Bert Dalton is a 2019 Platinum Music Awards honoree. Originally from Chicago and living in Santa Fe for over 20 years, Bert is a renowned and versatile jazz pianist, arranger, educator, and producer, who has lived, performed and taught in Santa Fe for 20 years. Bert is a recipient of the 2013 Santa Fe Mayor’s Award for Excellence, A Chicago native, Bert received his music education at Northern Illinois University, studying with Dr. J. B. Floyd and performing with Ron Modell’s award-winning NIU Jazz Ensemble.
Bert’s
versatility shines in his performance history. He has led a number of
groups such as the Chicago Jazz Exchange, Yoboso, the Bert Dalton Trio,
the Dalton Brothers Trio, and most recently the Brazil Project. In
addition to leading these groups, Bert has performed internationally and
recorded with Herbie Mann, Anita O’Day, Bud Shank, Butch Miles, Howard
Alden, Frank Morgan, Bobby Shew, Eddie Daniels and many others. In
addition, he has opened for Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Grover
Washington Jr. Pancho Sanchez, and the Count Basie Orchestra.
Bert has been Music Director of the National Dance Institute (NDI) of New Mexico since 1998, currently serving over 6,000 elementary school children throughout NM. He has authored a pianist’s manual and organized the first Music Director’s Conference for the national Association of NDIs. His many years of service at NDI-NM as Music Director have brought his piano music, delightful personality, and presence as a mentor into countless schools and to thousands of children.
above: video biopic short about Bert Dalton – premiered August 23, 2019 at the Platinum Music Awards show – created by Bunee Tomlinson of Windswept Media.
Jim Bonnell is a 2019 Platinum Music Awards honoree. Jim has spent his entire life selflessly serving as a music educator, professional violist, and promoter of high-quality new music. Jim taught extensively in the Albuquerque Public Schools, retiring after almost thirty years in public music education. His service included both instruction and music administration.
As a professional musician, he performed as a violist in many Southwestern organizations including the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Opera Southwest, the El Paso Symphony, the Roswell Symphony, the Albuquerque Civic Symphony, the New Mexico Chamber Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque. He conducted various orchestras in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program: Valley Junior Orchestra, Heights Junior Orchestra, Albuquerque Junior Symphony, and Albuquerque Youth Symphony.
Throughout his career Jim held leadership positions in many community and professional organizations. One notable example is his involvement with the University of New Mexico’s John Donald Robb Musical Trust. The Robb Trust was established in the late 80’s “to support the music and musical legacy of John Donald Robb, to further his inspiring commitment to education and to advance the understanding of music of the Southwest.”
He began his teaching career in Artesia, NM, where he met his lifelong collaborator in music and life, Paula Diane Thompson, from Truman, Arkansas. They were married in 1964 and recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.
above: video biopic about Jim Bonnell’s prolific career – premiered August 23, 2019 at the Platinum Music Awards show – created by Bunee Tomlinson of Windswept Media.
Contact: Thomas Goodrich, Commission Administrator
Phone: 505-827-6454
Thomas.Goodrich@state.nm.us
New Mexico Music Commission to Meet in Albuquerque February 12, 2019
Santa Fe – The New Mexico Music Commission will hold a meeting on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 from 10 am to noon, in the Board of Directors Room, Old Brick building, at The Menaul School, 301 Menaul Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107. The meeting is free and open to the public. Please check in with security at the front gate before entering the Menaul campus.
Copies of the agenda will be available at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at the Commission’s website, www.newmexicomusic.org. Copies of the agenda also may be obtained by contacting New Mexico Arts at 505-827-6490; or statewide: 800-879-4278; or fax: 505-827-6043.
Reasonable accommodations will be made for special needs. Please contact New Mexico Arts, 407 Galisteo Street, Santa Fe NM 87501, 505-827-6490; or statewide: 800-879-4278; or fax: 505-827-6043, at least one (1) week before the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact New Mexico Arts if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed.
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The New Mexico Music Commission is an advisory body made up of Governor-appointed volunteers who are specialists and leaders in the state’s diverse music industry. Their mission is to protect, promote, and preserve the musical traditions of New Mexico, to foster appreciation of the value of music, and to encourage the educational, creative and professional musical activities of the residents of New Mexico. The commission is administratively attached to New Mexico Arts, the State Arts agency and a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
New Mexico Music Commission’s Student Musician Spotlight
Featured Student: Zea Rose ~ Albuquerque
Zea Rose, cellist
Zea Rose is a 17 year old senior at Albuquerque High School. With no prior music experience, she began her study of cello at the age of 11 with Anastasia Nellos. After only nine months of playing, she auditioned for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program and was accepted into the Albuquerque Junior Orchestra. Since then, she has re-auditioned every year and climbed her way to the top group, the Albuquerque Youth Symphony itself. She has been in this specific ensemble since her sophomore year of high school. Last year, she auditioned for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Castro Concerto Competition with the Rondo for Cello in g minor by Dvorak and won second place. This placement allowed her to play her concerto piece while being accompanied by the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. Through her performance in the competition, she was recognized by the New Mexico Philharmonic and was given the opportunity to play her concerto piece for one of their Youth Concerts. For the past three years, Zea has auditioned for and performed in the New Mexico’s Music Educators Association All-State Music Festival. In her sophomore year, she was accepted into the All-State Concert Orchestra, and in her Junior and Senior years she was accepted into the All-State Symphony Orchestra. Zea has performed multiple paid gigs throughout her musical career, everything from weddings to recordings for short films.
In school, Zea participates in as many music classes as she can. Currently she is in her school’s top orchestra, Albuquerque High’s Sinfonietta, her school’s choir and Early Music Ensemble after school club. Additionally, Her favorite subject is math, calculus especially. She loves learning foreign languages such as Japanese, and she spends the majority of her time at school in the orchestra room. Zea plans to major in mathematics for her undergraduate degree and enter into the field of medicine.
Zea was nominated for the Music Commission’s Student Spotlight by Anastasia Nellos. Stasie says of Zea, “She is a quick learner and a sponge for information. What is most amazing is that she hasn’t always had an easy time with things. Her talent is raw, her understanding and comprehension is instant, but holding her inherent airy nature grounded, and reigning all of her energy into a more workable form has been a challenge sometimes. She never gives up and it showed this year when she was selected as one of two Castro Concerto Competition winners with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. … Her humble nature and adventurous soul are going to carry her far and into very interesting places. We should be proud that Albuquerque has produced such an amazing local gem. Her path will indeed be one to follow!”
Congratulations, Zea, for being selected as a featured student musician! In addition to being inducted into the Student Spotlight, Zeawill be featured on the Music Commission’s Facebook page and will receive an official certificate of recognition from the State of New Mexico.
Click here for information about the Student Musician Spotlight.
above: Zea Rose, soloist with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony, performing Rondo in g minor, Op. 94 by Antonín Dvořák. The performance was recorded November 11, 2018 at Popejoy Hall on the University of New Mexico campus by Patty Kunning of Real Image Productions, 505-363-8184.
note: Zea’s biographical information, image, and video are used with written permission of her mother, Monica Corica.
“Santa Fe” is the 5th track on the album Blaze of Glory, Jon Bon Jovi’s debut solo studio album, released in 1990. It includes songs from and inspired by the movie Young Guns II. Emilio Estevez asked for Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” as the theme song for his upcoming Billy the Kid sequel, but Jon Bon Jovi ended up composing an all-new theme song for the film’s soundtrack instead. The album featured guests such as Elton John, Little Richard, and Jeff Beck. Blaze of Glory was awarded a Golden Globe. It also received Academy Award and Grammy nominations. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. Bon Jovi’s lyrics from the song “Santa Fe” are quoted in the 1998 book, About a Boy, although the author, Nick Hornby, would have been light-heartedly referring to John Donne’s “No Man Is an Island”. The song is also quoted in the film High Fidelity.
Bon Jovi’s song “Santa Fe” was suggested for inclusion in our Songs About New Mexico list by Chris Romero. Thank you, Chris!
Lyrics
They say that no man is an island
And good things come to those who wait
The things are here or there just to remind me
Every dog will have his day
The spirits they intoxicate me
I watched them infiltrate my soul
They try to say it’s too late for me
Tell my guns I’m coming home
I swear I’m gonna live forever
Tell my maker he can wait
I’m riding somewhere south of heaven
Heading back to Santa Fe
It’s judgment day in Santa Fe
Once I was promised absolution
There’s only one solution for my sins
You gotta face your ghosts and know
With no illusions
That only one of you is going home again
And I blame this world for making
A good man evil
It’s this world that can drive a
Good man mad
And it’s this world that turns a killer
Into a hero
Well I blame this world for making
A good man bad
Now I ain’t getting into heaven
If the devil has his way
I swear I’m gonna live forever
Heading back to Santa Fe
Got debts to pay in Santa Fe
It’s judgment day in Santa Fe
(oh lord have mercy)
So I save a prayer
When I need it most
To the Father, Son
And the Holy Ghost
And I’ll sign it from a sinner
With no name
When I meet my maker
Will he close the book
On the hearts I broke
And the lives I took
Will he walk away
‘Cause my soul’s
It’s too late to save
Now I ain’t getting into heaven
If the devil has his way
I swear I’m gonna live forever
Heading back to Santa Fe
Got debts to pay in Santa Fe
It’s judgment day in Santa Fe
