Shelia Eden and her band Illumina A.D. have released the video for their new single Aperio. Right out of the gate, the video has garnered nearly 50k views.

Eden studied at the Berklee School of Music before finding a home in New Mexico. She has worked in the film industry in the Land of Enchantment for over a decade all the while writing and producing her own style of music with her band Nepthisis. She was a finalist in the 2024 New Mexico Music Awards.

Learn more about Shelia at https://linktr.ee/Sheilaeden

Vote for your favorite New Mexico band, bar or venue!

The Santa Fe Reporter’s Best of Santa Fe readers’ choice contest is held each year between the months of February and May. This is a great opportunity for you to connect with your community! 

2025 Best of Santa Fe
Contest Deadlines

Nomination Round: February 1 – March 15

Visit the online ballot to write in their favorites in 10 Sections and 150 Categories. Go to https://vote.sfreporter.com/arts-and-entertainment

This Friday, February 21st, Downshift Riverside in Ruidoso will host “Benefit Concert for Dave Milsap”.

Dave is the regular Happy Hour performer at the Downshift and has been so for years. Over 20 musicians will be in the house to help Dave raise money for his cancer treatments including Richard Cagle and the Voodoo Choir, Robin Scott, the Doso Dirtbags, Cactus Sol and more. It’s gonna be a show! No cover, donations only!

See some of the best artists in southern New Mexico play with and for Dave. Ruidoso is filled with great musicians who love and respect this man. Come see them strut their stuff. This is a one time opportunity to see so many bands and special guests in the house.

Downshift Brewing is located at 2408 B Sudderth Dr, Ruidoso, NM 88345 on the corner of Eagle and Rio St. Call 575-257-5300 for more information. https://www.downshift.beer/homesweethome

Learn how the film industry works when it comes to music and what to do to give you the best opportunities to get your music to film and television music supervisors, production companies, gaming, live theater and events and more.

Presented by Jose Antonio Ponce of Jason’s Music Publishing, the event takes place on Saturday, February 22nd at 4:00 PM at Sandia Music and Sound, Sandia Music and Sound-5105 Homestead Cir NW in Albuquerque, NM 87120. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.

The entry process began on January 1st 2025 and ended on February 8th, 2025. If you have questions about you entry, reach out to the New Mexico Music Awards at nmmaentries@gmail.com

The entry process is entirely electronic and entry forms are logged as they are received. No physical entry forms will be distributed and no physical product (audio/video) will be accepted.

The New Mexico Music Awards are sponsored by Quickbeam Systems, Guitar Center of Albuquerque and Jason’s Music Publishing with additional support by Rak’s Building Supply, The Candyman of Santa Fe, High Fidelity Mastering, Grandma’s Music and Sound, Listen!NM, Two Pups Boutique, Duke City 360 and Moonlight Talent Management.

Byron Vasquez has opened Sandia Music and Sound in the west side of the Duke City. Located at 5105 Homestead CIr NW Albuquerque, NM 87120 in the Taylor Ranch neighborhood, the new store features products by Marshall, Gretch, Fender, Epiphone, Washburn and more.

Locally owned, the goal is to become a community hub for musicians of all ages and skill levels. Plans include instruction, practice and rehearsal spaces for local musicians as well as performances by local artists.

Find them online at https://www.sandiamusicandsound.com/

The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame award show, will take place on Saturday, November 23rd at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Hosted by former Channel 7 anchor Nelson Martinez and Sandia Labs manager and board member Zach Mikelson, this year’s class includes:

Latin Jazz Master, bandleader, arranger and trombonist Cesar Bauvallet. A graduate of the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana, the Cuban ex-pat was chosen by Arturo Sandoval as trombonist for Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Star Orchestra (Havana Jazz Festival, 1989) 

The late saxophonist Robert Blea, front man for the band Fat City for over 4 decades, playing keyboards, sax, flute and clarinet. He was responsible for giving many young NM musicians, early opportunities in the business, including Hillary Smith, Michael Hearne, Teri Q, Logan Nix, Casper Gomez and Roland “Stone” Smith. Blea passed away in 2023.

Blues guitarist, session player and band leader Chris Dracup. He’s been a featured performer at some of the top regional music festivals including the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, Silver City Blues Festival, Madrid and Albuquerque Blues Festivals, Thirsty Ear Festival, Trinidaddio Fest, Taos Solar Fest and more.

He is often featured as an opening act for a wide range of musical artists- everyone from George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars to Joe Walsh, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Richard Thompson, Shuggie Otis and many more.

Longtime bandleader and bassist Donny Tesso who celebrates almost 40 years as a professional musician/bassist in all styles of music both national and international. Donny Tesso currently is musical director for Lorenzo Antonio and Sparx and works with many of NM’s finest musicians and bands including Sol-Fire, Soul Divine, Gonzalo, Tobias Rene, Soul Static, Rhythm Divine, Tracey Whitney, Ryan Montano and others. Donny also conducts musician clinics in other cities and states as requested. Donny Tesso, perhaps the most in demand musician in New Mexico.

The Brown Family including Freddie Brown, country artist Bo Brown of Albuquerque who passed away in 2023 was a fun, high energy entertainer. He toured throughout the western US with the Bo Brown Band & AB Brown

The Wickham Brothers, Hank & Lewie, with their adopted brother, Johnny Dacucon, they were a national sensation with their song “A Little Bit Late.” Although the brothers went their separate ways after 20 years of playing together, they still reunited occasionally to play in Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

The Las Vegas style band, The Pink Flamingos will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bandleader and Cassanova Recording artist Little Ralph Paiz. The guitarist mentored a young Glen Campbell and has always blended traditional and modern music into a uniquely New Mexico blend.

Tejano Artist/Composer/Musician/Producer, Promoter Alan Muniz, a Multi-Award Winning Artist, from Santa Fe who has earned 15 Grandes, along with Grammy & Latin Grammy nominations.

The show will feature music by Picoso, Chris Dracup, Donny Tesso and Little Ralph.

Link for tickets https://my.nmculture.org/41942/41943

The New Mexico Music Hall of Fame award show is to recognize those who have made significant contributions to our state’s musical culture.

The Eric Larson Endowment at UNM has named cellist Samuel Martinez as its 2024 scholarship recipient. The Eric Larson Endowment was established in 2005 to assist students attending the University of New Mexico and studying in Music or the Recording Arts.

Samuel is a native New Mexican who grew up in a musical family. He is in his final semester of his degree in Cello Performance and is also a private music instructor hoping to inspire his students. The scholarship allows him to leave UNM with no debt as he enters the professional world.

Congratulations to Samuel and our thanks to the staff and faculty of the UNM Music Department and the staff and management of the UNM Foundation. A special thanks goes out to you, our New Mexico music community who have made this scholarship possible on an annual basis with your contributions. You keep the memory of NMMA co-founder, Eric Larson alive.

Richard Cagle has produced and recorded folks like Carolyn Wonderland, Uncle John Turner, Johnny Winter, and Joe King Carrasco as well as others from his studio in the cool mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico where he owns Montrose Records. Richard has wone a couple of New Mexico Music Awards over the years, but many folks don’t know that he is a blues artist in his own right.

He recently released “Richard Cagle and the VooDoo Choir-Zia Blues”, his first album since 2016. Most of the songs are written by Richard Cagle.

“Zia Blues” opens with “Dance, Dance, Dance” featuring Eric Demmer, saxophone (who played with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown); Arnold Cardon, guitar; Paul Goad, bass and piano; Danny Cresap, drums; and backing vocalists Wayne and Lou Ann Ellison. “Knockin Me Down” includes Tim Martin, guitar; and Dave Shanks, Hammond Organ. Cagle provides the vocals. Other guests include El Paso’s Sam Barlow on harmonica, Rich Chorne, guitar; Grant Gerondale, bass and Ron Ramelli, who toured with Lavelle White, on harmonica, Mark Kashmar on guitar, Kelley Wright, percussion and pianist Shawn Allen.

The late Sher Katz wrote the closer, “Whadda Think O’ That” which features Cagle singing with lots of emotion and playing harmonica and Sam Shackelford, drums. All in all, a terrific effort from a brilliant producer, engineer and artist.

Available on all platforms.

For over six years, music teacher Phil Arnold has earned a small stipend for teaching the art of jazz improvisation to children five days a week. This small steady income has enabled him to pay his monthly bills while doing what he loves most — teaching music to children. Phil was a veteran of the New York music scene now living in New Mexico and playing a variety of instruments with a number of groups during the past decade but primarily teaching kids through his Youth Jazz Collaborative program.

Without warning, State funding for this highly acclaimed program was abruptly cancelled in May 2024. The weekly year-round classes offered free of charge to children in under-served communities have been cancelled leaving these children without music classes.

Mr Arnold has decided to continue teaching the classes without financial compensation. Grant writers are working to find alternate sources to fund his program. All funding will end on June 30th. Mr. Arnold finds himself in a crisis situation because of the situation and unable to pay his bills.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started by one of his students to help tide him over until another source of revenue can be found. To help, go to
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-music-alive-for-kids?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=facebook