by Nickolas Muray, presented by Porter Hall Gallery and Etherton Gallery continues through May 31. Hours: Daily 8:30am4:30pm. 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 520-326-9686. TucsonBotanical.org
SOUTHERN ARIZONA WATERCOLOR GUILD Experimental Show is on view Apr 4 to 30 with a reception on Apr 6 from 5 to 7pm. Fiesta Sonora closes Apr 2. Hours: Tues-Sun 11am-4pm. Williams Centre 5420 East Broadway Blvd #240. 520-2997294. SouthernAzWatercolorGuild.com SOUTHERN ARIZONA TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM Dinner in the Diner is currently on display featuring original china and silver service from the named first class Pullman trains. 414 N. Toole Ave. 520-623-2223. TucsonHistoricDepot.org
TOHONO CHUL PARK Arizona Abstract opens Apr 27 with a reception from 5:30
is on view to May 5. 2760 N. Tucson Blvd. 520-620-0947. TheDrawingStudiotds.org
to 8pm. Day for Night in the main gallery and work by Alexandra Bowers in the Welcome Gallery are on view to Apr 19. Hours: Daily 9am-5pm. 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. (520) 742-6455. TohonoChulPark.org
ETHERTON GALLERY
TUCSON DESERT ART MUSEUM The Dazzled Eye: Navajo Textiles from
DRAWING STUDIO Members Show opens Apr 7 with a reception from 6-8pm and In the main gallery, Color Theory with work by Kate Breakey, Gail Marcus-Orien, Andy Burgess and Albert Chamillard is on view to May 31. In the Temple Gallery, Dinnerware: Artists Today Part 2: 1990-2003 is on view to May 5. Tue-Sat 11am-5pm or by appointment. Main Gallery: 135 S. 6th Ave. Temple Gallery: 330 S. Scott Ave. 520-624-7370. EthertonGallery.com
IRONWOOD GALLERY The Annual Art Institute Student Exhibition is on view Apr 22 to May 28 with a graduation ceremony on Apr 29 from 3-5pm. Desert Harmony pastel exhibition continues through Apr 17. Hours: Daily 10am-4pm. 2021 N. Kinney Rd. 520883-3024. DesertMuseum.org
LOUIS CARLOS BERNAL GALLERY The Annual Student Juried Art Exhibition featuring artists from all the PCC campuses is on view Apr 10 to May 5 with a reception and award ceremony on Apr 13 from 2 to 4pm. Hours: Mon-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-3pm. PCC 2202 W. Anklam Rd. 520-206-6942. Pima.Edu/CFA
the Getzwiller Collection is on view to May 28. Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit; Behind Barbed Wire; and Art of Circumstance are all on view through Apr 30. Hours: Weds-Sun 10am-4pm. 7000 E Tanque Verde Rd. 520-202-3888. TucsonDArt.Org
TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART Body Language: Figuration in Modern and Contemporary Art is on view to July 9. Continuing exhibitions include: Poetic Minimalism; Henry C. Balink: Native American Portraits; On the Cusp: Modern Art From the Permanent Collection; and From Modern Into the Now: Masterworks from the Kasser Mochary Art Foundation. Hours: Tues-Wed & Fri-Sat 10am-5pm; Thurs 10am-8pm; Sun 12-5pm. 140 N. Main Ave. 520-624-2333. TucsonMuseumofArt.org
UA MUSEUM OF ART Fame: Paintings By Robert Priseman is on view to Aug 27.
MADARAS GALLERY Mediterranean Moments featuring paintings by Chuck Al-
Continuing exhibitions include: Bycatch, Northern Triangle, and Resilient Voices: The Art of David Tineo on view through Apr 2 and Exposed: The Art and Science of Conservation on view to May 13 and Verboten/Forbidden on view to Apr 24. Hours: Tues-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun 12-4pm. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 520-621-7567. ArtMuseum.Arizona.Edu
banese opens April 20 with a reception from 5 to 7pm. Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm. 3035 N. Swan Rd. 520-615-3001. Madaras.com
UA POETRY CENTER Joshua Edwards: Castles and Islands is on view to Apr 22.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART The annual MOCA Gala is on Apr 22. Exhibitions continuing through May 28 are: If You Stay Busy You Have No Time to be Unhappy; Andy Steinbrink | How to Make and Mend Cast Nets; Dennis Jeffy | From Antelope Springs and John Kilduff | The Joy of Multitasking. Hours: Weds-Sun 12-5pm.
26 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
Hours: Mon & Thurs 9am-8pm; Tues, Weds, Fri 9am-5pm. 1508 E. Helen St. 520-6263765. Poetry.Arizona.Edu
WEE GALLERY Catch and Release - Craig Cully opens Apr 1 with a reception from 6 to 11pm and closes Apr 30. Hours: Fri-Sat 11am-6pm; Sun 11am-5pm. 439 N. 6th Ave, Suite #171. 520-360-6024. GalleryWee.com
Open Studio Tour e e r F Self Guided Tour Open to the Public!
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Celebrate the rich artistic culture of the Tucson Arts District, deep within the Heart of Tucson (HoT Art). Learn more about the artists and enjoy a unique shopping experience. Self Guided Tour Open to the Public! Saturday, April 8 & Sunday, April 9, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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21 Alcohol Inkers 2814 E. Lester St. 12 Athena Garments 4851 E. Hampton St. 5 Isapat Azimuth 2543 E. Florence Dr. 28 Janet Burner 1019 N. Jacobus Ave. 11 Casa Kira 4866 E. Calle Pequena 3 Desert Girls 1433 E Hedrick Dr. 9 Carolyn Ferguson 4423 E. Blacklidge Dr. 24 Valerie Galloway at Yikes Toys Art Dept. 2930 E. Broadway 8 Jerry Harris 2967 N. Alvernon Way 14 Illene Hurley 6249 E. Hawthorne St 13 Kyle Johnston 1938 N. Arcadia Ave.
22 Sally Krommes 2416 E. Mabel St. 19 Mimi Kurtin 4006 E. Fairmount St. 18 Judith Mariner 809 N. Irving Circle 20 Peggy Marlatt 3410 E Lester St. 16 Leanne Miller 826 N. Venice Ave. 29 Meredith Milstead 828 E. Elm St. 26 Lorna Newton 2937 E. 17th St., Country Club Manor 1 Barbara Peabody 4006 E. Fairmount St. 19 Sherrie Posternak 4006 E. Fairmount St. 2 Julie Rose 720 E. Prince Rd. 17 C.J. Shane 4550 E. Lester
25 Sonoran Print Group 2701 E. Croyden 15 Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild 5420 E. Broadway, #240 23 Only Sunday Spring Sale & Art Party 2900 E Adams St. 4 Betsy Tanzer 1703 E. Fort Lowell Rd. 10 Wil Taylor 3473 N. Nandina Ln. 2 Tucson Artist Coop 720 E. Prince Rd. 7 Tucson Clay Coop 3326 N. Dodge Blvd 2 Pam Wedemeyer 720 E. Prince Rd. 27 Diane Wittman-Punteri 1422 E. Miles St. 6 Richard Zelens 3250 E. Kleindale Rd.
More Maps & Artist Information Online at HeartOfTucsonArt.org
film Z Danny Brown as Mary Laclede in The West and the Ruthless.
Arizona International Film Festival Returns in April Zócalo Chats With Two Filmmakers
T
he Arizona International Film Festival (AIFF), Arizona’s oldest and longest running independent film festival, takes place April 19-30. This year marks the 26th anniversary of the festival, which showcases 26 feature-length films and 70 shorts from 19 countries. A complete guide to the festival begins on page 33 of this issue. Zócalo recently chatted with two of the filmmakers, both of whom submitted award-winning films to AIFF; Nick Trivundza who wrote and directed the featurelength The West and the Ruthless, and Dinh Thai who wrote and directed the short Monday. Trivundza’s film is an Indie Western, which takes place in the dusty streets of Crow’s Landing, where outlaws, wealthy plantation owners, runaway slaves, a half Cherokee girl, and a woman days away from giving birth all end up in a bloody shoot out. The West and the Ruthless was shot in Tucson and AIFF will be its world premiere on April 20.
Director Nick Trivundza from The West and the Ruthless: Zócalo Magazine: Tell us a bit about your film. Nick Trivundza: The West and the Ruthless is about four interconnected stories that weave together and branch out from a stagecoach robbery that goes horribly wrong. When I say goes horribly wrong, it’s because the driver gets whipped, two men get shot and left for dead who aren’t dead, a woman goes into labor, one of the robbers feels bad about that, the other doesn’t, and the plantation owner that is being robbed after heading West fleeing the Civil War, has a half sister who was a slave, and is left to die in the desert. As the stories begin to weave back together - they all end up in a shoot out running for their lives. ZM: What makes this Western different than others? NT: The West and the Ruthless is unlike any western anyone has seen before. That’s the first thing people say after they see it for the first time. One
Hollywood producer who watched the film said it was much more like Go or Run Lola Run than a typical western. The story is told from each character’s point of view and follows one day in their life. As you follow a character you might not be aware of something else another character is doing at the same time. We then double back on an event from a different perspective, which is sometimes humorous, other times violent, sometimes beautiful. ZM: Where in Tucson was it shot? NT: We shot The West and the Ruthless at and around Old Tucson Studios utilizing their sets from previous productions as well as a few areas that aren’t available to the public. One of these locations was an amazing old train car from the 1800s left out in the middle of the desert. This ended up being one of our absolute favorite locations in the film. We also filmed scenes in the upstairs of the iconic Hotel Del Toro. This turned out to be John Wayne’s old apartment. This is where he would stay when he was shooting all those classic Westerns. ZM: You co-directed the film with your wife, Lexie. How did the two of you end up working together? NT: Lexie and I met in the advertising world where she was producing and I was directing for advertising agencies. The romantic and creative partnership sort of happened instantaneously. We kept getting paired up on the same projects. So, one thing lead to another, yada yada yada, now we’re married and decided to direct our first feature film together, a Western. Our daughter - who was a year and a half at the time of the shoot - makes a cameo in the film. ZM: How did you decide on AIFF being the world premiere for the film? NT: During the production of The West and the Ruthless, we fell in love with Tucson. On our first location-scouting trip last February, we drove through Gates Pass at sunset and had never seen anything so rugged and adventurous before. It’s obviously the perfect location, not just for a western, but for films in general. continues... April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 29
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Old train car in The West and the Ruthless. NT: While shooting the film we also worked with one of the most talented crews we’ve ever worked with before. Everyone always says this, but this time it was true! This includes the talented men and women at Old Tucson Studios as well as the production crew we assembled while there. Everyone was willing to jump in and give 200%, even when it was 115 degrees outside (which didn’t even phase the local crew). Having such a strong connection to the location while we were in production, we really wanted the entire film to come full circle and have the premiere take place in Tucson as well. As filmmakers we get to reconnect with the location we shot in while getting to share the film with the world for the first time. We’re also planning the location scout for our next movie while we’re in Tucson. So the day after the premiere, we head out to Mescal. ZM: And you've already received some awards before its official release? NT: As we look forward towards screenings that will take place after the premiere, one of the events we looked into was this year’s Genre Celebration Festival. It’s a festival dedicated to genre films such as Westerns, Noir, Sci-Fi,
and others. The festival won’t take place until later this year, however, they contacted us early to let us know that we had won the awards for Best Western Film, Best Actress (for Danny Brown), and Best Visual FX. We were also nominated for Best Actor (Alexander Harris) and for Best Cinematography. ZM: You showed us with some samples of the art and design created for the film, can you tell us more about that process and who was behind those? NT: The poster and the title are so often the first impression someone has of a film. Coming from the advertising world, and having acted as an art director for years and years - it was really important that the film have a look that set it apart. We wanted something that looked beautiful but dangerous and maybe a little violent. I worked with Tobias Saul, a design genius who specializes in hand lettering, to create the type and main look of the logo of the film’s title. He brought an old world beauty to it that just looks incredible. He also designed the name of the fictional town, which can be seen on a water tower towards the beginning of the film. Everything he does is by hand and that added a classic look.
Some of the hand lettering seen in the film.
30 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
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Kwan (Kevin David Lin) takes his first phone call of the day as he stares out into his neighborhood, in Monday.
Director Dinh Thai from Monday:
S
imilar to The West and the Ruthless, Dinh Thai’s short film Monday follows the main character for one day of his life. In the culturally diverse world of Los Angeles, a young hustler named Kwan navigates through various cliques while facing racism, danger and a moral struggle with his illicit occupation. He bounces from neighborhood to neighborhood, providing contraband to whoever needs it. Each encounter is tinged with racial undertones and on this day, his illicit activity brings him to a halt. Monday screens on April 29. Zócalo Magazine: Congratulations Dinh, on your film taking top prize in HBO’s first Asian Pacific American Visionaries short film competition. Can you tell us a little bit about the competition and where your film will be seen? What kind of response have you received? DT: Thank you. Our cast and crew have been very excited about the film and we feel so lucky to have it be recognized by HBO. The competition was announced last August and my friend Mong Chan tagged me on Facebook. That’s how I found out about it. My two other filmmaking friends Gregg Furuoka and Fidencio Casas have been inspiring me to write and direct, purely just by example. They’re always creating something. They were already planning on making a film for the contest. So after brainstorming ideas, I started writing Monday in September and the first draft was complete in a few days. You know, the serendipitous connection with my friends and this contest is very special to me. Something inside turned on and it felt like the right time to finally write and direct a short. And incidentally, last night we won two awards at the Playhouse West Festival; Grand Jury for Best Screenplay and Best Short.
ZM: Tell us about Monday. What inspired the story? What influences did you draw upon? From the very start, the film takes on a racial dialog. At times this dialog is uncomfortable and provoking, and then at other times it is, dare we say, almost comical. How did you balance those? DT: Many parts of Monday were inspired by personal experiences growing up and being an Asian American male in Los Angeles. From the openly racist banter to the adjustment of personas with various friends and the relationships between characters, those details have been dramatized, but they stem from a honest place. And to be blunt, that’s just how my friends and I speak to one another. So if we were laughing at each other in real life, there would be a good chance that would work on camera. I think some comedy is inherently rude and uncomfortable, because it’s based on real life stereotypes. I don’t think I was trying to balance anything, I was hoping to be comedic by being abrasive. My opinion is that racism is real, but the hate and the thought of superiority behind racism doesn’t have to be. ZM: As we follow the main character Kwan around, his client base are individuals of different ethnicities. We see his appearance and attitude almost morph depending on which client he is with. Do you think Kwan is forced to adapt or even assimilate because he is in his client’s space? Or is he voluntarily changing, perhaps because he sees the value in maintaining these complex relationships? DT: The morphing was a fun way to explore how Kwan really sees himself. He’s not just one of those personas. He’s all of those personas. That could be a metaphor for the American dream. We’re told we can be anything, just as long as we work for it. continues...
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 31
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Things get heated between Jerry and Joanna (Joe Cadiff and Alexis Cadiff) in Monday. ZM: Have you submitted the film to a lot of festivals? Any particular reason why you chose AIFF? DT: Yes, the film is in consideration to many American festivals, particularly ones that are open to this type of character study. AIFF was chosen because I think there’s enough diversity for a story like Monday. ZM: Are you working on any other projects right now? DT: There isn’t a specific project right now, but yes, I’ve been brainstorming and reviewing old ideas to see what surfaces.
32 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
ZM: Will there be a Tuesday? DT: I hope so. I like the thought of developing this short into a TV series. I’ve been sporadically writing down bullet points and dialogue notes and I’m getting closer to writing the first episode. n The Arizona International Film Festival takes place April 19-30, 2017. See next page for the complete guide or visit filmfestivalarizona.com.
Kwan and Andre (Kevin David Lin and L.A. Williams) always up to no-good.
For all times, trailers and ticket info, please visit: filmfestivalarizona.com Catch NEWS, special appearances and events at:
“Given”
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19
FRIDAY, APRIL 21
Opening Night
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
GIVEN
(USA - Music Documentary)
7:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission (USA – Documentary)
PASSING THE TORCH
90- year old Jazz master, Jimmy Heath, mentors teenage musicians from Tucson.
Told through the visceral experience of 6-year-old child, this breathtaking documentary follows legendary surfers Aamion and Daize Goodwin from their island home of Kauai through 15 different countries in the quest for surf and to fulfill a calling handed down through generations.
I PROMISE TO REMEMBER
THURSDAY, APRIL 20
7:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
GLOBAL SHORTS
Stunning visual story-telling emerges from these innovative shorts from France, Greece and Mexico. 8:00pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
KATE CAN’T SWIM
with (USA - music short)
Wise fatherly life lessons from Funk Icon Jimmy Castor.
THE WEST AND THE RESTLESS (USA – Western)
In the dusty streets of Crow’s Landing, outlaws, wealthy plantation owners, runaway slaves, a half Cherokee girl, and a woman days away from giving birth all end up in a bloody shootout and running for their lives.
(USA - Drama)
Kate is almost thirty, almost engaged, almost settled in her career as a writer—but is deeply dissatisfied. When Kate’s best friend returns from Paris with a new boyfriend in tow, their former dynamic is thrown into disarray, sending Kate into a tailspin from which she may not recover. with
4 POUNDS OF FLOWERS
9:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
ARIZONA SHORTS (Short Films)
Six new films by Arizona filmmakers demonstrate the diversity of Arizona filmmaking.
(USA - dramatic short)
On the last weed sale of the season, Kayla realizes she is pregnant which compels her to confront her way of life. Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“Halfway to Zen”
The Screening Room is located at 127 E. Congress St., downtown Tucson All Access Pass ($100) and Saver Pass ($25 for 5 screenings) available SINGLE TICKETS $8 admission for premiere screenings $6 admission for all other screenings Discounts available for seniors, students and military. Single tickets can be purchased at The Screening Room box-office one hour before each screening. Buy ADVANCE single tickets and passes at www.brownpapertickets.com
SATURDAY, APRIL 22
SATURDAY, APRIL 22
11:00am | The Screening Room | FREE
4:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
Come meet and chat with visiting filmmakers.
(Ireland – Drama)
CONNECT with Filmmakers
(continued)
SOUTH
REINDEER IN MY SAAMI HEART
Following the death of his supportive single father, 17-year-old Tom, an aspiring musician suffering from stage fright, decides to track down his estranged mother. On the way, he meets Jess, a freespirited girl.
(Australia – Documentary)
with
12:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
One of the last Saami born into a nomadic reindeer herding family, Inghilda Tapio has spent a lifetime writing and struggling to preserve her Indigenous language and culture. with
THE WILL (Ireland – dramatic short)
Signing a book of condolences can lead to one big surprise.
HAIRAT (Ethiopia – experimental short)
A visual and lyrical exploration of the nightly ritual between a man in Eastern Ethiopia and his feral companion. 2:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
HALFWAY TO ZEN (USA – Drama)
Ex-con Nick takes care of his father, Pop, whose dementia is escalating. Then Edie, his 11-year-old daughter he lost, shows up with her mother, Vic, who has had a minor stroke. Nick has to embark on a crash course in fatherhood while facing the loss of his own father.
7:00pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
THE SOUNDING (USA – Drama)
Liv, after years of silence, begins to weave a language out of Shakespeare’s words. A neurologist brought to protect her, commits her to a psychiatric hospital where she becomes a full-blown rebel. Her increasing violence threatens to keep her locked up for life as she fights for her voice and her freedom. 9:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
COMEDY SHORTS
Laughter breaks down all barriers. Be part of the Festival’s funniest program with a collection of side-splitting comedies.
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“Take My Nose...Please!”
“First Daughter and the Black Snake”
SUNDAY, APRIL 23
SUNDAY, APRIL 23
11:00am | The Screening Room | FREE
8:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
Come meet and chat with visiting filmmakers.
Family conflicts make for riveting drama in this collection of global shorts.
CONNECT with Filmmakers
(continued)
GLOBAL SHORTS
1:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
SHORT DOCS
Aerial artists, a blind adventure writer and a sustainable sushi chef, a former gang member, and an obsessed engineer are all featured in this collection of intriguing documentaries. 3:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
1948: CREATION & CATASTROPHE (USA – Documentary)
It is simply not possible to make sense of what is happening in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today without an understanding of the year 1948. This disturbing documentary tells the story of the establishment of Israel as seen through the eyes of the people who lived it. 6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
TAKE MY NOSE…PLEASE! (Mexico/USA – Documentary)
This funny and moving look at the role of comedy exposes the pressures on women in contemporary society to be attractive. The film follows two comedians, Emily Askin and Jackie Hoffman as they contemplate having surgery and its possible impact on their careers, relationships, and self-regard.
MONDAY, APRIL 24 6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
FIRST DAUGHTER AND THE BLACK SNAKE (USA – Documentary)
When Winona learns that Canadian-owned Enbridge plans to route a new pipeline through her tribe’s 1855 Treaty land, she and her community spring into action to save the sacred wild rice lakes and preserve their traditional indigenous way of life. 8:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
RIVER BLUE
(Canada – Documentary)
A renowned river advocate, Mark Angelo, journeys through some of the world’s most pristine waterways, to some of its most polluted, in a global adventure that reveals the dark side of the fashion industry. with
WE R THE WORLD/MOLD (Canada – experimental short)
Viewing mold up close and from a distance.
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“City of Joy”
“Man in the Camo Jacket”
TUESDAY, APRIL 25
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
CITY OF JOY
(USA –Documentary)
THE MECHANISM OF SUSPENDED TIME (United Kingdom – Romantic Comedy)
This revealing documentary tells the story of a center for young women in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo dedicated to helping them overcome the aftermath of rape, abuse and traumatic violence.
This original, French period romantic comedy tells the tale of the fateful meeting between two destined lovers, born to two famous rival Master Clockmakers.
with
THEATRELAND
THE OTHER SIDE (Spain – music short)
A musician has been separated from his daughter for 15 years but meet every month on either side of the US-Mexico border wall.
with (United Kingdom – comedy short)
An aspiring actress invites us to share a glimpse of her life working as an usher in a West End theatre.
7:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission 8:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
TWENTY TWENTY-FOUR (United Kingdom - Science Fiction)
A lone scientist maintains an underground bunker for the coming global nuclear disaster. But after becoming prematurely isolated, he slowly begins to question his own reality and whether he is truly alone. with
THEY WILL ALL DIE IN SPACE (Spain – sci-fi short)
Filmed in beautiful black and white, this space exploration futuristic thriller is set aboard a drifting starship.
MAN IN THE CAMO JACKET (USA – Music Documentary)
As front man for The Alarm, Mike Peters has written some of the most rousing anthems of our day -- “68 Guns,” “The Stand,” and “Strength.” But when diagnosed with cancer, his songs and life took on new meaning, igniting his indomitable spirit. with
DON’T SELL MY GUITARS (USA- music short)
A beloved country musician whispers a final request to his wife “Don’t sell my guitars.”
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“Southern Edge of the Cloud”
“Forbidden Cuba”
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
6:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
(Brazil - Music Documentary)
(China/France/Hong Kong – Drama)
This vibrant documentary brings to life the rhythm and music of the Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage of jongo and the community of women that use courage and innovation to keep jongo alive and thriving.
Xinxin and Musu start an endless journey to look for the Southern Edge of the Cloud, a place their late grandmother dearly loved. In the midst of their journey, they are joined by Loic, a young Frenchman addicted to his smart phone.
JONGO FEVER
with
THE GRAND PIANO
SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE CLOUD
with
(Brazil – music short)
THE TURTLE
A young musician embarks on a journey, mapping pianos to play.
(France – dramatic short)
7:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
For a weekend, all taboos and rancours are going to emerge, leading to the inevitable confrontation between two brothers.
(United Kingdom – Drama)
7:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
AND VIOLET
This coming of age drama interweaves and unravels the lives of a daughter and her two mothers. When Violet and her adoptive-mum visit a small Scottish town, they unexpectedly run into her estranged birth-mum. 9:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
GUILT
(Finland – Drama)
Tomas infiltrates a human trafficking ring while searching for his kidnapped sister. In order to find his sister, he has to compromise his own morals and values. with
SKIN DEEP (USA – experimental short)
By fusing live-action and illustration, we explore a layered tattoo romance.
FORBIDDEN CUBA (USA - Drama)
An American businessman travels to Cuba to retrieve an executive gone rogue, and finds his eyes opened to the beauty and vibrant culture of Cuba, challenging his corporate directives, his identity and everything he has known. with
THE END OF TIME (Cuba – experimental short)
Time has stopped for one moment on a regular day in Cuba. 9:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
ANIMATION SHORTS
Don’t miss this set of mind-blowing animated gems from around the world.
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“Hunting Pignut”
“Falling in Love” from ANIMATION SHORTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
11:00am | The Screening Room | FREE
4:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
CONNECT with Filmmakers
Come meet and chat with visiting filmmakers. 12:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
FAMILY SHORTS
Marbles, moms and kites play a role in this trio of enjoyable films for the entire family.
(continued)
THE SOUP
(South Korea – Drama)
A mentally disabled couple live a quiet life with their healthy daughter. One day, a stranger, released from prison, intrudes on the family home and slowly becomes more and more part of the family. 7:00pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
HUNTING PIGNUT (Canada – Drama)
2:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
WRITTEN OFF
(USA – Documentary)
This revealing film documents an “opioid” journey in grippingly honest personal video journals. Behind the addiction, there is a person - all at once lovable and despicable, funny and pathetic, young and old, destructive and aware of his failings. with
15-year-old Bernice believes that she will never live down her traumatic childhood that left her body and psyche deeply scarred. Her dejected spirit takes a strange turn when Pignut, a charismatic but tormented punk rocker, shows up for her father’s wake. with
BOMBSHELL (Canada – experimental short)
A performance-for-video “selfie”.
LANDSCAPES (USA – experimental short)
A tribute to Maya Deren via the streets and alleys of St. Louis.
9:30pm | The Screening Room | $8 admission
DRAMATIC SHORTS
Experience a hard-hitting collection of shorts ranging from border crossings, crime and family conflict.
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
“Father and Son”
“Tucson Hot Damn”
SUNDAY, APRIL 30
SUNDAY, APRIL 30
12:00pm | The Screening Room | FREE
Closing Night Special Presentation
INDIEYOUTH SHORTS
Six teenage filmmakers offer new young perspectives on the world we live in. 2:00pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
LAS TESOROS DE SAN ANTONIO: A WESTSIDE STORY (USA – Music Documentary)
The lives and careers of renowned South Texas singers – Rita Vidaurri, Blanquita Rosa Rodriguez, Beatriz Llamas and Anita Janet Cortez – are featured in this historical documentary filled with music.
(continued)
7:00pm | The Rialto Theatre | $6 admission
THE TUCSON HAPPENING
Hosted by Magic Kenny Bang Bang, this will be a fun-filled evening of live music, performance and film. Featured artists include Billy Sedlymayr, Flam Chen and the Golden Boots with more to come. The highlight of the show will be the world premiere of
TUCSON HOT DAMN (Canada – Documentary)
A magical ride through “The Weird Capital of the World” featuring the music of Billy Sedlymayr, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan.
with
BETWEEN WAGONS AND THE MOON (USA – music short)
A musician writes songs for migrants and deportees at the US-Mexico border. 4:30pm | The Screening Room | $6 admission
FATHER AND SON
Help bring TUCSON HOT DAMN to the big screen by donating to our campaign. For information on how to donate, please go to indiegogo.com and search for TUCSON HOT DAMN. Every little amount helps to get us to the finish line. Thank you for your support! ~ AzFilmFest team
(Vietnam – Drama)
Beautifully filmed and heart-wrenching, this epic story exposes the tensions between modern and traditional life in Vietnam, between dreams and reality, and the love that drives one father to bridge those divides for his son.
All programs subject to change. Check filmfestivalarizona.com
with
THE D-TRAIN DOCTORS (China – documentary short)
Who maintains the fast-speed trains in China?
Arizona International Film Festival GUIDE • For all film and ticket info, go to: filmfestivalarizona.com • Courtesy of ZOCALOMAGAZINE • April, 2017
Photo: Colin Brennan
performances Z
UA Presents Black Violin April 13 at the Fox Tucson Theatre.
ARIZONA FRIENDS OF CHAMBER MUSIC Trio Solisti, April 5 at 7:30 pm,
NOT BURNT OUT JUST UNSCREWED Every Friday and Saturday at 7:30
Anna Litvinenko, Cello with Luis Ortiz, Piano, April 23 at 3:00 pm. Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. 520-577-3769. ArizonaChamberMusic.org
pm. 3244 E. Speedway. 520-861-2986. UnscrewedComedy.com
ARIZONA REPERTORY THEATRE Twelfth Night through April 2. Evita April 9-30. Marroney Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Rd. 621-1162. Theatre.Arizona.edu
6, doors at 6:30 pm, show at 7:00 pm. The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress. 520-7304112. OdysseyStorytelling.com
ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY Holmes and Watson, April 15 - May 6, Temple
PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Chorale & College Singers, 3:00 pm on April 30
of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. 520-884-8210, ArizonaTheatre.org
at Proscenium Theater. Three Sisters, April 20 - 30 at the Black Box Theatre. PCC West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Rd. 520-206-6986. Pima.edu
ARIZONA OPERA La Cenerentola (Cinderella) by Gioachino Rossini on April 1, 7:30 pm and April 2, 2:00 pm. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. 520-293-4336. AZOpera.org
BROADWAY IN TUCSON Brain Candy Live! 7:00 pm on April 1. The Bodyguard
ODYSSEY STORYTELLING SERIES Awkward curated by Roscoe Mutz, April
THE ROGUE THEATRE Macbeth by William Shakespeare, April 27 - May 14. A Free Open Talk on Macbeth, 2:00 pm, April 22. The Historic Y, 300 E. University Blvd. 520-551-2053. TheRogueTheatre.org
with Deborah Cox, April 12-16, Centennial Hall, 1020 East University Blvd. 520-9032929, BroadwayInTucson.com
SONS OF ORPHEUS Gala Spring Concerts, April 9, 22, 23, 30 at 3:00 pm. Various
CARNIVAL OF ILLUSION Magic, Mystery, & Oooh La La!, April 22, 5:00 pm
SOUTHERN ARIZONA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Gliere, Schumann,
and 8:00 pm. Scottish Rite Cathedral Grand Parlor, 160 South Scott Ave. 520-615-5299, CarnivalOfIllusion.com
Dvorak, 7:30 pm, April 22 and 3:00 pm, April 23. See website for locations. 520-3086226. SASOMusic.org
THE DINNER DETECTIVE
Interactive Murder Mystery Show, April 1 - May 13. 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Hilton Tucson East, 7600 E. Broadway Blvd. 866-496-0535. TheDinnerDetective.com
TUCSON JAZZ SOCIETY Sunday
FOX THEATRE Miranda Sings with Colleen Ballinger, 8:00 pm, April 1. Vince Gill
TUCSON REGIONAL BALLET Peter and the Wolf and Swan Lake Act II, 2:00
Solo Acoustic 7:00 pm, April 2. Gunhild Carling, 7:30 pm, April 7. Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, 7:30 pm, April 8. The Sound of Music, 2:00 pm, April 9. Morrissey, 8:30 pm, April 10. UA Presents: Black Violin, 7:30 pm, April 13. Bookends Tribute - Simon & Garfunkel: Through the Years, 7:30 pm, April 15. SuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque, 8:00 pm, April 16. TAJ Express, 7:30 pm, April 17. Comedy for Charity Presents Thank You for Serving: The Benefit, 7:00 pm, April 23. The Doo Wop Project, 7:30 pm, April 28. 17 W. Congress St. 520-624-1515, FoxTucsonTheatre.org
pm and 7:30 pm, April 8 and 2:00 pm, April 9. Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. 520-886-1222. TucsonRegionalBallet.org
THE GASLIGHT THEATRE The Curse of the Pirate’s Gold March 30 - June 4. 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. 520-886-9428, TheGaslightTheatre.com
INVISIBLE THEATRE Let’s Live a Little, April 18 - 30. 1400 N. First Ave. 520-8829721, InvisibleTheatre.com
LAFFS COMEDY CAFFE Todd Larson and Daryl Felsberg, April 7 & 8. 2900 E. Broadway. 520-32-Funny. LaffsTucson.com
LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP Below the Belt, continues to May 6, Mainstage. A Swashbuckling Adventure with the Itty-Bitty Buccaneer April 9 - June 4, Family Theatre. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. 520-327-4242, LiveTheatreWorkshop.org
locations, see website for details. 520-484-3743. SonsOfOrpheus.org
Jam, Every Sunday from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon & BBQ, 1801 N. Stone Ave. 520-903-1265, TucsonJazz. org
TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Tommy
Tom-Tom and Chillin’ Willie Go to the Zoo, 10:00 am and 11:15 am on April 1 at Tucson Symphony Center, 2175 N. 6th Ave. Music of the Mountains, 5:00 - 7:00 pm at the Kampa Residence (full address upon ticket purchase). An Alpine Symphony, 7:30 pm on April 7, 2:00 pm on April 9 at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Moveable Musical Feast, 4:30 pm on April 23 at Tubac Golf Resort and Spa, 65 Avenida de Otero, Amado. Dusty Locks and the Three Bears, 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on April 29 at Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. 520882-8585, TucsonSymphony.org
UA PRESENTS Steppin’ Out Live: An Intimate Evening with Ben Vereen, through April 2 at Steve Eller Dance Theater, 1737 E. University Blvd. Recycled Percussion, April 9 at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. The Bodyguard, April 12-16 at Centennial Hall. Black Violin, April 13 at Fox Tucson Theater, 17 W. Congress St. 520-621-3364. UAPresents.org
UNSCREWED THEATER Family friendly shows every Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 pm. 3244 E. Speedway Blvd. 520-289-8076. UnscrewedTheater.org
L.U.N.A. THEATRE COMPANY Duet for One by Tom Kempinski, 7:00 pm on
WINDING ROAD THEATER ENSEMBLE The Language Archive, by Julia
April 14 & 15. Rincon Country East RV Resort Auditorium, 8989 E. Escalante Rd. 520499-8714. Facebook.com/LunaTheatreCompany
Cho, through April 9 at the RoadRunner Theater, 8892 E. Tanque Verde Rd. 520-4013626. WindingRoadTheater.org
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 41
photo: Ryan M. Bolton
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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Desert Serpents A conversation about rattlesnakes with those who know them well With the rise of early warm weather this year, the snakes are out. Seeing one is always exhilarating, if not sometimes a tad scary. But these majestic, almost solemn creatures deserve our respect. To learn more about living with rattlesnakes, Zócalo spoke with Bob Brander and Robert Villa from The Tucson Herpetological Society, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to conservation, education and research concerning the amphibians and reptiles of Arizona and Mexico. Brander is a professional herpetologist, having worked with reptiles at the Bronx Zoo in New York for 28 years. His main interest is rattlesnakes, which is what brought him to Tucson. “If you want to go to a place where there’s an abundance of rattlesnakes, the southwest, particularly Arizona, is a good place,” he says. Working with Arizona Game and Fish, Brander is licensed to rehabilitate injured reptiles and is permitted to remove reptiles from peoples yards as a service. At the Herp Society, Brander is past president and currently runs a hotline, taking calls for people with questions about reptiles. Villa is the Herp Society’s current president and has a deep interest in natural and cultural history and its intersection, more intensely in the Sonoran region and Latin America. Among the many roles that Villa takes on, his projects have included field work with endangered plants, amphibians, reptiles, and owls; helping revise and edit the book A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert; and animal wrangling, guiding, and consulting for world-wide broadcast media organizations.
Zócalo Magazine: Bob, what happens when someone calls to have a snake removed from their property? Bob Brandner: On the Arizona Game and Fish website (see link at end of this article) there is a listing of licensed wildlife control service providers, who are qualified to handle venomous snakes. Lots of times people don’t know what kind of species of snake they have on their property. The animal may be harmless, but people may still have concerns. If they need a rattlesnake removed, generally it’s moved off the property, not too far from where the animal was discovered, and re-released. Usually brought down to a dry wash or wild area. Remember that reptiles here are very cosmopolitan and are found almost anywhere. They are in residential areas. I’ve gotten calls for rattlesnakes on Grant Road. Of course, the further away you get from the central part of Tucson, the better chance you have in seeing reptiles, but in central Tucson, they are not eliminated entirely. ZM: How many species of rattlesnakes are found in the Tucson area? BB: Well, depends on what you define as the Tucson area. In Arizona there are approximately 11 different kinds of rattlesnakes. If you include sub species, there might be another 5 kinds. Mainly what you have is about 5 species of rattlesnakes in Tucson and the immediate area. On both sides of town there are 5 species. On the east side of town there are 5 species and on the west side there are 5 species, but they aren’t the same 5. If you do come across a rattlesnake in the area, it’s most likely going to be western diamondback. One continues...
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way to tell a western diamondback is if you look at the tail, it has alternating black and grayish bands, sometimes called a coon tail, like a raccoon. ZM: Can you describe for us when rattlesnakes are most active in the area? We know they can be seen year-round, but what are their most active seasons? BB: The period of time when most people see rattlesnakes, when they are most visible, is this time of year right now. Its a period of time when the temperature is getting warm, the sun is bright, they come out and thermal regulate and build up their body temperature. They are traveling around and it’s also the start of the breeding season. So the animals are very very active. And they remain active for most of the year. Why people stop seeing them is because it’s too hot or cold. If it’s too hot during the day time, they don’t come out. If they get stuck out in the heat for one reason or another, it would kill them in a very short period of time. They’re very sensitive to temperature, and so they are most active in a range of temperature from the low 80s to very low 90s. ZM: So they are most active in a temperature range of only about 10 degrees? BB: You might find them out there basking on a hillside on a cooler day. But yes, it’s only about a 10 degree range in temperature that they are most active. When it’s too hot, it’s uncomfortable for them, so they instead start moving around at night. And then in the fall when it starts to cool, you might have another flurry of seeing them in the daytime. And then it starts to get very cold and then they get into hibernation, and take cover to stay out of the cold. But it is not total hibernation, like the rattlesnakes in northern territories or back east. Even in winter, they still might take advantage of a warm day and come out to bask and soak up that sun. ZM: Are they feeding during the colder months? BB:: Generally they don’t feed because their metabolism isn’t up to normal temperature. ZM: Is there an elevation limit for rattlesnakes in the Tucson area? BB: In the Tucson area, not really. On Mt. Lemmon they get almost up to the top. There was an animal that was seen three years in a row at a campsite on Mt. Lemmon. ZM: Are rattlesnakes territorial? BB: They have a general range. They have an area where they are born and will travel to find a spot where they can survive well. They will have hibernating sites, and they will stay in a general area. They are not gregarious animals, you might say. They are single animals. But there are a lot of them. Females have a tendency to stay closer to their hibernating places, whiles males may wander a bit, but they stay in their general area. ZM: Are snake populations in the Tucson area stable? BB: In certain areas, the animals may be declining to a great degree because their habitat is being destroyed by development, in addition to the fact that there are a lot more cars. It’s amazing how many snakes are killed by cars. Just a general increase in human population has a big affect on them. Their environment is disappearing and human activity is very stressful on their existence. The western diamondback is probably the animal you are going to come across most often because they are quite numerous and they are found in so many kinds of habitats. Other rattlesnakes are more restricted to habitat, so you don’t find them in as many places. You find the sidewinder in the western Tucson area because its habitat is lower in elevation. You find the black rattlesnake on the east side of town in higher elevations. ZM: Does a rattlesnake have a limited supply of venom? BB: What happens is that they are constantly producing venom, but the venom glands are only so big. The snake can control the amount of venom, or whether or not it injects venom at all. You should always be cautious of rattlesnakes if you live here. It’s not a thing where you have to go around being scared, you just have to be observant. You don’t want to go out hiking or camping at night without a flashlight, for example. Rattlesnakes are dangerous, there is no doubt about it. If you get bitten by a rattlesnake you should definitely go to a hospital to get checked if you’ve been envenomated or not. Dry bites do happen quite frequently. These animals 44 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
desert Z recognize that you are not a food item and don’t want to waste their venom. The reason why some of the old snake remedies may have worked years ago, was because the person had a dry bite and they didn’t get envenomated in the first place. However, the more angry rattlesnakes are, the more likely they are to inject venom. And lots of times they will just rattle and leave you alone. If you do see a rattlesnake, you don’t have to jump away like crazy. If you see them just walk away, get out of it’s range. If you are more than 4 feet from a rattlesnake, the largest rattlesnake, they can’t get you. Adults can only strike approximately 1/3 of their total length, and they don’t leave the ground. Youngsters can strike a little bit further than that simply because they are light and they throw a lot into their strike. But if an animal is 6 feet and you give them 5 feet, they can’t do anything. They are not aggressive animals, but some of them might have more of a temper problem than others. And if they do feel threatened, they will strike. And the more threatened they feel, the more likely they will inject venom. ZM: What’s the most common reason whey people get bit by rattlesnakes? Robert Villa: Almost all bites from venomous reptiles occur because the person was willfully interacting with the animals. A study some years back characterized the majority of these individuals as young men often under the influence of alcohol and/or ego. BB: Yes, most of the time is because people are trying to kill them or trying to move them. If you need an animal removed, hire someone who knows what they are doing. Not your neighbor. These animals are potentially very dangerous and it’s an extremely expensive situation to go through the hospital with a bite. So leave them alone. Most people who are bitten are generally people who are showing off or trying to kill or catch them. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. ZM: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about rattlesnakes? RV: That they attack. Rattlesnakes don’t attack. Attacking assumes the snake conceives malice, something beyond the reaches of their reptilian brain. Rattlesnakes react to a threat with fair warning. Being so much smaller than us, they want nothing to do with us and would rather use their venom for its primary purpose of subduing their food, than use it in self defense or defense of their young. In this regard venom is a huge advancement for animals that have little to no limbs. The snakes we see in yards are either just passing through or individuals that have been living there for years without previously being detected. If you must have a snake removed from your property there are a few professionals that can be found online. BB: One thing I think might be important to bring out, is that for people who live out where snakes are known to be, they can project their homes by making sure they have screens on their doors, keeping their doors closed. If a snake comes up along a wall on your house, it will follow the wall. And if it finds an open door, particularly an open garage door, the snake will possibly use that as an area to get away from the weather. I’ve had a couple instances where around Christmas time, I get a call from people who have rattlesnakes in their garages, discovered only while removing boxes of Christmas ornaments. ZM: There seems to be a popular notion that the mohave is the most dangerous of the rattlesnakes. Is that true? BB: Rattlesnakes venom is a very very complex protein. Some animals, their venom is developed to handle more warm blooded prey, some for cold blooded prey. In other words, some may feed on mice while others feed on frogs. So their venom is developed for that. The mohave rattlesnake has developed a
venom, which has a higher percentage of being neurotoxic. in other words, it’s a nerve reacting venom. Most of your other rattlesnakes have a hemotoxic venom, which is where the reaction to the venom works on the circulatory system and the blood system. Some of the populations of mohave rattlesnakes have a more concentrated neurotoxic venom than rattlesnakes in general, so therefore they could be potentially more dangerous. ZM: If you do get bitten, do you need to know what kind of rattlesnake it was? RV: If bitten, one should not try and bring the snake to the hospital for identification (an old practice) since antivenin is designed to treat the vast majority of snakebites from native species from North America. Instead, the best first aid is a 911 call or getting to a hospital as soon as possible while trying to remain calm and immobile as possible. The better you can do all this, the less likely you are to loose tissue or an appendage. As the doctors say “time is tissue.” Old first aid procedures actually worsen the effects of the bite and increase the likelihood of tissue damage/amputation. ZM: Does venom affect adults differently than it does children? BB:: Only because of volume. A smaller child is more prone to having a more severe reaction because of the size of the person, as opposed to a larger person. Very very very few people die from snake bites in this country. It’s a rarity. In areas like Tucson where snake bites are more common, the hospitals know exactly what to do. And the anti-venom works very very well. It’s going to be a very unpleasant experience for the victim, but you are not going to die. ZM: Robert, we know you travel a lot in the Sonoran Desert, have you had any memorable rattlesnake encounters? RV: While surveying the reptiles of Tumamoc Hill a few years back I was privileged to observe a Black-tailed Rattlesnake in a resting coil under a boulder marked with an ancient petroglyph of a coiled rattlesnake. All this against the backdrop of modern Tucson. Therein begged the question: What does it mean for humans to co-exist with other predators and foreign/ maligned beings on the landscape, and for how much longer can it be sustained? ZM: Why is it important to advocate for rattlesnakes? RV: Rattlesnakes and Gila Monsters are as iconic and intrinsic in value as the saguaros and dramatic environment we love to call home. They care for their young and control pests like small mammals and birds that may also be vectors for disease. Ben Franklin even advocated for the rattlesnake as a symbol of our nation, citing all its virtues. It also symbolizes our fight for individual rights on the flag that exclaims “Don’t Tread On Me”. n Visit TucsonHerpSociety.org for more information. For information on snake preservation, visit Snakes.ngo For a list of snake removal services, visit: http://azgfd.gov/w_c/urban_wildlife_control.shtml) And for an informative guide to “Living With Venomous Reptiles,” visit: https://tucsonherpsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/LWVR.pdf
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coming up... may 6-7 32nd annual tucson folk festival
Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association presents the 32nd Annual Tucson Folk Festival, at El Presidio Park, Presidio San Agustine del Tucson, and Old Town Artisans Courtyard. Big draws to the festival include John Coinman, Ronstadt Generations and Heather Hardy’s Lil Mama Blues Band. Headlining Saturday night’s performance on the Plaza Stage in El Presidio Park will be nationally-known The Black Lillies from Knoxville, Tennessee. Highenergy jams and outstanding musicianship describes The Black Lillies’ sound, being a mix of folk and blues while often crossing over from country to rock to southern soul. Sunday evening on the Plaza Stage, local fav Ryanhood will be featured as the Local Headliner. Ryan Green and Cameron Hood’s combination of songwriting, instrumental chops and vocal harmonies will be on full display as they show just why they have become one of Tucson’s most exciting musical exports. They’ve been referred to as the Simon and Garfunkel of our time.
The Black Lillies
Saturday evening’s Opening Act on the Plaza Stage will feature Billy Jonas, making a triumphant return to the festival where he was featured almost ten years ago to an overflowing crowd. Billy’s performance is termed as a “neo-tribal hootenanny” — original “voice and percussion” –based songs with a generous dose of audience participation. The music mixes conventional instruments (guitar, bass, marimba) with homemade creations (using buckets and barrels, keys and cans, bells and body percussion). Billy tailors both his song selection and its presentation to uniquely suit each audience. It’s spirited, straightforward music that is accessible to anyone and everyone, regardless of age or cultural background. Billy’s a natural choice to lead the Children’s Show on the Plaza Stage Sunday afternoon.
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Billy Jonas
Photo © - 2015 Taylor Taz Johnson
The official Tucson Folk Festival Kick-Off will be held May 5th at La Cocina, 201 N. Court Ave, on Friday evening from 6 to10 pm, hosted by the Greg Morton Band. This final fundraiser for the festival will also include a wide array of artists, many of them out-of-towners who are in town for the festival. The kickoff requests a $10 donation but no one will be turned away.
photo courtesy of Ryanhood
Being one of the oldest free folk music festivals in the country, this familyfriendly festival includes: 125 different acts spread over five stages located at El Presidio Park, Tucson Museum of Art, La Cocina-Old Town Artisans and the Presidio Museum (one block east of Old Town Artisans), performing from Noon to 10:00 pm on Saturday and 11 am to 9:00 pm on Sunday; performers native to Tucson and Southern Arizona, as well as, all parts of the state and country; variations of “folk music”, such as bluegrass, country, traditional folk, folk-rock, acoustic rock, Latin, jazz, African, Celtic and Zydeco; a wide variety of food and craft vendors, a beer garden, interactive music workshops, a Children’s Program, Young Artist Stage for youth under 18, a Ballad Tree for future songwriters (Open Mic) and the Stefan George Songwriting Competition. Over 200 volunteers support the success of this festival. To view the full schedule for this year’s festival and/or to volunteer, visit tucsonfolkfest.org.
Ryanhood
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April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 49
it’s so easy...
Z crossword
Life in the Sonoran Desert
...to be good to the earth.
DONATE TO GOODWILL.
DONATE TO GOODWILL.
Did you know that when you donate a bag of clothes, you are helping preserve our beautiful Sonoran desert? Last year, your donations diverted over 27 million pounds of stuff from going into local landfills. Together, we can do this again!
LEARN MORE AT WWW.GOODWILLSOUTHERNAZ.ORG 50 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
Answers:
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What’s Live A Very Particular Place to Go by Jim Lipson As a local column it is not the norm to spout critical commentary on high profile/ national acts unless they are coming to town. But there isn’t a contemporary musician alive, from the most famous of the famous to the kid signing up for the Tuesday night blues jam at the Chicago Bar or the monthly Open Mic at the Roadrunner Cafe, who doesn’t owe some kind of debt of gratitude to the late Charles Edward Berry. While many will deify Chuck Berry as the inventor or architect of modern rock and roll, it was arguably his way with the words, infusing a rhythmic lyricism into a genre so hungry for something more than the simple cadence of a one o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock rock, that was perhaps his greatest gift...Runnin’ to-and-fro/hard workin’ at the mill/ Never fail in the mail/yeah, come a rotten bill/ahh, Too Much Monkey Business... In Brown Eyed Handsome Man he was clearly someone who understood the times he was living in when you substitute the word skin for eyed, which is what Chess Records demanded he do. Arrested on charges of unemployment/He was sitting in the witness stand/The judge’s wife called up the district attorney/ Said you free that brown eyed man/You want your job you better free that brown eyed man. A complex character to say the least, Berry was also a bluesman and a vastly under appreciated blues guitarist. The one time I saw him in 1980, in a club outside Orlando, with sweat dripping off him and backed by a local pickup band, which was his custom, he was playing the blues much more than the hits and loving every minute of it. As a card carrying baby boomer, I was no doubt influenced more by those covering the master, than Berry himself. In no particular order, I offer up
my own top 10 Chuck Berry Covers as a way of helping me (and possibly others) to reflect on how profoundly his work has shaped our collective musical sensibilities “Memphis” - Faces - A Nod is as Good as a Wink. Long before Rod Stewart became a caricature of himself he was a damn good singer. Future Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood also shreds it on guitar; “Promised Land” - the Band Moondog Matinee. Fabulous opening track from this mostly unappreciated 1973 oldies collection; “Roll Over Beethoven” - Electric Light Orchestra - ELO 2. Eight minutes and ten seconds of pure unapologetic and inspired mix of synth, strings and guitar, if you can believe such a thing is possible. Must be heard to be believed, and possibly the genesis of the Jeff Lynne/George Harrison connection that would take another 15 years to fully gestate (George also sang and loved this tune); “Little Queenie” & “Carol” - Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya Yas Out. Caught live at the height of their powers, these tunes enlightened rock fans everywhere to the notion that there was more to Berry than just Johnnie B. Goode and Roll Over Beethoven; “Too Much Monkey Business” - Five Live Yardbirds. Recorded in March, 1964 with Clapton on guitar (and just before he became God). What else do you need to know?; “Rock and Roll Music” The Beatles - Beatles ‘65. This was perhaps the Fabs reminding themselves that in spite of no longer being able to hear themselves playing live, they were still one hell of a rock and roll band. One of the best Lennon vocals of that era; Maybelline - Foghat - (self titled) - A great balls to the wall cover with outstanding piano; “Johnny B. Goode” - The most iconic tune of all get’s two continues...
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honorable mentions--Peter Tosh’s reggae version along with Michael J. Fox playing Chuck Berry licks and then heavy metal guitar in Back to the Future. But it’s Grateful Dead - Fillmore: The Last Days that will forever endear itself to me, with Jerry Garcia’s iconic intro reminding us, “And here’s the one it’s all about.” Indeed. A bit closer to home, it is with great sadness that we must report the recent passing of Eric Hansen. A gifted songwriter with a big and beautiful voice and a personality to match, Eric had been enjoying three years of good health following a double lung transplant. As it was becoming painfully clear his body might rejecting his new lungs, Eric kept people informed through a series of Facebook posts and blogs that showed an uncommon combination of courage and vulnerability. A fixture in Tucson’s close knit folk community, Eric did not play out often but when he did it was usually a showcase event. At a Tucson Folk Festival benefit last year featuring Bob Dylan interpretations, Eric invited several musicians to come up and join him on Rainy Day Women #12 and 35 (Everybody Must Get Stoned), none of whom he had ever played with before. It was one of the great highlights of the evening. As one of those on stage with him, it was a moment and a privilege I will forever treasure. And now, as they say, the shows must go on... April 1 - Benefit Blues - Monterey Court - This show is being staged as a benefit for the Southern AZ Blues and Heritage Foundation, aka the good folks who put on our annual Blues Festival in October. Cholla Blues Standard, a high school ensemble from Cholla High kicks things off at 5 pm followed by Johnny Ain’t Right followed by Black Cat Bone. They are only asking $5. Please give more. April 8 - Commander Cody - Monterey Court - The Commander, aka George Frayne, and his Lost Western Airmen Band make a return engagement to the Monty. Like the last time, Kevin Pakulis Band opens. Why mess with success? April 14 - Blues Traveler - Rialto Theatre - While it might be easy to dismiss these guys as another whatever happened to them jam-band, Blues Traveler has actually attempted to infuse some new energy into its scene by reaching out to other artists to help collaborate on their newest production, the upcoming Blow Up the Moon. Thompson Square, Hansen and Jewel are all willing participants. It could be interesting to see how outside writing and influences play into what they can do. April 15 - Bookends Tribute - Simon & Garfunkel through the Years - Hardly a fan of tribute shows, it’s hard to put the knock on good harmony vocals and there promises to be lots of that in this multi-faceted show which also includes images, S&G interview clips and narration. Conceived, produced and executed by Dan Haynes and Pete Richards. April 15 - John Coinman Band w/Rebekah Rolland Trio - Coinman will be joined by his longtime bassist Blair Forward along with Neil Harry on pedal steel and Larry Cobb on drums. His take on Americana is particularly insightful and unique to the Southwest. Opening will be Rebekah Rolland of Run Boy Run fronting her new Trio. This show will be outdoors on the Congress back patio.
Out of Death, Life The Great Vigil of Easter Saturday, April 15th 7pm
April 15 - Atom Heart Mother - 191 Toole - In spite of the name which could lead you to believe this Pink Floyd tribute act might indulge in old school Floyd, it actually describes itself as specializing in the Roger Waters era which tends to be more of the latter day Floyd. A 7 piece ensemble of fans playing for fans. April 15 - Carnivaleros - Monterey Court - We round out Tax Day (not even tax day this year) with one of Tucson’s more exciting and innovative bands. Come experience Cajun swamp colliding with the heartland of Kansas, colliding with gypsy rhythms of eastern Europe and who knows what else. Gary Mackender leads this troupe of merry men on accordion, so how (fill in the blank) is that? n April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 53
Photo courtesy Ticketmaster.
Photo courtesy foxtucson.com.
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21 Savage appears at The Rialto Theatre on Saturday, April 8.
Black Violin appears at Fox Theatre on Thursday, April 13.
LIVE MUSIC
Michael Mayfield Thu 6: Freddy Parish Fri 7: Greg Morton & Friends Sat 8: Nina Curri Sun 9: Mik and the Funky Brunch Wed 12: Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin Michael Mayfield Thu 13: Louise Le Hir Fri 14: Greg Morton & Friends Sun 16: Mik and the Funky Brunch Wed 19: Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin Michael Mayfield Fri 21: Greg Morton & Friends Sun 23: Mik and the Funky Brunch Wed 26: Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin Michael Mayfield Fri 28: Greg Morton & Friends Sun 30: Mik and the Funky Brunch
Sun 2: Losers Lounge Hosted By Hank Topless Mon 3: Andrew Gardner Wed 5: Piano Lover’s Lounge Sun 30: The Slackers, Santa Pachita, The Endless Pursuit
CUSHING STREET BAR & RESTAURANT
The Hut
Schedules accurate as of press time. Visit the web sites or call for current/detailed information.
191 Toole 191 E. Toole Ave. rialtotheatre.com Sat 1: Why?, Rituals of Mine Sun 2: Jarabe De Palo Tue 4: Zeke, Nashville Pussy Wed 5: Lil Pump + Smoke Purpp, Rojas, Camgirl, House Phone Fri 7: Breakin’ 2017 Sat 8: Bob Log III, The Kevin Dowling Fitness Hour, The Surfbroads Tue 11: The Maine Thu 13: Chicano Batman, Sad Girl, The Shacks Fri 14: Drezo, Bijou Sat 15: Atom Heart Mother Thu 20: Mickey & The Motorcars Sat 22: Ab Soul The YMF Tour Sun 23: CJ Ramone, Big Eyes Mon 24: Tacocat, Katterwaul, Foxx Bodies Tue 25: Twin Peaks, Chrome Pony, Post Animal Sun 30: Justin Townes Earl, The Sadies
CLUB CONGRESS 311 E. Congress St. 622-8848, HotelCongress.com/club Sat 1: The Go Rounds, Kevin Pakulis Band Mon 3: Paper Kites Tue 4: Pie (A Tribute to Cake), Rezonators Wed 5: Terry Malts, Business of Dreams Fri 7: Gaby Moreno Sat 8: 222, Birds & Arrows Sun 9: Scott H. Biram, Jesse Dayton Tue 11: Froth, Pow! Wed 12: Power Trip, Destruction Unit, Gatecreeper, Mizery Fri 14: Sego Sat 15: John Coinman, Rebekah Rolland Trio Tue 18: System and Station, Whispering Wires, Krab Legz Wed 19: The Wild Reeds, Blank Range Thu 20: The Dear Hunter Sat 22: Jenny & The Mexicats Sat 29: Ne-Hi Sun 30: Nikki Lane, Jonathan Tyler
Cafe Coronet 402 E. 9th St. 222-9889 CafeCoronet.com Sat 1: Brunch with Hank Topless
BORDERLANDS BREWING
LA COCINA
119 E. Toole Ave. 261-8773, BorderlandsBrewing.com Fri 7: Dash Pocket Fri 21: The Jim Howell Band
201 N. Court Ave. 622-0351, LaCocinaTucson.com Sat 1: Nathaniel Burnside, UA Jazz Band Sun 2: Mik and the Funky Brunch Wed 5: Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin
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198 W. Cushing St. 622-7984, CushingStreet.com Saturdays: Cool Jazz
DELECTABLES RESTAURANT 533 N. 4th Ave. 884-9289, Delectables.com Sat 1: Wally Lawder Fri 7: Kindred Spirits Fri 14: Puca Sat 15: Bryan Dean & Koko Sat 22: Lucas Biespiel Fri 28: Eb Eberlein Sat 29: Adara Rae
FLYCATCHER 340 E. 6th St. 798-1298, TheFlycatcherTucson.com Sat 1: Trees Speak, Cobra Family Picnic, Dadsdad
FOX TUCSON THEATRE 17 W. Congress St. 624-1515, FoxTucsonTheatre.org Sun 2: Vince Gill Fri 7: Gunhild Carling Sat 8: Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, The Vogues Mon 10: Morrisey Thu 13: Black Violin Sat 15: Bookends Tribute: Simon & Garfunkle Through The Years Fri 28: The Doo Wop Project 305 N. 4th Ave., 623-3200 huttucson.com Sundays: Acoustic Open Mic, with Cadillac Mountain Thursdays: Mockingbirds Saturdays: Mike & Randy’s 420 Show with Top Dead Center
The Loudhouse 915 W. Prince Rd., 393-3598 loudhousetucson.com Sat 1: High Performance, Raza Ordinaria, Witch Alley Fri 7: Rocket 211 Sat 8: Fall Of Silence, Quor, Elyzian Sun 9: Abolishment of Flesh, Center Of Disease, Conquest Of The Aphids Tue 11: Cross Stitched Eyes, En Tierra Enemiga, Hood Rat, Bleach
Party USA Fri 14: OC Maco & Young Greatness Sat 15: Signal 99 Fri 21: White Fuzzy Bloodbath, Whiskey Knuckles
MONTEREY COURT 505 W. Miracle Mile, MontereyCourtAZ.com Sat 1: Benefit Blues—A Concert of Blues to benefit the Southern Arizona Blues & Heritage Foundation Sun 2: Nancy Elliott & Friends— Sunday Brunch Performances, Peter Dalton Ronstadt y El Tucsonense Tue 4: Nancy McCallion & Danny Krieger w/Heather Hardy Wed 5: Nick McBlaine & Log Train Thu 6: Touch of Grey Fri 7: Tommy Tucker Blues Fri 7: E2W Sat 8: Commander Cody Band, Kevin Pakulis Band Sun 9: Nancy Elliott & Friends— Sunday Brunch Performances Tue 11: Bad Girls & the Holy WhoWhos Wed 12: The New Tucson Songwriters Showcase & Concert Sun 16: Nancy Elliott & Friends— Sunday Brunch Performances Tue 18: The Tucsonics—Western Swing Wed 19: Bernardus, Eric Schaffer & The Other Troublemakers Thu 20: Leah Tussing & Rafael Tranquilino Fri 21: Gabriel Ayala Quintet
Photo courtesy playgroundtucson.com.
Photo courtesy The Jim Howell Band.
The Jim Howell Band appears at Borderlands Brewing on Friday, March 21.
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Zona Libre appears at Playground Tucson Friday, April 8, and Friday, April 29.
Sat 22: The Coolers Sun 23: Nancy Elliott & Friends— Sunday Brunch Performances, Silk and Soul Wed 26: Western Music Association Presents Thu 27: The Titan Valley Warheads Fri 28: Heather Lil Mama Hardy & her band Sun 30: Nancy Elliott & Friends— Sunday Brunch Performances
PLAYGROUND TUCSON 278 E. Congress. 396-3691, PlaygroundTucson.com Fri 7: Heart And Soul Sat 8: Zona Libre Sat 15: The Metros Fri 21: Heart And Soul Fri 28: The Metros Sat 29: Zona Libre
Plaza Palomino 2990 N. Swan Rd., 907-7325 plazapalomino.com Sat 15: The Railbirdz
RIALTO THEATRE 318 E. Congress St. 740-1000, RialtoTheatre.com Sat 1: Shinedown, As Lions, Cold Kingdom Sun 2: Mayday Parade, Knuckle Puck, Milestones Tue 4: Phil Vassar, Drew Cooper Wed 5: Social Distortion, Jade Jackson Fri 7: Hell’s Belles Sat 8: 21 Savage, Young M.A., Tee Grizzley, Young Nudy Sun 9: Of Montreal, Christina
Schneider’s Jepeto Solutions Fri 14: Blues Traveler, Gene Evarro Jr. Wed 19: Kehlani Thu 20: Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular Fri 21: Tech N9ne Sat 22: Maria Bamford, Jackie Kashian Sun 23: The Wailers, DJ Jahmar International Mon 24: Gregory Alan Isakov, Sera Cahoone Thu 27: Lany Fri 28: Cody Johnson, Drew Cooper Sat 29: Rhiannon Giddens
The Rock 136 N. Park Ave. rocktucson.com Fri 21: John Primer & Bob Corritore
Royal Sun Lounge 1003 N Stone Ave (520) 622-8872 BWRoyalSun.com Sun-Tue: Happy Hour Live Music See web site for information
The Screening Room 127 E. Congress (520) 882-0204 screeningroomtucson.com Fridays: Live music Sat 8: The 2nd Annual Psychout! The Desert Beats, Silver Cloud Express, Dread Cat and the Transitional Wave, and Peppermint Hippo
Sea Of Glass--Center For The Arts 330 E. 7th St., 398-2542 TheSeaOfGlass.org Sat 15: Baba Marimba Fri 28: Sean Fresh
SKY BAR TUCSON 536 N. 4th Ave, 622-4300. SkyBarTucson.com Tue 4: Tom Walbank, Naim Amor Wed 5: Open Mic Tue 11: Tom Walbank Wed 12: Open Mic Thu 13: Rick Shaw Fri 14: Cirque Roots Tue 18: Tom Walbank, Naim Amor Wed 19: Open Mic, Lucky Devils Band Sat 22: Los Guapos, The Jonestown Band Tue 25: Tom Walbank Wed 26: Open Mic Fri 28: Cirque Roots
Tap & Bottle 403 N. 6th Ave. 344-8999 TheTapandBottle.com Thu 6: Shrimp Chaperone Thu 13: Adam Townsend Thu 20: West Texas Intermediate Thu 27: Surfbroads, Amy Mendoza and the Strange Vacation
Vero Amore Plaza Palomino 2920 N. Swan Road, Tucson 520-325-4122 VeroAmorePizza.com See web site for information
April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 55
Z sceneintucson
by Janelle Montenegro instagram / @janellemmontenegro
St. Patricks Day Parade.
Sunset at Saguaro National Park
Sam rock climbing on Mt. Lemmon.
Children’s activities at St. Patrick’s Day Parade downtown. 56 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
Drum Major in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
3 girls show off their St. Patrick’s Day socks.
St. Patricks Day Parade.
Protest outside Congresswoman Martha McSally’s Office. April 2017 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 57
Z poetry Because Tucson today is a veritable hotbed of working poets, we sometimes forget our city’s remarkable poetic heritage. Occasionally, to pay tribute to this heritage, Zócalo Poetry will feature a previously published poem, one we consider a Tucson Classic.
Zócalo invites poets with Tucson connections to submit up to three original, previously unpublished (including online) poems, any style, 40 line limit per poem. Our only criterion is excellence. Simultaneous submissions ok if you notify ASAP of acceptance elsewhere. Email your submission to poetry@ zocalotucson.com. Please include contact information: phone number and email address. Notification of acceptance or rejection by email. Zócalo has first North American rights; author may re-publish with acknowledgment to Zócalo. Payment is a one year subscription. The poetry editor is Jefferson Carter.
Brenda Hillman was born in Tucson in 1951. She has published nine collections of poetry with Wesleyan University Press, most recently Seasonal Works with Letters on Fire (2013), and collaborated with Garrett Caples and Paul Ebenkamp to edit Richard O. Moore’s Particulars of Place. Hillman is the Filippi Professor of Poetry at St. Mary’s College of California. 58 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2017
photo by Cybele Knowles
5 Points Building For Sale
5 Points Building at 756-760 S. 6th Ave, $1,400,000. MLS # 21707294
520.977.6272 • BethJones.com • bethj5@yahoo.com