By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper features Editor
Under the light of Friday’s waning super moon, music filled the air on the first night of La Marque’s two-day Bayou Fest. The evening’s music began with award-winning DJ Roland Martinez spinning crowd pleasing favorites from Tejano legends.
The air was crisp and breezy as Garry Hobbs came to the stage, and the audience was ready for his expression of passion and love through Tejano music. A Latin Grammy-nominated musician, Hobbs delivered for the crowd the live music they had come out to experience.
The lyrics of the songs conveyed the longing of human hearts for their soulmates. The moon continued to rise in the southeastern sky as dancers found their partners and moved to the rhythm on the grassy field.
The worries and concerns of the people floated into the night air and they were elevated to enjoyment through the richness of the music.
Several hundred people had come out for Friday evening’s Tejano music concert.
Tejano music is composed of a rhythm pattern kept going through the music with drums and other percussion instruments. The beat is easy to follow in Tejano. The ease of the beat allows listeners to dance, sway and forget about the cares of their workweek.
A principal instrument in Tejano music is the accordion which was brought into Southern Texas and Northen Mexico via German, Polish and Czech immigrants. At one time, Tejano music was also known as Norteña music because it originated in the Northern area of Mexico and Texas was once part of the Northern area of Mexico.
An alto sax along with a bass guitar and a vocalist who can belt out the passion of the music complete the Tejano sound. Other instruments are welcome but not always a part of Tejano music.
Hobbs wooed the crowd with familiar tunes such as Carlos Santana and Fernando Olivera’s “Corazon Espinado.” He also sang several songs in English. Then he moved back into what the crowd had truly come out to hear — Tejano.
Jay Perez, another Grammy-nominated musician, and his band from San Antonio moved on stage as the second act. His band included a keyboardist and a female vocalist.
The crowd grew in numbers and excitement while Perez and his band members adjusted their instruments and sound equipment. The anticipation of the crowd for his riveting voice and entertainment style was rewarded as he delved into his first piece for the night, “Steal Rain.”
Then Perez moved on to traditional Tejano music, and children were lifted onto their parents’ shoulders where they too participated in the jubilant celebration of music taking place under the night sky.
Perez moved easily between Tejano pieces and other gernes of Latin music demonstrating his versatility within the full range of Spanish-language music.
Then he demonstrated his native Texan vocal qualities as he began singing George Strait’s “The Chair.” “Well excuse me but I think you’ve got my chair,” were the words echoing through the festival space. Perez’s performance of the song made it seem as though Strait himself had taken over the stage.
Both Hobbs and Perez took time out of their musical performance to honor the U.S. Military and all active duty personal as well as veterans. The crowd expressed its own support through cheers and applause, and there were a few voices that shouted out “Semper fi,” the U.S. Marine motto.
The moon was climbing higher in the night sky when the music came to an end. Members of the audience gathered their belongings, which, for many, included folding lawn chairs, and began making their way to their parked vehicles.
The cost to enjoy the evening of music was just $10 for parking, and the evening parking pass would cover parking for the following day at Bayou Fest.
