For 28 years, the colonial Sonoran town of Alamos, located in the southeastern part of the state rings out with opera, jazz, rock, art and more cultural expression during the Alfonso Ortiz Tirade Cultural Festival, also known as FAOT. The 2012 FAOT, to be held from Jan. 20 – 28, will bring together more than 400 artists from 13 different countries, including two important figures, from Puerto Peñasco, Alan Munro and Armando Noriega Rivera “El Kennedy”, the latter of whom is to be recognized as a Sonoran Master.
According to the 2012 FAOT program, the festival – named for Mexican tenor Alfonso Ortiz Tirade – began in 1985 on the anniversary of the opera singer’s birthday and has become an internationally recognized event in Alamos, dubbed as one of the many “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Towns) throughout the country.
This year, popular local musician Alan Munro will be performing on Sunday the 22nd at Casa de las Delicias (at 8 p.m), which is a hacienda style building in the city dating back 300 years. For those of us not able to make it to Alamos on this occasion, we’ll get a chance to hear Alan perform on Feb. 25th at Chango’s and he is slated to be a featured band at the March 17th Peñasco Palooza Music Festival! (Check our Event Calendar for more info)
Jazz lovers near and far are already familiar with Armando Noriega’s suave melodies that for years have filled The Lighthouse restaurant here in Puerto Peñasco, owned and run by Noriega’s family. Originally from Santa Ana, Sonora, Noriega is an extremely talented musician and saxophonist who has played with various orchestras across the globe, done studio sessions for national and international artists with the likes of RCA Victor, Polidor, Televisa, and TV Azteca. In addition to producing and arranging music, Noriega has played at jazz festivals across the country, been an active promoter and participant of Puerto Peñasco Jazz Festivals (coming once again in early October in 2012), and has performed locally during the fall Cervantino festivals, among many, many, many other accomplishments. On January 25th he will be recognized at the 2012 FAOT in Alamos as a Sonoran Master – Felicidades Armando!!
For more information on the festival: festivalortiztirado.gob.mx or for a taste of Alan’s music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn-I8XMgoJI&feature=related and of course Armando “El Kennedy” Noriega at The Lighthouse (playing with Jesse Gerardo and La Katerva in 2009): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TvyfJHB72M