The Lotus Social House in El Paso is dimly lit with a sweet aroma on the evening of Feb. 5. Waitresses and bartenders hand people their drinks while they enjoy the sound of music echoing through the lounge. Three musicians stand on top of a small stage and fill the air with jazzy tunes while people share a laugh and a jazz experience.
These musicians are “Jazz Around Town” performers, a music series run by The El Paso Jazz Exchange, a non-profit founded by Candice Reyes, executive director, and Abel Mireles, creative director. The founders both completed their bachelor’s in music at the University of Texas at El Paso. From there, they went to New York City where Mireles completed his master’s in jazz studies. They later returned to El Paso and founded The Jazz Exchange in 2023.
The Jazz Exchange is a music charity non-profit that brings jazz-focused music education opportunities like their Jazz Academy Program to young students. They also host the El Paso Jazz Festival in an attempt to revive the jazz scene on the border through jazz shows around town.
“There’s so much going on,” Reyes said. “But it’s really focusing on supporting, uplifting and building communities through music.”
Unknown to most, jazz has a rich culture surrounding El Paso and its neighboring city, Cd. Juarez, Mexico, making the revival of Border-Jazz Culture more important.
“[Jazz] has a long history here. All the way from even before prohibition. When prohibition was happening a lot of businesses went to Juarez, and Juarez would never close. It was like a mini-Vegas,” Mireles said. “We’re rediscovering this music from our history.”
“Jazz Around Town” is a music series partnered with The Garrison which sits at the corner of San Antonio Avenue and Kansas Street in Downtown El Paso.
Wednesday, Feb. 5, was “Jazz Around Town’s” first kickoff show at Lotus Social House. The founders said that they hope to build a bigger audience and more opportunity through this expansion.
“We believe in the mission of building communities through not only music education for kids but also providing opportunities for local artists to come out,” Mireles said. “Every Jazz Around Town rotation we have is an opportunity for a different local artist to play this music, it creates an opportunity for networking and also to play in front of a listening audience.”
Attendees like UTEP student, Karen Lozano-Bolteada sit back and enjoy the opportunity to go out and soak in the live music. The Jazz Exchange’s “Jazz Around Town” offers jazz lovers like her a chance to soak up the music.
“The atmosphere was great,” Lozano said, “I just learned about The Jazz Exchange, and I’m extremely grateful for them. I think they’re helping build the city’s art repertoire, I fully support creating sources of inspiration for the community.”
Aside from entertainment, The Jazz Exchange has other benefits that support the El Paso community.
“It supports our local economy, it supports community, but it also gives a different perspective and makes people more open to different situations,” Mireles said. “Being in a room with live music changes your perspective. It can make you relax; it can make you enjoy your time and forget about [hardships].”
As the night continues, the crowd soaks in the ambience and share conversations letting the sounds of jazz brighten the mood. The musicians on stage pour their passion into the music. The room is relaxed as people leave their worries out the door to soak in some sweet tunes giving them a break from the day-to-day hustle in the middle of the week.
Jesie Garica is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @empanaditawrites.
