Contributed article
SAFFORD — The Gila Valley Arts Council announced world-renowned Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar will perform Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m., at the David M. Player Center for the Arts.
Originally from Bakersfield, Calif., Jimmy Cuellar began his mariachi career as a teenager alongside his father, Jaime, and was a founding member of Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar. Jimmy’s dedication to his musical craft drove “El Pollo” to fine-tune his skills on the violin, guitarron, vihuela, guitar and guitarra de golpe, securing him a 10-year tenure with Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.
In subsequent years, Jimmy accompanied well known Latin recording artists Yolanda del Rio, Mercedes Castro, Humberto Herrera, Lila Downs, Vikki Carr, Aida Cuevas, Eugenia Leon and Jose Feliciano; as well as has been an instrumental member in various recoding productions, including the 2010 release of Ry Cooder and The Chieftains, “San Patricio.”
Beginning In 2005, Jimmy saw Grammy success when he was a featured artist on the Grammy Award winning album “cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins.” The following year “Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites of Nati Cano’s Mariachi Los Camperos” received a Grammy nomination for Best Mexican Album. 2008 added to his Grammy success with “CienPorCientoMexicano” by Pepe Aguilar, with 2009 rounding out a Grammy award to add to his mantle for Best Regional Mexican Album with “Amor, Dolor, yLagrimas.”
Composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, three-time Grammy Award nominated and three time Grammy Award Winner, Jimmy understands the importance of education. Having received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music in 2009, “El Pollo” decided to continue his musical education and enroll with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where he is pursuing a Masters in Music Composition.
His talents as an educator as well as nationally-regarded expert in the genre have earned Jimmy a yearly seat as an adjudicator for the statewide Mariachi Competition held in Texas. Along with Kareli Montoya, he runs Thee Academy, one of the most prominent joint Folklorico/ Mariachi schools in the West.
Their elevated musicianship has also opened invitations to perform on prestigious stages to sold out crowds, such as the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Teatro Degollado, Valley Performing Arts Center, The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Bakersfield Fox Theatre, The Chandler Center for the Arts, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Tempe Center for the Arts and The Gallo Center for the Arts.
Mariachi Garibaldi enjoys a professional partnership with Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles and together they have entertained thousands of people at sold out venues. Both collaborated with Mitu Network to recreate Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast’s” ‘Tale As Old As Time,’ which catapulted their professional careers and became a viral video with more than 15 million views. Their ornate mariachi jacket became a commodity of trade when Dodger pitcher Joe Kelly wore it with honor at the White House.
Looking towards the future, Jimmy is doing his part to ensure that mariachi music and its culture live on for years to come with the Mariachi Music Academy, where he teaches students from ages 5 to 65.
“The importance of having the youth be exposed to this and want to continue it is if they don’t, this can and will die away. I love to pass down all my information to the youth and get them involved or just aware of what mariachi is and what it can be,” he said.
Tickets are currently on sale at Richards Music, 928-428-2442, online at www.saffordcenterforthearts.com or at the door. Adult ticket prices are $15 or $20, and are all reserved seating. Children and student tickets are $5.
GVAC is able to keep ticket prices low because of support received from several sources, including individual donors who join as supporting members every year.
This school residency and public performance project was made possible by funding received from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, WESTAF (The Western States Arts Federation), and the National Endowment for the Arts. GVAC is also very grateful for the support received from the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties, Freeport-McMoRan Corporation and the Arizona Community Foundation of the Gila Valley.
