La Rondalla De Albuquerque

La Rondalla De Albuquerque

“La Bamba!” the crowd shouts as Jessica Montoya sways through the steps of Latin Salsa Bachata with utter grace. Energy seems to be bursting from her as 50 person crowds surrounds her on all sides. Jessica is a community salsa teacher who specializes in the art of self-expression. “There is no choreography to this style of dance; it is not strict. It’s more about the free flowing connection between you and your partner,” Jessica says. Salsa is the perfect place to release all the pent up energy that is stored in our bodies throughout our weeks. Some resort to therapists to sort out these stresses, but Jessica recommends dance; if you’re upset, if you’re unhappy, if you’re feeling ungraceful, Salsa is the cure!

Your Shirt Lies South West

A train pokes around a corner amidst a flourishing desert terrain; “You’re heart lies southwest” displayed whimsically below. Psychedelic greens and browns swirl around images of monkeys hanging playfully on branches. This is Cody St. Arnold, a modest silk screen printer and artist with incredible talent posted up on a typical Sunday at the Rail Yards Market. Utilizing a style that resembles Andy Warhol, Cody exploits the use of pop culture and branding juxtaposed against vivid southwestern colors and themes. And his artistic style paired with the handmade quality of silk screening combines to make a fine product. I own one of Cody’s T-shirts, and the fact that it is local, handmade, and hand drawn puts it miles above any factory produced garb I’d find at a retail chain. Thank you Cody Saint Arnold for providing our community with your local talent!

The Rail Yards is a community market supporting local artists, crafters, performers and more open every Sunday at 777 1st St. SW 87102. Go to http://railyardsmarket.org for more information.

The Rail Yard Notes: Da Terra Meiga

Da Terra Meiga

Laura Cruz and Ruben Ares with Da Terra Meiga bring together two distinctly beautiful voices over a single guitar. Delivered straight from the heart of Spain, the group has been touring and entertaining fans with authentic Spanish tunes mixed with a hint of rock. Ruben uses a difficult technique known as Rasgueado, where multiple strums flicker within a single rhythmic roll to create the feeling of multiple guitars being played at the same time. Laura Cruz sports a sweet yet soulful voice that hovers over Ruben like a storm. Powerful at times, gentle at others, she uses vibrato sparingly to put forth emotion in its rawest form. The duo will be performing at the opening day of the Rail Yards Market in Albuquerque on May the 3^rd, so mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss this!

The Rail Yards Market

(Writer: Jacob Reinhardt for Abq Guitar Lessons)