"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

ABOUT DANIEL WARD
Musician, composer, educator, and Tesuque resident Daniel Ward has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with Ottmar Liebert and dance troupes Yjastros, Dance España, and Maria Benitez. He’s played locally with Santa Fe Opera, for Chatter and in Opera Southwest, and everywhere nationally – even Austin City Limits.  Recently, Dan has been touring and teaching at music festivals around the globe, including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and all over the US. He has scored music for film, television, and video and was an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Pat Malone performs with professionalism, versatility and pure energy that captivates and inspires his audiences. Pat has a devoted following in Chicago, Austin and Santa Fe from his live performances, and is a favorite in the studio. Throughout his career, Malone has played with many outstanding musicians, including Pete Christlieb (Steely Dan, Doc Severenson), Bobby Doyle (Blood, Sweat & Tears – CBS), Bill Ginn (Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen, Jennifer Warren), Eric Johnson, Lonnie Mack, Kim Stone (Spyra Gyra), Mitch Watkins, Spencer Starnes, Peter Rowan, John Mills, Junior Brown, Mike Turk, Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa Mothers of Invention) and Kirk Waylum.

A disciplined student of music since the age of 9, Pat Malone has studied under an impressive list of great teachers. He completed master classes with Jack Cecchini in Chicago, through whom he conducted workshops with many guitarists including Joe Pass and Joe Diorio.

Pat works as a guitar teacher and mentor and is available for private guitar lessons.

Pat Malone resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

ABOUT DANIEL WARD
Musician, composer, educator, and Tesuque resident Daniel Ward has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with Ottmar Liebert and dance troupes Yjastros, Dance España, and Maria Benitez. He’s played locally with Santa Fe Opera, for Chatter and in Opera Southwest, and everywhere nationally – even Austin City Limits.  Recently, Dan has been touring and teaching at music festivals around the globe, including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and all over the US. He has scored music for film, television, and video and was an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

ABOUT DANIEL WARD
Musician, composer, educator, and Tesuque resident Daniel Ward has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with Ottmar Liebert and dance troupes Yjastros, Dance España, and Maria Benitez. He’s played locally with Santa Fe Opera, for Chatter and in Opera Southwest, and everywhere nationally – even Austin City Limits.  Recently, Dan has been touring and teaching at music festivals around the globe, including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and all over the US. He has scored music for film, television, and video and was an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Pat Malone performs with professionalism, versatility and pure energy that captivates and inspires his audiences. Pat has a devoted following in Chicago, Austin and Santa Fe from his live performances, and is a favorite in the studio. Throughout his career, Malone has played with many outstanding musicians, including Pete Christlieb (Steely Dan, Doc Severenson), Bobby Doyle (Blood, Sweat & Tears – CBS), Bill Ginn (Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen, Jennifer Warren), Eric Johnson, Lonnie Mack, Kim Stone (Spyra Gyra), Mitch Watkins, Spencer Starnes, Peter Rowan, John Mills, Junior Brown, Mike Turk, Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa Mothers of Invention) and Kirk Waylum.

A disciplined student of music since the age of 9, Pat Malone has studied under an impressive list of great teachers. He completed master classes with Jack Cecchini in Chicago, through whom he conducted workshops with many guitarists including Joe Pass and Joe Diorio.

Pat works as a guitar teacher and mentor and is available for private guitar lessons.

Pat Malone resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

ABOUT DANIEL WARD
Musician, composer, educator, and Tesuque resident Daniel Ward has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with Ottmar Liebert and dance troupes Yjastros, Dance España, and Maria Benitez. He’s played locally with Santa Fe Opera, for Chatter and in Opera Southwest, and everywhere nationally – even Austin City Limits.  Recently, Dan has been touring and teaching at music festivals around the globe, including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and all over the US. He has scored music for film, television, and video and was an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ.

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Pat Malone performs with professionalism, versatility and pure energy that captivates and inspires his audiences. Pat has a devoted following in Chicago, Austin and Santa Fe from his live performances, and is a favorite in the studio. Throughout his career, Malone has played with many outstanding musicians, including Pete Christlieb (Steely Dan, Doc Severenson), Bobby Doyle (Blood, Sweat & Tears – CBS), Bill Ginn (Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen, Jennifer Warren), Eric Johnson, Lonnie Mack, Kim Stone (Spyra Gyra), Mitch Watkins, Spencer Starnes, Peter Rowan, John Mills, Junior Brown, Mike Turk, Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa Mothers of Invention) and Kirk Waylum.

A disciplined student of music since the age of 9, Pat Malone has studied under an impressive list of great teachers. He completed master classes with Jack Cecchini in Chicago, through whom he conducted workshops with many guitarists including Joe Pass and Joe Diorio.

Pat works as a guitar teacher and mentor and is available for private guitar lessons.

Pat Malone resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.  

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black. She is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards. She received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  

In 2025, she was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

https://nmarts.org/all-programs/governors-arts-awards/

She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

New duo, same familiar faces! Francesca Jozette and Jake Montiel of Free Range are setting off on a new adventure as Frankie Jo and the Time Machine!

This Summer we will be hosting four patio brunches with live music, tapas, cocktails, wine + pastries!

Served on our Taberna Patio from 11am-2pm

Reservations Recommended

June 20th, July 18th, August 22nd + September 19th

Jesus Bas is a "Cantautor" ( singer songwriter ), guitarist and working musician from Madrid, Spain. He plays his original music and Spanish covers of classics.

"Chuscales"

  This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions.

  A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "there were shows with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was a very formative time in my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything — the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, my father, my Grandfather, and my friends. 

  Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo and Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that gave him a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm when to play strong or soft, so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry; blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "Many people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God I have been around such great musicians all my life.

  Whether versed in flamenco traditions or not, audiences find Chuscales' music touching and exotic; his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist is simply astounding. A Chuscales concert is an experience that audiences take with them.