Robert Rivera Ojeda and URBAN-15 present “A Tribute To The Mexican American Orquesta, The History and Influences on Music by Mexican American Musicians.” This Free event, powered by a Production Costs grant from the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture, occurs at 3pm CST on Sunday, May 17 at URBAN-15 Studios (2500 S, Presa). Free tickets may be reserved at urban15.org/events/robert-ojedas-tribute-to-the-mexican-american-orquesta.

Performed by Robert Ojeda’s Bronze Band, this tribute will chronicle the history and development of Mexican American music across a 50 year span, from the rich historical background that gave rise to the “Mexican American” generation in the post-WWII era, to the “Chicanos” of the 70s and 80s. This will include an exploration about the influences left by American performers such as Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie after their performances at venues like the Galvan Ballroom in Corpus Christi.

Robert Ojeda, a respected musician, educator, and historian, states that the Tribute to The Mexican Orquesta is to fill the gap in San Antonio’s music history by preserving, promoting, and performing the music of San Antonio’s history. He is a 2024 grantee of the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture Individual Artist Grant.

The Bronze Band is a group of seasoned musicians that will perform a myriad of genres created over the years, including Indigenous, Tex-Mex, Chicano rhythm and blues, country-western swing, cumbias, boleros, oldies and much more that reflects the creations by Mexican American musicians.