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Nacha Mendez ~ La Union | Santa Fe

Nacha Mendez is pioneering the genre of World Latin music, drawing from the influences of her youth combined with the formal training she received during her world travels. Nacha grew up as Marghreta Cordero in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age. She learned traditional Ranchera Cancion from her grandmother and performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins the Black Brothers. Nacha is recipient of the New Mexico Music Commission’s 2018 Platinum Music Award.

She went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico State University before moving to New York City, where she studied flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of Barcelona, Spain. In the early 90’s she toured Europe as a principal singer in Robert Ashley’s opera company.

Nacha is a nationally recognized artist who received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011, she was honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2009, 2010 and 2015. She was awarded Best Family Entertainer in 2012 by the Human Rights Alliance. She received the New Mexico Music industry award for best production in the Latin music category 2013 for her song Bella Isabel.

Learn more about Nacha

above: Nacha’s tribute video from the 2018 Platinum Music Awards show at the Lensic. Filmed and edited by Bunee Tomlinson of Windswept Media. Produced by the New Mexico Music Commission Foundation, David Schwartz Executive Producer.

Malcom Yepa ~ Walatowa (Jemez Pueblo)

From Walatowa (Jemez Pueblo), Malcom Yepa’s contribution to New Mexico’s music industry is prodigious and unique. Malcom is an accomplished musician as a singer, drummer and composer both in Native American Pueblo and Powwow styles. Malcom was raised in the traditional ways of his ancestors – fluent in his Native language Towa – and is a paraprofessional educator. Malcom is recipient of the New Mexico Music Commission’s 2018 Platinum Music Award.

In 1989 while in Montana, Malcom was captivated with the Powwow style of singing and drumming. Upon returning to Jemez Pueblo, he created and led the Black Eagle Powwow Drum Group. Over 28 years, Malcom led Black Eagle in a style that was new to his Pueblo People and become internationally known and admired in the North American “Powwow Circle.”

Black Eagle, whose CD’s are Grammy and Native American Music Award winners, have contributed to New Mexico’s music industry through their original music, continuous teaching of multi-generational singers from youth to elders, as well representing New Mexico Native American music and culture.

Throughout their travels, Black Eagle have always proudly represented Jemez Pueblo and the State of New Mexico gaining the respect of the music community which led to award acknowledgments of Black Eagles’ outstanding original compositions.

Learn more about Malcom

above: Malcom’s tribute video from the 2018 Platinum Music Awards show at the Lensic. Filmed and edited by Bunee Tomlinson of Windswept Media. Produced by the New Mexico Music Commission Foundation, David Schwartz Executive Producer.