Month: December 2022

Mariachi Herencia de México releases new single

Mariachi Herencia de México new single Escándalo is a tribute to Hector Lavoe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Latin-Grammy nominees Mariachi Herencia de México are on tour with a brand-new album, Herederos (The Heirs). The compositions on Herederos were written by a variety of master songwriters, including Juan Gabriel, Armando Manzanero, Frank Sinatra, Rubén Fuentes, and Cuco Sánchez. (Mariachi Herencia de México, 2022)

“The third single off the album, a love song titled ‘Escándalo,’ [is an] homage to Latin music icon Hector Lavoe” says Marco Villela, vocalist and trumpeter of the young group that is determined to carry on the tradition of boleros, a musical genre that is almost 130 years old.

The band shot the video earlier this Fall in New York City’s Lower East Side after a tour stop at Manhattan’s The Public theater. “We decided to incorporate other Latin sounds in this song. We were inspired by Fania and the New York Latin sounds of the 70s,” says Villela. “Shooting the video in the birthplace of salsa music was very special.”

Simultaneously honoring the past, celebrating the present, and creating the future of regional Mexican music, Mariachi Herencia de México is paving the way for a new generation of mariachi performers. All the music is masterfully arranged by Rigoberto Alfaro, who imparts Mariachi Herencia de México’s trademark sound on each classic. The Chicago natives, Mariachi Herencia de México are in the middle of a wildly successful U.S. tour with stops in many cities: New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Phoenix, Chicago, Houston, and Las Vegas, among them. Latin Grammy nominated songstress Lupita Infante, granddaughter of Mexico’s icon Pedro Infante, will join Mariachi Herencia de Mexico. The Herederos concerts will take place through the end of the year and will continue throughout 2023.

Additionally, Mariachi Herencia de México recorded the Christmas classic, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” with a Mariachi twist.

The historic tradition of mariachi music has its roots in cities such as Guadalajara and Mexico City. As the ever-evolving genre’s influence spread, it reached Chicago and birthed the Mariachi Herencia de México. The energetic, virtuosic Latin Grammy-nominated group has issued chart-topping albums and performed across the North American continent. Nuestra Herencia, their 2017 debut album, topped the Latin streaming charts. 2018’s Herencia de la Tierra Mía was produced by celebrated industry veteran Javier Limón and charted atop all major streaming services. 2019’s Esencia topped industry charts, while a second volume, issued in 2020 performed similarly. Now in 2022, Mariachi Herencia De México is set to release their fifth studio album, Herederos.

The Latin Grammy®-nominated group of young Mexican American musicians performed last December at “In Performance at the White House: Spirit of the Season” television special that aired on PBS joining superstar Camila Cabello on a special rendition of the classic “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.”

Tour dates – December 2022

December 10 -Las Vegas
UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) – 7:30 p.m. at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall.

Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago) -4544 N Lincoln Ave · Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall · 773.728.6000

Friday, December 16, 2022 · 7p.m. CST
Saturday, December 17, 2022 · 2p.m. CST
Saturday, December 17, 2022 · 5p.m. CST
Saturday, December 17, 2022 · 8p.m. CST

New children’s book: ‘Kindness is Wonderful’ by Hanna Yameen

‘Kindness is Wonderful’ is the new children’s book by Hanna Yameen. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Hanna Yameen is a creator of high-quality illustration books for elementary-aged children. She is a young aspiring author focused on creating easy-to-use learning resources centered around social skills, values, and difficult discussions for early-age children. Her new book “Kindness is Wonderful: A Children’s Book About Care and Empathy” teaches children the art of kindness. Kindness is powerful. Kindness is magic. It is available on paperback now and the Kindle version will be available on Thursday December 8 but is available for pre-order now. (Hanna Yameen, 2022)

“Kindness is Wonderful” – This preschool illustration book highlights the way kindness creates compassion, care, and empathy in early age children. It is designed for children ages 3 to 7 years old.

This amazing book with beautiful illustrations explains to your child in a simple and interesting way how to be kind and caring.

Guiding through characters and illustrations, the book will help your child:

  • express, empathy, and care for others
  • respect parents, friends, and classmates
  • help elderly people
  • know about nice manners
  • love nature and the environment
  • care for animals

In addition, the book contains an exercise for kids to list the acts of kindness they have done in their daily routines. This beautiful picture book shows preschoolers the way kindness, compassion and empathy help build friendship and community.

Kindness and empathy are traits best learned as young children. “Kindness is Wonderful” is an extraordinary children’s book that not only teaches children the importance of being kind, it gives them examples. It does not just “tell” them to be kind, it gives them scenarios that they may encounter “When I am dog-sitting, I make sure that I feed my little puppy. Kindness is feeding animals.” All these scenarios explain to children the meaning of kindness, like respecting others, sharing, and complimenting a friend. It also teaches them ways to be a responsible citizen, like picking up trash and recycling. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and professional grade. This holiday season, consider giving books as gifts, especially “Kindness is Wonderful” which helps children understand the importance of being kind with examples and an interactive page at the end where they can list ways that they can express kindness. Most importantly, it stresses the importance of parents setting an example by doing these acts of kindness with their children.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

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Twin Liquors’ whiskey tasting event and raffle

Whiskey Worth Knowing tasting event. Photo: Twin Liquors, used with permission.

Twin Liquors is hosting a Whiskey Grand Tasting Event and a raffle opportunity to purchase a bottle of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon in preparation of the Holiday season. There will be tasting stations located around the store that will feature Old Forester 86*, 100*, and 1897 Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Bourbons and Rye, Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey, Slane Irish Whiskey and GlenDronach 12 yr. Single Malt Scotch. An engraver will be on site to personalize bottles, so make sure to bring your gift list. (Twin Liquors, 2022)

The event is taking place on Thursday, December 8 from 6p.m. to 8p.m. at Twin’s #68 store at 12955 San Pedro Avenue in San Antonio. Guests must be 21+ to participate and each person in attendance will receive 1 raffle opportunity and must be in attendance to win. Events subject to change without notice.

Born and raised in downtown Austin, Texas in 1937, family owned, Twin Liquors began as one small store and has emerged into a “home grown,” successful Austin company. Twin Liquors has a unique and well-respected reputation throughout the United States for having impeccable team members, outstanding customer service, conveniently located stores, extensive selections of fine wines and premium spirits from around the world, and substantial community involvement.

County Line Community Band holiday concert

The County Line Community Band will be performing a holiday concert this Sunday December 11, 2022. Photo: Google

Coming up this weekend is the County Line Community Band’s Christmas Concert “Holiday Magic” on Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 3p.m. Get in the holiday spirit and enjoy some festive holiday music. The concert will take place in the beautiful Buena Vista Theater on the UTSA Downtown Campus. The concert will feature dances from the Nutcracker Suite, “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” a special guest narrator, and much more. This concert is free and open to the public. Parking is free at the Cattleman’s Square parking lot across the street from the theater. Come out and support community music in San Antonio. (County Line Community Band, 2022)

The CLCB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and our mission and endeavor is to create an environment whereby our all-volunteer organization can further their musical education and enjoyment through the performance of concert and symphonic music, to further the efficacy of music as an integral piece of the culture of the local community, to advocate for the synergistic integration of music education, to work with our cultural partners in our communities for the advancement of the arts and to be a source of pride for our members and the communities we serve.

Donations greatly appreciated

Photo: County Line Community Band

Movie adaptation: ‘Rickshaw Girl’ by Mitali Perkins

The movie adaptation of ‘Rickshaw Girl’ will be out on digital and on demand on December 8, 2022. Photo: Amazon

Mitali Perkins writes novels for young people, including “You Bring the Distant Near,” (nominated for the National Book Award) “Rickshaw Girl,” (NYPL best 100 Book for children in the past 100 years), “Bamboo People,” (ALA Top 10 YA novel) and “Tiger Boy.” (South Asia Book Award winner) Her newest is “The Story of Us,” a picture book from Beaming Books, and a nonfiction book for adults, “Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children’s Novels to Refresh our Tired Souls,” published by Broadleaf. “Rickshaw Girl” is the critically acclaimed story of a young, artistic Bangladeshi girl who bravely defies tradition in order to support her family through hard times. It was adapted into an award-winning film, which will be released in digital and on demand from Filmhub and Sleeperwave Films. Streaming options: Amazon, AppleTV, Hoopla, Vudu, and Kanopy. (Rickshaw Girl, 2022)

“Rickshaw Girl” – A daring Bangladeshi teen-aged girl battles the dangers of the big city when she disguises herself as a boy to earn extra cash for her struggling family. Daring and determined, teenage girl Naima longs to earn money for her poor Bangladeshi family, but her unrivaled artistic talent is of little use. When her father grows gravely ill, Naima feels she has no choice but to leave her small village for the bright lights of Dhaka.

In the big city, Naima finds the same economic, societal, and gender pressures faced by most young girls in Bangladesh. She cleverly disguises herself as a boy and takes the difficult job of a rickshaw puller. When her gender is revealed and her livelihood vanishes, Naima finds an unconventional solution to her problems.

“I was brought up in Dhaka, and from a young age, I traveled by rickshaw. Usually I could never remember the face of the rickshaw puller. Maybe because we usually don’t see their faces but only their backs. I could always see their muscular bodies drenched in sweat, but never understood the meaning of the sweat. As I grew up and my social and economic understanding got better, I realized that our country’s destitute people were oppressed by the upper class. I always wanted to tell a story about them.” director Amitabh Reza Chowdhury.

“I was moved and thrilled when I saw the film version of Naima’s journey. The story is deeper, richer, wider, and more authentically Bangladeshi. Amitabh Reza Chowdhury’s direction is genius, and the acting and cinematography are so captivating.” Mitali Perkins

Rickshaw Girl movie poster. Photo: Google
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Genealogy book: ‘The Book of Browns’ by E. Philip Brown

E. Philip Brown is the author of ‘The Book of Browns.’ Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Interest in genealogy has grown in the last few years but doing the research can be daunting. With any luck, there are a variety of books out there to help you in your research. If your last name is Brown, or know anyone with the last name Brown and would like to know more about the history of the surname and all about people who share this surname you might want to take notice of “The Book of Browns: The Story of One Big Extended Family” by E. Philip Brown.

E. Philip Brown is a public historian, author, and educator. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst and an MA in Public History from American Public University. Prior to teaching, Phil was in the telecommunication industry for over 22 years working for carriers such as AT&T, Quest, and SBC. He and his wife, Chrisi, have two children and live in Haverhill, MA. He is the author of “The Book of Browns: The Story of One Big Extended Family.” (E. Philip Brown, 2022)

“The Book of Browns” – The Book of Browns looks at the history of the surname Brown and the people who are fortunate to share the same last name. Many famous people from all walks of life have this common surname but that does not mean they are ordinary.

It is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, goodreads, Kobo, and other book retailers.

Author E. Philip Brown. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

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Book of the week: ‘Empire Eternal: Reset’ by Philipp Münzer

‘Empire Eternal: Reset’ is book one in the Empire Eternal series by Philipp Münzer. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Philipp Münzer is living in Berlin, Germany, but he has proper Bavarian roots. His father passed on his love for Science Fiction and Fantasy novels when Philipp was a teenager. Now he writes books himself from his balcony. His book “Empire Eternal: Reset” is book one of six in the Empire Eternal series; a series full of mechs, magic, and aliens. It is an emotional ride for the main character, one filled with dangers and intrigue, as he is plagued by the memories of his future past. The series progresses in a wuxia style as the scope of the conflict becomes bigger and bigger. Follow the author on Twitter and Instagram. (Philip Münzer, 2022)

“Empire Eternal: Reset” – As Korbin stands on the ashes of an Empire, the last battle in the last human world is lost as he fights next to his prince and his friend Lo’Karr. Just as he tries to initiate a magic teleport sequence to flee Britannus, a wave of magical energy hits him and the lights go out. Korbin wakes up in his sixteen-year-old body, his memories lasting back thirty-five years since he last left the Imperial Academy. He faces a serious number of problems. For one, the Empire thinks it is alone in the universe but nothing could be further from the truth. The Vorrans are just around the corner, and Korbin knows that within a week the two races will be at war. And nobody knows that a mage can be much more than a glorified mech suit battery. The Vorrans teach the humans about the Initiations, the technique to advance a mage along the path of Ascension, but the humans never had enough runestone to even contemplate such a thing. But the greatest danger on the horizon are the merciless Reavers. They wiped out the Vorrans. They wiped out the humans. The Reavers are coming! Time is ticking. Korbin needs to grow a pair, restore his powers, grab his best friend, the prince and save the day. God hates a coward, soldier boy. Time to get to work.

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Author Philipp Münzer. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

New book release: ‘Vengeful Strike’ by Jah-Femi Telewa

‘Vengeful Strike’ is the new novel by Jah-Femi Telewa. Photo: Amazon

Jah-Femi Telewa or J.F.T., is a multiple award winning author and multiple award winning composer. His first book titled ‘Somewhere Enchanted’ (under his previous pen name or rather initials J.F.T.) earned 2 awards, one from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Indie Book Awards), the other from Literary Titan and has been widely well accepted. His new book “Vengeful Strike” is a tale of morality. Given the choice between right and wrong, the promise imbued within the sword will see kingdoms rise and fall. (Jah-Femi Telewa, 2022)

“Vengeful Strike” – Given an unexpected gift, one man has the power to save his kingdom, or damn it. Life is thrown into turmoil when a fleet of ships arrive off the shores of the kingdom of Nottaly with the promise of gold and riches. The king eagerly accepts his new guests, proclaiming them friends. It is a decision that will come to shape generations.

Nottaly is a kingdom constantly at war, so when the king’s champion is blessed with a special sword capable of saving the kingdom, the king turns to Killsmani to lead his armies in one campaign after the next. Armed with a powerful sword and a host of new allies at his side, the champion quickly discovers all is not well in the heart of Nottaly. A coup is underway. The righteous will fall. Champions become disgraced. What was once considered a blessing quickly turns to the very instrument capable of ruining lives. Seduced by the lure of power and riches, all Killsmani has to do is pick up his sword.

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Cowboy Christmas at the Briscoe Western Art Museum this Sunday

Meet Cowboy Claus and have free western holiday fun at the Briscoe’s Cowboy Christmas event this Sunday. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Unwrap Western fun and meet Cowboy Claus at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s annual Cowboy Christmas, 10a.m. – 2p.m., Sunday, December 4. This year’s Cowboy Christmas falls on the museum’s monthly “Locals Day,” when the Briscoe greets locals with free general admission. Cowboy Christmas is also free, making the Briscoe the perfect way to enjoy holiday fun and make memories with your family. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

Cowboy Christmas features a day of family fun exploring the museum with holiday crafts and visits with Cowboy Claus onsite 11a.m. – 1:30p.m. Families are welcome to snap pictures with Cowboy Claus, while a special 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt will lead you through the Briscoe’s fantastic collection. Christmas crafts, including ornament making, will give everyone a bit of the West to take home and of course, a stroll through the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden is the perfect path to enjoy the River Walk and all of its holiday beauty.

Everyone enjoying Cowboy Christmas can also get wild while they are at the Briscoe thanks to the museum’s fall exhibition. The museum is a photographic zoo featuring 40 of the renowned nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen’s most resonant photographs. Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild takes viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen is an award-winning photographer whose images have been exhibited internationally and published in iconic mediums such as “National Geographic,” “Good Morning America,” and “60 Minutes.” The exhibition is open to the public through January 29, 2023, and is included in general admission, making it free for locals to enjoy on Locals Day.

To show how friendly the West is and to thank the San Antonio community for its continued support, the Briscoe Western Art Museum makes the first Sunday of each month “Locals Day,” greeting locals with free general admission. Bexar County residents can enjoy Cowboy Christmas and Locals Day by registering online.

Not a local? The Cowboy Christmas fun is included with general museum admission. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission at the Briscoe, as do active duty members of the military, making the museum a terrific spot for families to add to their holiday plans. Active duty military families receive half-price admission when accompanied by their active duty family member. Year-round, retired and former members of the military also received discounted admission.

The first weekend of each month is also Bank of America Museums on Us, allowing Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust cardholders to gain one free admission to the museum. Through Museums for All, recipients of SNAP, WIC, and MAP receive free general admission to the museum through Museums for All.

For everyone looking to fill their gift lists, the Briscoe’s Hendler Family Museum Store features something for everyone on your list. Shopping the museum includes holiday finds, home décor, and gifts for men, women and children that are not available at traditional retailers. Something sure to be popular in Cowboy Claus’ bag of gifts this year: gift memberships to the Briscoe. Share the wide open spaces of the West – and all of the art, heritage and programming of Briscoe – with someone special on your gift list by giving them a museum membership. Membership includes free and discounted museum event admission, exclusive member events and so much more, all on the banks of the River Walk.