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Twenty-five years ago, Emiliano “Mino” Valdez took a trip to Colorado to accompany his father, “Zoot Suit” star Daniel Valdez, at a series of concerts. Performing songs from Daniel’s landmark album, “Mestizo,” it was the first time Mino had ever shared a stage with his father to play his music.
Last September, Mino’s 26-year-old son, Daniel E. Valdez, on the cusp of releasing his own album, took that same trip with his grandfather and performed the same music.
Traveling to Colorado to attend the show, Mino began thinking about his family’s musical heritage, and the idea for “Generations,” an upcoming benefit event at El Teatro Campesino, was born.
“It started as a call to action,” Mino said. “My cousin, Juan Candelaria, was diagnosed with liver cancer, and the bills were piling up. And it was a way to kind of get my dad, who has not performed his music in San Juan for over 30 years, out of semi-retirement.”
Spotlighting from three generations, the show will feature Daniel, with his band Brotherhood, consisting of many of the original performers from “Mestizo”; Mino, with SomoS, a band made up of family members; and the stage debut of Daniel E.’s band, Devi.
Daniel, a longtime collaborator with his brother, Luis Valdez, served as musical director for El Teatro from its inception, eventually passing the job on to Mino, who held it for 22 years. In 2019, Daniel E. assumed the position, beginning with that year’s production of “La Pastorela.”
Daniel E. will be opening the show with 10 selections from an as-yet-released album. Describing his trip to Colorado with his grandfather as “quite wonderful,” he said that he felt privileged to have grown up in a rich musical environment.
“I understand that there is a pretty special connection from my grandfather to my dad and then from my dad to me,” he said. “I feel that my songwriting and musicianship have continued to grow, and while there is some pressure from that kind of legacy, I’m willing to stand up to the challenge.”
While saying his music reflects his upbringing, he is also anxious to forge his own path. “I want the seeds of my origins to be felt,” he said, “but I want to see what that grows into from my own perspective and where it goes from there.”
He will be followed by Mino, performing 10 songs with the recently resurrected SomoS.
“We had a great live existence for about 15 years,” he said. “Then we stopped because life kind of caught up with everybody. We all had jobs, and it became a stressful thing because we just didn’t have time anymore.”
The band was revived a few times, even trying to find ways to perform during the pandemic.
There was an application that allowed us to rehearse from our homes when everyone was quarantining,” he said. “It didn’t work because it was just really hard not to be in the room together.”
Mino said having the chance to bring his band back together, bookended by his father and his son, has been satisfying.
“It’s just this very cathartic thing,” he said. “All I can tell you is being in the middle of these two pillars of the new and the older generations is such an incredible thing, it’s like a dream to me.”
For many, the main attraction of the evening will be the return of Daniel Valdez to the stage, performing songs from throughout his career.
“We’re putting together a band that hasn’t been together in a long time,” Daniel said. “I have not talked to some of these people in three decades other than email. It’s going to be interesting because, in a sense, I will be competing with my younger self.”
His band, Brotherhood, will be performing songs they recorded just after “Zoot Suit,” including work from an unreleased album. The show will conclude with an ensemble rendition of songs from “Zoot Suit.”
Pulling together the show has given Mino a chance to reflect on his family’s legacy.
“There is so much duality,” he said, “and so much of a generational path that just keeps repeating and growing in terms of the music that we play. And very intentional and yet non-intentional, coming through through happenstance and through destiny.”
But the main focus is on using the power of music to help Candelaria in his hour of need.
“This is an incredible opportunity to bring generations of healing energy, not just to him but to everybody,” Mino said. “Producing all three of the bands has been definitely a labor of love, and I am still just in awe of these performers coming together for this.”
There will be two performances of “Generations” on March 1 and 2 at El Teatro Campesino, 705 Fourth Street in San Juan Bautista. Tickets are $35 and available on the Teatro website or at the box office. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
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