Los Gu’achis to spice up library

Quintet performs music of American southwest and Mexico|

The musical heritage of the American southwest, Mexico and Alta California will reverberate at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library this month, when Los Gu’achis comes to town Saturday, Aug. 19 at 2 p.m.

The Petaluma-based quintet takes its name from the Gu-Achi Fiddlers, who resided in the Gu-Achi district of the Papago Indian Reservation in southern Arizona. Members of the tribe, now known as the Tohono O’odham, developed a unique musical sound utilizing violins, guitar, and drums playing polkas, two-steps and mazurkas.

Violin player Barbara Arhon discovered the music - much of which had been preserved on wax cylinders - while attending the annual Fiddle Tunes camp in Port Townsend, Washington.

“Much of this music from the American Southwest is not widely known, but it has its roots in Native American, Mexican and European music,” Arhon said. “It is an exciting sound that people seem to want to dance to.”

Members of the group include Barbara Arhon on violin, Steve Della Maggiora on accordion and lead guitar, Chris Samson on rhythm guitar, Stephen Tamborski on mandolin and bass and Tracy Grisman on bass.

The event is free and open to all. The library is located at 755 W. Napa St. For more information contact Lisa Musgrove at 996-5217 or lmusgrove@sonoma.lib.ca.us.

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