As a music lover of all genres, I really do enjoy the diversity of live music offerings in Placitas. I enjoy live music at the Sandia Chill summer concerts performed at the Homestead Village, surrounded by a lot of early evening sky drama, great Sandia Mountain views in the south, unusual cloud formations in the east and north, and spectacular Placitas sunsets in the west.  As some of you already know, I am particularly fond of jazz and blues. The Sandia Chill Concerts are presented by the Canyon Blues and Jazz (CB&J) organization, a Placitas non-profit specializing in these music genres. There are five Sunday Sandia Chill evening concerts during the season. The series is book ended by the popular Memorial Day and Labor Day Blues Festivals. In between you can enjoy lively classic rock, Americana, jazz, soul or R&B concerts performed by local talented bands and popular vocalists.   Dancing is an important element of the Sandia Chill concerts, and fans of all ages love to let loose and express themselves on the ‘dance floor.’ Some people describe the Sandia Chill concerts as a summer street dance party, while others just like to relax, listen to great music and people watch. I, personally, enjoy doing it all at the concerts.

The Sandia Chill concerts started in the summer of 2019 with just four concerts. Even then a significant portion of the proceeds was donated to local charities. The dual mission of the Canyon Blues and Jazz is presenting quality music concerts for Placitas and surrounding communities along with fund raising for local charities. This was the brainchild of founder Anja Bladergroen, owner of Blades Bistro, who wanted to expand on the concept of music to benefit the community at large and provide local Homestead Village businesses visibility at the Sunday evening concerts. Anja got in touch with Jim Casey, lead guitarist for Chill House, who was performing locally. Jim contacted me where at the time, I was serving on the NM Jazz Workshop Board of Directors and knowledgeable on non-profit music organizations. Anja, Jim and myself met to form the Canyon Blues and Jazz organization in the spring of 2019 as the founding Board members. We initiated the business model, procured the stage, and scheduled the first four 2019 Sandia Chill concerts. Placitas volunteers were called in to help with the concerts. It took a village to pull off this endeavor. Within a year the organization was incorporated and received its non-profit status. Some very generous early sponsors made it possible to procure the stage and utilize a storage trailer. Orville and Judy McCallister offered performance space at the Homestead Village.

The all-volunteer CB&J Board has grown to eight Placitas residing Board members. The newest members are Michael Delongchamp, Gary Georgia, Jon Greenwood, Jessica Golden and Kyla Wood. Board members perform the administrative duties of the organization, volunteer and manage the concert duties.  A bevy of public volunteers work at the concerts, too. Without these volunteers CB&J would not be able to present the concerts. CB&J depends on donations, sponsorships from local businesses, seasonal memberships and concert ticketing. The bands and musicians are paid a fair market wage. Proceeds from the concerts are donated to concert beneficiaries.  

Let’s get back to the music. This year CB&J has presented three concerts starting with the May 24th first of its kind Indigenous Blues Festival with three performing Navajo bands benefiting Casa Rosa and Placitas Wild. The Veterans Appreciations concert took place on June 14th starting off with a moving performance by the Sue V. Cleveland High School Honor Guard and benefitted the Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships to military families. The July 12th American Jazz Celebration concert featured the Jazz Traveler and the 19-piece Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra with diva Hillary Smith. The August 16th concert will feature Grammy award winning jazz trumpeter Ryan Montano and his Soul, Funk and Jazz band who will perform with vocalist Rebecca Arscott. The last concert of the season will be the September 6 Labor Day Blues Festival featuring J. Boy Adams with Zenobia, the Big Suitcase Band from Santa Fe, and the Rudy Boy Experiment.  For details on the final concerts and ticketing go to www.CanyonBluesandJazz.org.