If I had to live on a desert island, I would spend a good part of every day reliving many memories and lived events that have defined my existence and life’s mission, which has been to be a composer of music inspired by life itself, mystical, cosmic and spiritual. But there were specific musical compositions that have marked my life, defining a way forward. I was born in 1924 and since I can remember, I grew up listening to the Jazz Orchestra of my father Miguel Contreras, of which he was the drummer and director.
1. The first song that marked my life was 'Ay! Mamá Inés' by Eliseo Grenet; because it was the first that I played with professional musicians when I was eight years old in 1932. We lived in the province of Chihuahua, Mexico; my mother Leandra sent me to those musicians, telling me "go my son, you can play the drums and do it very well", it was my debut and it fills me with joy to remember it.
2. The second song is 'Am I Blue?' by Harry Akst, I can sing over and over again. I listened to it with my father's orchestra in the 30s, where sometimes they travelled the streets playing on top of a truck (sponsored by Adams chewing gum!) I chased the truck all the way, following my father.
3. The third song that marked me, because it prompted me to discover my aptitude for playing the trumpet was the song 'Dinah' (Harry Akst –Sam M.Louis –Joe Young). One day, in the late 30s, the trumpeter of my father's orchestra got up from his place while the others continued playing, without thinking I grabbed the trumpet and began to play the melody with precision, causing everyone's surprise, from then on I also loved the trumpet and I play it to this day.
4. The fourth song, which deeply moves me and makes me cry, because it transports me to my youth and beautiful moments with my mother Leandra, is "Cariño Verdad" by Juan Legido / Genaro Monreal from Los Churumbeles de España. In the late 30s and early 40s together with my older brother Efrén who was also a saxophonist and conductor, we would serenade different audiences, but to our mother we especially sang that song "Cariño Verdad" and ended the evening with sweet bread and hot chocolate that she made us.
5. For the fifth work I have to turn to my own music because it has occupied me every day for many years. In 1962 exotic melodies came to my brain, which was my 'Jazz Ballet' work, the notes spun in my mind and I began to write them on the sheet music, each part of the work inspired by bringing together those two powerful arts of music and ballet. That led me to wonderful places that influenced me like Greece and Turkey; I could spend hours remembering and reliving those adventures.
6- The sixth work is "Mass in Jazz". In 1966 spiritual melodies came to my mind, which I began to write to unite that music with choirs; I had to study a lot on the subject so it took me several months to finish and release it. I got into various problems with the church authorities, they branded me sacrilegious and wanted to suspend my presentations of the "Mass in Jazz"; but the music spoke for itself and was accepted in various cathedrals in Mexico and Argentina.
7. I cannot stop thinking about the music of our ancestors, as in my compositions "Quinto Sol Música Infinita", "Yúmare Multifonía Tarahumara" and recently "La Noche de los Dioses", with native instruments made with their own hands. Drums and percussive instruments are usually made of all kinds of wood and leather; I have always been concerned about composing music where I use these instruments, giving a ritual, cosmic and mystical meaning to the melodies.
8. There is a song that is a beautiful Waltz "Secreto Eternol" by José Perches Enríquez, which I play a lot on my piano because when I listen to it, it transports me on a journey of my life around the world; from my land, to each tour where I was leaving my seeds of musical notes.
Tino Contreras will perform the first ever streamed concert from The Frida Kahlo Museum this weekend. Streamed globally from the Casa Azul, Mexico City on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th April 2021 and for 24 hours on demand Tickets available here
