Detail View: Soundscapes of the People: A Musical Ethnography of Pueblo, Colorado: Javier Quiñones Interview July 27, 2022

Soundscapes of the People: A Musical Ethnography of Pueblo, Colorado

Javier Quiñones Interview July 27, 2022

Devised

Quiñones, Javier

Interviewee

Wagenknecht, Lydia

Interviewer

Thomas, Susan

Interviewer

Moving image

Oral histories

2022-07-27

English

1 online resource (1 video file) (49 min., 23 sec.)

For access to the recordings on YouTube contact the University of Colorado Boulder American Music Research Center.

Javier Quiñones is a performing artist, activist, entrepreneur, and arts organizer in Pueblo, Colorado. Having grown up in a lower income area of Chicago, Javier found participation in hip-hop music and spoken word poetry to have a positive impact on his childhood experience. He used this experience to spearhead his work in arts organization upon his relocation to Pueblo, Colorado, first within the hip-hop scene with the 719 Collection, then with public event planning of the Pueblo Multicultural Festival. Finally, Javier shares an example of his spoken word poetry.

00:00:00 Lydia Wagenknecht, Graduate Research Assistant at the American Music Research Center and Susan Thomas, Director of the American Music Research Center introduce themselves. Javier Quiñones introduces himself and talks about his arrival to Pueblo, Colorado. Additional topics include Mad Fresh Productions and immigration to Colorado. 00:01:44 Quinones speaks about his childhood musical and spoken word influences. Additional topics include: Chicago, Desert Eez, east coast hip-hop, empowerment, Wu Tang Clan, and poetry. 00:04:57 Quinones speaks about the themes he explores in his work. Additional topics include: introspection and positive reinforcement. 00:05:45 Quinones recounts his experience of arts organizing in Pueblo's hip-hop scene and the work of the 719 Collection. Additional topics include: 2Fly, break dancing, Eddie Vigilant, graffiti art, Khan Solo, Phil's Radiator, pole dancing, and hip-hop culture. 00:11:00 Quinones describes generational differences among Pueblo hip-hop artists and whether or not there is a specific Southern Colorado hip-hop sound. 00:12:31Quinones speak highly of the musical talent and welcoming attitude of hip-hop artists in Pueblo. 00:14:20 Quinones talks about the history and growth of the Pueblo Multicultural Festival. Additional topics include: It's a Trade Thing, Morgan J. Cox, multiculturalism, and segregation. 00:18:43 Quinones speaks about the strong presence of racial segregation in Pueblo and the few efforts at cross-cultural community engagement, such as the Pueblo Multicultural Festival and Sareth-Fest Music and Comedy Festival. Additional topics include: Greek, Indigenous, and Italian. 00:21:24 Quinones speaks about the Pueblo Multicultural Festival attendees and the positive impact the festival has on Pueblo's community life. 00:23:33 Quinones talks about the difficulties of dealing with Pueblo City bureaucracy in organizing the Pueblo Multicultural Festival and lack of top-down support. 00:25:10 Quinones describes the challenges for emerging Pueblo artists such as a lack of performance venues and difficulties of exposure. Additional topics include: Grind Haus Cafe and musical entrepreneurship. 00:28:28 Quinones describes the open mic night he organizes at the Grind Haus Cafe and the wide age range of performers who participate. Additional topics include: improv comedy, open mic, spoken word poetry, and teenage artists. 00:34:15 Quinones laments how the Colorado State Fair invites out-of-state performers, instead of supporting local Pueblo talent. 00:35:39 Quiñones describes how he networks and builds connections with people through his interpersonal relationships with local artists. Quiñones also talks about the struggles of working with other venues such as Mineral Palace Park or East Side Skate Park El Centro, mentioning “if I were to try and expand to a new place it would just drop all kinds of new challenges and rules and things that I definitely don't want to deal with.” 00:37:25 Quiñones talks about how his cultural identity and spirituality influence his work and relationships with performers. Additional topics include: authenticity, Irish identity, Puerto Rican identity, and spiritual energy. 00:38:46 -- Quiñones discusses the leading names and organizations in current arts activism in Pueblo. Additional topics include: Andrew VanDeGrift, El Pueblo History Museum, Gregory Howell, Jesse Sena, Kennedy Pugh, Pueblo Has Talent, and Watertower Place. 00:41:47 Quiñones discusses his experiences with the Pueblo Christopher Columbus statue protests. Additional topics include: Danza Azteca, Grupo Xochitl, Indigenous prayer circles, music and protest, music and social justice. 00:46:43 Quiñones mentions Sam Gallegos and his activist work with establishing Indigenous drum circles around Pueblo. 00:47:33 Quiñones gives an example of his spoken word poetry. End of recording.

Time coded description

Collection is a collaboration between the American Music Research Center (AMRC) and the Colorado State University Pueblo Foundation. For more information contact the AMRC.

Music--Instruction and study

Multicultural festivals

Special events--Planning

Activism in art

Art--political activity

Mad Fresh Productions

719 Collection

Pueblo Multicultural Festival

Pueblo (Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)

Hip-hop (Music)

Spoken word poetry

Javier_Quinones_113336_2022-07-27.mp4

https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/xc6j3r67c32f

American Music Research Center

2022

video/mp4

born digital

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