Agustin Gurza

Thank you for the June 19 column by Agustin Gurza on Lupe Vidales. Once again it shows how a motivated person can get ahead, with a little help. I was disappointed that Project Self-Sufficiency was mentioned in passing. It is a public/private partnership. It assists more than 100 single parents to return to school so that through education they can get a better job, become self-sufficient and as a result become a taxpaying member of the community. Vidales came to Project Self-Sufficiency via Interval House, a shelter for battered women, another great organization sustained through the hard work of volunteers from the community.

I SPENT a wonderful Father's Day at LACMA, inspired by the article ("It's a Battle Won for Cheech Marin," by Agustin Gurza, June 14) on Cheech Marin's art collection exhibit, "Los Angelenos." I have to say that of all the art I have ever seen at LACMA, including the Van Gogh and Diego Rivera collections, I have never found a collection as consistently excellent. Every one of the paintings (and the incredible pastels) was alive with color, energy, expression and personality. "Phantom Sightings," on the other hand, was hit and miss.

THE ARTICLE about Ry Cooder producing Ersi Arvizu's new album ["Finding Her Voz Again," by Agustin Gurza, May 3] is very biased and vindictive. Why does Gurza find it relevant when he is writing about Ersi Arvizu's new record to then put down Ry Cooder's brilliant work on Buena Vista Social Club? He should thank Cooder for introducing us to another gifted artist from the past. Gurza missed the most important issue here. Few people in the record business today seek out truly gifted musicians with the intention to cross over cultural lines.

Agustin Gurza is on vacation.

Houston, you've got the Latin Grammys. The ninth annual edition of the international music awards show moves to Texas for the first time after alternating between East and West coasts since its debut in Los Angeles in 2000. The ceremony showcasing music from across the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world will be broadcast live on Nov. 13 from Houston's Toyota Center, home of the NBA's Houston Rockets with a capacity of 19,000. Nominations will be announced Sept. 10. But why Houston?

AGUSTIN, really now. Are you sure you were in Panama ["Panama, Primed," by Agustin Gurza, June 25]? Someone has given you a snow job! The Hotel Panama has poor service, the roads are a disaster, the "freeway" to Colon (the second-largest city in the republic) was never completed. Portobelo is a national disgrace, rotting and deteriorating like Colon, the most crime-ridden city on the Caribbean side. If this country doesn't do something about its basic infrastructure -- and soon -- it's going to implode.

The "Hot Ticket" regarding Wayne Shorter's upcoming concert could certainly have been written entirely on this marvelous artist, but the writer decided to go off-subject and tossed in a dig at John Coltrane ["An Explorer of Sound," Jan. 26]. Besides being mean-spirited, that statement's flat-out ignorance should disqualify this writer from any sort of coverage on the subject of jazz. In a similar vein, August Brown takes a cheap shot at Joan Baez in his article that should have stuck to its subject, Chava Alberstein ["A Still-Fresh Vocal Observer, Jan. 26]

When I saw the teaser on the front of the paper about Barcelona and Latin music ["Barcelona's New Beat," June 26], I had a hunch Agustin Gurza was behind it. Great article about Barcelona and the music scene. I also am enamored with Barcelona. I have been there at least three times. It is a beautiful, charming and exhilarating city with a nonstop cultural life. Jaime Soto Orange

I read your article about Barcelona ["Barcelona's New Beat," by Agustin Gurza, June 26] while my bride for the last 55 years was in intensive care. She had undergone removal of a subdural hematoma resulting from her being mugged May 8 during our visit there. I am writing to you because she did not take the advice of the cruise director: Don't carry a purse, which is bait for muggers. The mugger grabbed her purse swinging her to the ground, resulting in her injuries and subsequent surgery six weeks later.

In reading Agustin Gurza's review of the talented Brazilian singer Maria Rita's concert at Wadsworth Theatre ["Beyond the Dreamy Voice, an Image in Need of Help," April 18], I had to look again at the headline to make sure I was reading a music review and not a fashion review. What do clothes and muscle tone have to do with what Rita sounds like? Why is he attacking personality traits and superficial appearance rather than focusing on her musicianship? This is the problem with the music industry in America today.

Regarding: "Skateboarders Possess Something We Don't . . . Yet," May 11: Nice column by Agustin Gurza. It's nice to know that someone can see that skaters are not the devil reincarnated. Every group has a dark side, but skaters are, basically, good people trying to find their niche. Plus, are they talented. Good stuff! JONATHAN BENBROOK, Huntington Beach

Thank YOU so very much for the article on La Trevi ["Coming On Strong Again," March 20]. There are many parallels between what Gloria does as a performer and what the women of the early punk scene were up to: the rebellious attitude, the sexually aggressive front, the stubborn refusal to be a victim. When I discovered her music in the early '90s, I immediately recognized her as a kindred spirit, and I've been a Gloria fan ever since. The fact that her new CD is one of the best I've heard this year is the sweetest revenge of all. Alice Bag Los Angeles Much has been written and reported about Gloria Trevi's musical career and unfortunately imprudent personal life, but it has never been done with such professionalism and objectivity.

I was thrilled to see the review of Jimmy Bosch's latest album, "El Avion de la Salsa" ("Proving He's Still Got That Swing," Nov. 28). While I agree with Agustin Gurza's assessment of Bosch's impressive level of musicianship, I take exception with the reviewer's admonition to "forget the lyrics," for the hard, aggressive salsa swing is fueled just as much by the lyrics as by Bosch's off-the-charts trombone playing. Bosch's lyrics are a refreshing social commentary on life and love and everything ordinary and extraordinary in between.