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Martha Gonzalez (musician)

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Martha Gonzalez
Gonzalez in 2022
Born51–52[1]
Los Angeles, California
CitizenshipUnited States
EducationBachelor of Arts in Ethnomusicology
Ph.D. in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
University of Washington

Martha Gonzalez is a Chicana artist, activist, musician and feminist music theorist. She is an associate professor in the Intercollegiate Department of Chicana/o Latina/o Studies at Scripps College.[2] She is also a lead singer, percussionist, and songwriter for the band Quetzal, which won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop, Rock or Album in 2013.[3] In 2022, Gonzalez was named a MacArthur Fellow by the MacArthur Foundation.[4][5][6]

Academic career

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Gonzalez holds a PhD degree in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies from the University of Washington and a BA in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright Garcia-Robles Scholar (2007–2008), a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow (2012–2013), and a Woodrow Wilson Career Enhancement Fellow (2016–2017).[2] In September 2016, Gonzalez began a three-year artist-in-residence program at Arizona State University in Phoenix/Tempe.[1]

Musical career

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Gonzalez is a singer/songwriter and percussionist for the Chicano rock band Quetzal.[2] Gonzalez also performs with the band FandangOban.[7] In addition, Gonzalez and her partner Quetzal Flores have played a key role in connecting Chican@/Latin@ communities in the U.S. and Jarocho communities in Veracruz, Mexico.[8][9] In September 2011, the U.S. Library of Congress and Kennedy Center invited Gonzalez to perform and speak as a part of their "Homegrown" music series.[2]

Gonzalez has collaborated musically and/or toured with numerous artists, including Los Lobos, Los Van Van, Jackson Browne, Susana Baca, Perla Batalla, Jaguares, Ozomatli, Jonathan Richman, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, ¡Cubanismo!, Taj Mahal, Tom Waits, Los Super Seven, Lila Downs, Raul Malo, Rick Trevino, Son de Madera, Relicario, Chuchumbe Charanga Cakewalk, B-Side Players, Teatro Campesino and Laura Rebolloso.[2]

In the summer of 2014, Gonzalez's tarima (stomp box) and zapateado shoes were acquired by the National Museum of American History.[2]

Artivism

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Gonzalez trains other local Los Angeles-based artists in the Collective Songwriting method, and she works with The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) on implementing the method.[2]

Awards

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In 2022, Gonzalez was named a MacArthur Fellow by the MacArthur Foundation.[10][5][11]

Personal life

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Gonzalez is the middle of four children, born in Los Angeles to parents who had immigrated from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.[12][13][14] Gonzalez and her siblings grew up singing in downtown Los Angeles.[12] She is married to her Quetzal bandmate Quetzal Flores, and they have a son together.[12][13]

Selected research and publications

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  • 2014: “Creating a Mexican-AfroCuban American Beat” in What It Means to be American
  • 2014: “Mixing in the Kitchen: Entre Mujeres Feminine Translocal Composition” in Performing Motherhood, Demeter Press, ISBN 978-1-927335-92-5
  • 2014:: A de activista, Triangle Square, ISBN 978-1609805692
  • 2015: “Sobreviviendo: Immigration Stories and Testimonio in Song” Center for Latino Research at University of De Paul University.
  • 2020: Chican@ Artivistas: Music, Community, and Transborder Tactics in East Los Angeles, University of Texas Press, ISBN 978-1-4773-2113-3

References

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  1. ^ a b Laura Gómez (September 19, 2016). "Martha Gonzalez: plantando semillas de arte y conciencia" (in Spanish). La Voz. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Faculty: Martha Gonzalez". Scripps College. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
  3. ^ Johnson, Reed (2013-02-10). "Quetzal's 'Imaginaries' wins Latin alternative award". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  4. ^ Kim, Mina (October 25, 2022). "'Artivista' and MacArthur Winner Martha Gonzalez on Achieving Social Justice Through Music". KQED.
  5. ^ a b "Martha Gonzalez: Musician, Scholar, and Artist/Activist". MacArthur Foundation. October 12, 2022.
  6. ^ Greenberg, Susan (October 13, 2022). "2022 MacArthur Fellows Have Deep Ties to Academe". Inside Higher Ed.
  7. ^ Sabrina Greene (June 30, 2016). "Basque culture, California music thrill at 2016 Folklife Festival". Smithsonian Insider. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  8. ^ "Quetzal Flores". Artivist Entertainment. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  9. ^ Hannah Balcomb (February 8, 2013). "Quetzal: On Their Own Terms". Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2012. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  10. ^ Kim, Mina (October 25, 2022). "'Artivista' and MacArthur Winner Martha Gonzalez on Achieving Social Justice Through Music". KQED.
  11. ^ Greenberg, Susan (October 13, 2022). "2022 MacArthur Fellows Have Deep Ties to Academe". Inside Higher Ed.
  12. ^ a b c Marcos Nájera (May 25, 2016). "A trio of sibling singers reunite after 20 years to keep a family tradition alive". The Frame. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  13. ^ a b Mick Rhodes (April 19, 2016). "Artists, activists 'Quetzal' to play Folk Festival" (PDF). Claremont Courier. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  14. ^ Miranda, Carolina (May 26, 2016). "Column: The musical family reunion that has Quetzal fans and East L.A. talking". LA Times.
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