Gary Medina Cook and Friends at Taos Lifestyle
TONIGHT, THURSDAY, FEB. 16,
Mary Domito will be presenting a concert in her Taos Lifestyle destination store that promises to be unlike any of the previous ‘Mattress Mary’s Living Room Concerts’ held inside the furniture and bedding store. While Domito has welcomed a variety of up-and-coming singer-songwriters to her store, this time, she will be presenting a TCA-worthy concert at no charge as guests sit on comfy sofas and recliners.
The performance will include renowned filmmaker, musician and composer, Gary Medina Cook, who will play guitar alongside award-winning Native American recording artist, songwriter and world-class Native flute player, Bill Miller. They will be joined by the Comanche Dancers, a group of drummers and dancers led by the prolific Francisco “El Comanche” Gonzales, who, at age 81, continues to play an integral role in the preservation of the traditions of the Comanche dances for future generations. Robert Mirabal, the well-known Taos Pueblo Grammy Award-winning musician and Native American flute player who recently sold out at the TCA, will also participate.
Just what happened that resulted in the stars and planets aligning for this multi-talented group to come together to play a free (donations encouraged) concert at Taos Lifestyle? “I have written and directed a film that tells the story of the Genízaros culture. It’s a story of ethnogenesis and cultural hybridity and explores duality in the human condition — a blending of spirits,” responded Cook, about his new film, ‘THE GENIZARO EXPERIENCE — Shadows in Light’. The one-hour documentary has been selected to make its world premiere at the 2023 Santa Fe Film Festival on Feb. 19. The show is sold out (and decidedly-not free).
Cook’s name may not be recognizable to some of us but for notable others, he is a household name who has had a significant influence on their careers. It took some polite persistence but, finally, the humble Cook, who scored the original soundtrack for the Emmy Award-winning Indigenous film “‘However Wide the Sky,” opened up about some of his music experiences.
“I have worked with Sting, Joni Mitchell, Neal Schon of Journey, Michael Martin Murphy and a host of others.” Cook’s compositions can be heard in television and film including Pawn Stars, ESPN, The Who Biography, the E! Network, The Drew Carey Show and too many to list for the space we have.
THE GENIZARO EXPERIENCE explores the origins of Indigenous slavery, Genízaros in New Mexico, and cultural hybridization, equality, genetic genealogy
and tribal recognition. “I remember being 10 years old listening to my grandmother tell me stories about our captive ancestors,” Cook explained. “Remember where your blood dries, she said, and I’ve not forgotten her words.” Cook explained that long before Black slaves set foot in America, slave ships were already stained by the blood of Indigenous people.
Bill Miller’s music has given voice to Native people for more than 30 years. The Mohican Indian from Wisconsin and three-time Grammy Award-winner’s signature sound doesn’t just make music — it purposefully speaks with thunder (voice), wind (Native American flute), water (guitar) and soul (story).
Miller has worked and written songs for the likes of Nancy Griffith, Pearl Jam and Eddie Veder, the BoDeans, and Arlo Guthrie (yes, that Alice’s Restaurant–Arlo
Guthrie). He opened for Tori Amos more than 200 times in her Under the Pink U.S. and Canadian tour.
Domito, who will host the Taos Lifestyle concert, will bring together Indigenous talent that arguably, we’ve never seen perform quite like this. “I am honored to host this very special show,” Domito said.
According to Cook, “I am honoring my ancestors by bringing their story to light,” who is clearly honored to be on stage with his formidable colleagues who will be helping to tell the story that is much bigger than all of them. “I want their story to live on in the light,” commented Cook.
The Feb. 16 concert starts at 7 p.m. at Taos Lifestyle, located at 815 Paseo del Pueblo Sur. To watch the trailer of Cook’s film, visit youtube.com/ watch?v=c01J38fceH0.