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Noche Tejana artists Sunny Ozuna, Ruben Ramos, and Little Joe

Noche Tejana artists Sunny Ozuna, Ruben Ramos, and Little Joe

Ruben Ramos, Little Joe, and Sunny Ozuna: Los Grandes de la Musica Tejana

Austin, TX. On Saturday, April 22nd, the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) at The University of Texas at Austin proudly presents Los Grandes de la Música Tejana at the UT PAC Bass Concert Hall. This concert will feature los gigantes of La Onda Chicana: Rubén Ramos, Little Joe Hernández, and Sunny Ozuna accompanied by an all-star orchestra with members from both La Familia and the Mexican Revolution. Presented in collaboration with the UT Performing Arts Center’s ArtesAméricas program, this evening will be the first time that Tejano music has ever been performed in a concert setting on The University of Texas at Austin campus. A portion of the proceeds from Los Grandes de la Música Tejana will support the Américo Paredes Scholarship Endowment Fund at CMAS.

Concert tickets may be purchased online at www.utpac.org or at 512-477-6060. They are also available at Bass Concert Hall, Hogg Memorial Auditorium, Erwin Center, Central Market, HEB Stores, and all Texas Box Office Outlets. To purchase group tickets, call 512-471-0648. Ticket costs: $45, $35, $20.

Los Grandes de la Música Tejana marks the culmination of a yearlong celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Center for Mexican American Studies. CMAS actively organizes a large number and wide variety of events, including concerts, lectures, and conferences. In 1970, the esteemed late scholar Américo Paredes and others founded the Center for Mexican American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. According to Dr. José E. Limón, current Director of CMAS and a UT student at the time, the founding of the Center was timely, as it reflected vast social changes in the cultural awareness and political involvement of Mexican Americans. CMAS was one of the first academic centers focusing scholarship on Mexican American culture to be established in the United States and the first in Texas.

In the years around 1970, the societal changes that led to the founding of CMAS were also being reflected in one of the predominant styles of Texas Mexican music: the orquesta music of La Onda Chicana. It is an honor for CMAS to pay tribute to this vibrant musical genre and these legendary Tejano musicians through Los Grandes de la Música Tejana and the Para la Gente symposium. These musicians were integral to catalyzing La Onda Chicana through their music. According to José E. Limón, “this new music/dance with orquesta ensemble but hard driving polka music (with boleros for the amorous moments) was new and best represented by los gigantes de ese momento: Little Joe, Sunny Ozuna and Ruben Ramos. In conjunction with a Mexican-American social, cultural and political ascendancy, these musicians were not merely acompañamiento, but a central part of this expansion.”

The “Brown Soul” sounds of Ruben Ramos, Little Joe and Sunny Ozuna promise an exciting evening of music. These Grammy award-winning artists have long been popular within Tejano music, synthesizing the artistry and virtuosity of the orquesta with the soulful roots of the polka-ranchera. All three musicians had already begun their illustrious musical careers at the time that the Center for Mexican American Studies was founded and continue to perform to enthusiastic fans.

Rubén Ramos, whose family and orquesta have been based around Austin for generations, reflects: “In my musical career, I’ve performed many places around Texas, the U.S. and abroad and received various honors and awards, but this opportunity to perform at the Bass Concert Hall of The University of Texas at Austin reflects a level of respect for me and the other great musicians of La Onda Chicana that I truly treasure and cherish.”

In commemoration of its 35th Anniversary, the Center for Mexican American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin is throwing a pachanga—Tejano style! Immediately after the concert the festivities will continue with a Pachanga to take place in the PAC’s Mirror Room located directly behind the Bass Concert Hall. The Post-Performance Pachanga is a true celebration of all things Tejano and will include music, food, drink, and dancing. Only VIP ticket holders will be able to attend. To purchase VIP tickets call (512) 471-1444.

In conjunction with the concert, the Center for Mexican American Studies, along with the College of Liberal Arts and the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), is proud to present a scholarly colloquium titled, Para la Gente: A Symposium on Texas-Mexican Music, Culture and Society to be held on April 20-21, 2006 at The University of Texas at Austin Thompson Conference Center, located at Red River and Dean Keeton Streets. This event will open with a reception and plática with the three featured musicians on Thursday, April 20, 2006, 6:00 p.m., at the Fiesta Garden Club House, 2100 Bergman. The colloquium is free and open to the public. For the complete schedule visit www.utexas.edu/depts/cmas.

For more information on Los Grandes, visit their individual web pages:

http://littlejoeylafamilia.homestead.com/
http://rubenramos.com/
http://sunnyozuna.com/

Purchase tickets online

Download a press release for the concert (PDF, 70K)