Skip Heller pays tribute to Lalo Guerrero

LA musician and composer Skip Heller has hosted gigs in Tucson throughout his career, and above all, believes the rich musical flavor of the city often goes unrecognized.

“Tucson is kind of underrated,” Heller said. “Very few people know how many great musicians there are in Tucson, and how high the level of musicianship is here. Between that and the food, it’s always a joy to come back.”

On Cinco de Mayo weekend, Heller will bring two music traditions to the Century Room. The first on Friday, May 5, will feature the music of Lalo Guerrero, a legendary Chicano singer and native Tucsonan, performed by his son and the Reckless Night Ensemble. Heller will return on Saturday, May 6, with his Hollywood Film Noirchestra, paying tribute to film scores from classics like “Touch of Evil,” “I Want to Live” and “The Hustler.”

In the wake of Heller’s career, the musician met Lalo in the late nineties. Heller transcribed Lalo’s original recordings and organized one of the legend’s last tours. After Lalo’s death in 2005, Heller didn’t perform the arrangements until meeting bassist Nick Ornelas over 10 years later. Together, they formed the Reckless Night Ensemble with nine other LA musicians and Lalo’s son, Mark Guerrero, and began their tribute tour.

“When you decide to do his music, you’re looking at such a long career of really diverse material,” Heller noted. “You could center in on any one facet of his career and have a completely rewarding gold mine. Getting to know his son, Mark, who’s a great musician, singer and Chicano music historian, was even more enriching.”

Known as the “Father of Chicano Music,” Lalo played everything from swing and blues to salsa, mambo and rock ‘n’ roll, to name a few in his wide repertory. In his later life, Lalo performed alongside Mark, passing on the traditions of Old Pueblo song and dance.

Heller was a fan and friend of the late legend and described Lalo as a “country unto himself” and a staple of the region. The joining local musicians put “their foot into his music” and reclaim it by “incorporating the Tucson accent” back into it, Heller added.

Heller’s own Hollywood Film Noirchestra is an embodiment of his love for jazz, especially that of old noir film scores. In his youth, he collected records from composers like Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith and Johnny Mandel. He soon learned of its popularity among other fans of the genre.

“In everything I’ve done, there’s been a jazz base to it,” Heller said. “I thought this would just be my passion project. Instead, it turned out to be this thing that right out of the box, was more successful than other things I’ve worked at.”

Heller organized the group in 2019, transcribing the music of mid-century noir movies. According to the musician, not much of the music had ever been played live, or to the extent the Noirchestra takes it.

His arrangements replicate the smoky and tempered eeriness of the older noir genre. With their debut album, “Dark Passages,” the group received quick praise from the likes of music magazine Exotica Moderne and Tucson’s own Al Perry.

For both performances, Heller will bring up a few members of his LA ensemble but has also invited local musicians like Arthur Vint to the stage. Heller lauded the Tucson music scene for its versatility and spirit, noting its underground nature as a breeding ground for cultural creativity.

“There are all these great musicians in Tucson that often don’t get called upon to do the thing that turns them into a secret weapon,” Heller said. “There’s no big music industry in Tucson, and I’ve heard players here have more originality and a greater openness toward music.”

Mark Guerrero sings the Songs of Lalo Guerrero

WHEN: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, May 5

WHERE: The Century Room, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson

COST: Tickets start at $20

INFO: https://hotelcongress.com/family/century-room/

Skip Heller’s Hollywood Film Noirchestra

WHEN: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, May 6

WHERE: The Century Room, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson

COST: Tickets start at $20

INFO: https://hotelcongress.com/family/century-room/

This article appears in May 4-10, 2023.