PRESS ROOM
Contact:Melinda Gann
mgann@koce.org
(714) 895-0837Media are invited to see the program and meet producer,
Eugene Rodriguez, Tues., Jan. 11 at KOCE’s studios.
Program DVDs are also available by request.
Contact Judith Schaefer
‘PASAJERO: A JOURNEY OF TIME AND MEMORY’
REVITALIZES A LOST TRADITION IN LATINO MUSICAward-Winning PBS Documentary Premieres on KOCE-TV January 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The inspiring story of a group of young Mexican-American musicians, Los Cenzontles, who accompany their mariachi maestro Julian Gonzalez on his homecoming to Mexico, is the subject of Ricardo Braojos’ documentary, Pasajero, A Journey of Time and Memory, making its Southern California premiere Tuesday, January 11 at 7:30 p.m. on KOCE-TV. The program is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
Live at the KOCE studios that same night, KOCE’s Sandra Membrila-Robbie and Pasajero producer Eugene Rodriguez discuss the history of mariachi music and the making of this unique and insightful program.
In 2003, Los Cenzontles traveled to Mexico’s heartland in search of the deeper meanings of its traditions. This was the music of their Latino grandparents – softer, folksy and saturated with the romanticism of Old Mexico -- far from the kitschy take of many modern mariachis. While in Mexico, Los Cenzontles offered nourishment to the roots of original mariachi, as they uncovered the dignity and creativity of this remarkable genre of music. Pasajero is a heartfelt reminder of the vital role that music plays in defining our identities.
We see Los Cenzontles performing traditional mariachi throughout Jalisco Mexico and California’s Central Valley, while mixing with the people who embody the spirit of Old Mexico. Also featured are mariachis from Bakersfield including Benjamin Torres, Baldemar Hernandez, Juan Morales and Nati Cano; as well as students of the Kern County Mariachi Youth Foundation, Mariachi Juvenil Azteca and Mariachi Mestizo.
Pasajero, A Journey of Time and Memory was funded by the James Irvine Foundation and Cultural Contact, with additional support provided by the California Arts Council, Radio Bilingue and the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. The program was presented by KVPT-TV PBS Fresno, and produced by Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, an award-winning non-profit organization located in San Pablo, California, providing traditional arts training to youth as a means of strengthening individuals, families and community.
