Daniel Ward plays on the Taberna Stage from 6pm-8pm

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.  He has been a featured performer and workshop instructor at festivals across the country, including: Reno Ukulele festival, West Coast Ukulele retreat, Wine Country Ukulele Festival, San Diego Ukulele Festival, Port Townsend Ukulele festival, Albuquerque Ukulele festival and many More.  With his partner Heidi Swedberg, he has performed as an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix AZ, and performed at Children’s Music Festivals around the country, including concerts in Los Angeles, New York City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and the Austin City Limits Festival. Heidi and Daniel were also featured performers at Music China in Shanghai in 2012.

As a guitarist, Daniel has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with  Ottmar Liebert  and Luna Negra (1997-2000) as well as performing with the flamenco dance ensembles of Maria Benitez, Dance Espana, and Yjastros (1994-present),  and 20 years playing rock-n-roll electric guitar for Celebrity Enterprises  corporate entertainment (1994-present).

As a commissioned classical composer, Daniel has penned two string quartets for the Del Sol ensemble of San Francisco, and a four-hands piano piece.  He has scored music for film, television and video. 

In the field of recording he has won awards (Parent’s Choice NAPPA, NM Recording Arts, Fids and Kamalies) on both albums he collaborated with Heidi Swedberg and is a sought after producer and arranger.  His own CD “After the Storm” is an award winning virtuosic performance of original compositions masterfully played on electric and flamenco guitar.

Daniel Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in classical Guitar performance, and a minor in composition. His musical expertise includes Flamenco, jazz, pop and most styles of world music, along with the ability to compose and improvise within these styles. He is also a seasoned educator, and has 25 years experience teaching music to all ages. He is a consultant and music typographer for music method books, and writes as a columnist for Ukulele online magazines.

As a performer and a teacher, Daniel believes the Ukulele holds a strong place in music industry and music education as an expressive instrument that still remains accessible and approachable to all levels of students and professionals alike.

Nacha Mendez plays on the Taberna Stage every Sunday night from 6pm-8pm

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards.  She  received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Zooga Malaga is well known as the sweet minstrel and mood-changer of the New York City subway system and all of its daily commuters. Whether playing the underground platforms, restaurants or concerts, he treats us to seasoned and rare pieces of Bossa Nova, Samba, Tropicalismo, and an array of his own amalgamations of Jazz, Funk, and Hip Hop tunes. Zooga’s trademark is a unique style of guitar playing using the palm of his hand and fingertips to create intricate percussion, while singing in Spanglish (Spanish/English) and Portunol (Portuguese/Spanish).

Jesus Bas plays on the Taberna Stage every Friday night from 7pm-9pm

Born and raised in Madrid Spain, however, now calls beautiful Santa Fe New Mexico his home. Bas is a "Cantautor" (singer songwriter), a guitarist, a working musician. Jesus is a brilliant Spanish singer and guitarist who sings in Spanish, English, Italian & Portuguese, performing familiar favorites and originals with great skill and flair. He is a favorite with audiences.

Chuscales plays on the Taberna Stage every Thursday night from 7-9 pm

Chuscales has performed around the globe, including appearances at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theatre, The Joyce, Jacobs Pillow, Telluride Jazz Festival, The Lensic in Santa Fe, Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Festival Flamenco Internacional (20+ years), Santa Fe Jazz & International Music Festival. He was musical director and principal guitarist for the prestigious, Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco, for nearly two decades and has toured with Noche Flamenca, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Jesús Muñoz Flamenco, Yaelisa Caminos Flamenco, Yjastros, Susana Di Palma Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, and is the recipient of top honors including more recently: Dora More Award (2007,2009,2010) for outstanding sound design/composition and Isadora Duncan Awards for composition (1997 & 2011) for arrangement, and direction. Chuscales has appeared in riveting reviews for his work with major dance companies.

Daniel Ward plays on the Taberna Stage from 6pm-8pm

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.  He has been a featured performer and workshop instructor at festivals across the country, including: Reno Ukulele festival, West Coast Ukulele retreat, Wine Country Ukulele Festival, San Diego Ukulele Festival, Port Townsend Ukulele festival, Albuquerque Ukulele festival and many More.  With his partner Heidi Swedberg, he has performed as an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix AZ, and performed at Children’s Music Festivals around the country, including concerts in Los Angeles, New York City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and the Austin City Limits Festival. Heidi and Daniel were also featured performers at Music China in Shanghai in 2012.

As a guitarist, Daniel has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with  Ottmar Liebert  and Luna Negra (1997-2000) as well as performing with the flamenco dance ensembles of Maria Benitez, Dance Espana, and Yjastros (1994-present),  and 20 years playing rock-n-roll electric guitar for Celebrity Enterprises  corporate entertainment (1994-present).

As a commissioned classical composer, Daniel has penned two string quartets for the Del Sol ensemble of San Francisco, and a four-hands piano piece.  He has scored music for film, television and video. 

In the field of recording he has won awards (Parent’s Choice NAPPA, NM Recording Arts, Fids and Kamalies) on both albums he collaborated with Heidi Swedberg and is a sought after producer and arranger.  His own CD “After the Storm” is an award winning virtuosic performance of original compositions masterfully played on electric and flamenco guitar.

Daniel Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in classical Guitar performance, and a minor in composition. His musical expertise includes Flamenco, jazz, pop and most styles of world music, along with the ability to compose and improvise within these styles. He is also a seasoned educator, and has 25 years experience teaching music to all ages. He is a consultant and music typographer for music method books, and writes as a columnist for Ukulele online magazines.

As a performer and a teacher, Daniel believes the Ukulele holds a strong place in music industry and music education as an expressive instrument that still remains accessible and approachable to all levels of students and professionals alike.

Pat Malone performs with professionalism, versatility and pure energy that captivates and inspires his audiences. Pat has a devoted following in Chicago, Austin and Santa Fe from his live performances, and is a favorite in the studio. Throughout his career, Malone has played with many outstanding musicians, including Pete Christlieb (Steely Dan, Doc Severenson), Bobby Doyle (Blood, Sweat & Tears – CBS), Bill Ginn (Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen, Jennifer Warren), Eric Johnson, Lonnie Mack, Kim Stone (Spyra Gyra), Mitch Watkins, Spencer Starnes, Peter Rowan, John Mills, Junior Brown, Mike Turk, Jimmy Carl Black (Frank Zappa Mothers of Invention) and Kirk Waylum.

A disciplined student of music since the age of 9, Pat Malone has studied under an impressive list of great teachers. He completed master classes with Jack Cecchini in Chicago, through whom he conducted workshops with many guitarists including Joe Pass and Joe Diorio.

Zooga Malaga is well known as the sweet minstrel and mood-changer of the New York City subway system and all of its daily commuters. Whether playing the underground platforms, restaurants or concerts, he treats us to seasoned and rare pieces of Bossa Nova, Samba, Tropicalismo, and an array of his own amalgamations of Jazz, Funk, and Hip Hop tunes. Zooga’s trademark is a unique style of guitar playing using the palm of his hand and fingertips to create intricate percussion, while singing in Spanglish (Spanish/English) and Portunol (Portuguese/Spanish).

Chuscales plays on the Taberna Stage every Thursday night from 7-9 pm

Chuscales has performed around the globe, including appearances at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theatre, The Joyce, Jacobs Pillow, Telluride Jazz Festival, The Lensic in Santa Fe, Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Festival Flamenco Internacional (20+ years), Santa Fe Jazz & International Music Festival. He was musical director and principal guitarist for the prestigious, Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco, for nearly two decades and has toured with Noche Flamenca, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Jesús Muñoz Flamenco, Yaelisa Caminos Flamenco, Yjastros, Susana Di Palma Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, and is the recipient of top honors including more recently: Dora More Award (2007,2009,2010) for outstanding sound design/composition and Isadora Duncan Awards for composition (1997 & 2011) for arrangement, and direction. Chuscales has appeared in riveting reviews for his work with major dance companies.

Jesus Bas plays on the Taberna Stage every Friday night from 7pm-9pm

Born and raised in Madrid Spain, however, now calls beautiful Santa Fe New Mexico his home. Bas is a "Cantautor" (singer songwriter), a guitarist, a working musician. Jesus is a brilliant Spanish singer and guitarist who sings in Spanish, English, Italian & Portuguese, performing familiar favorites and originals with great skill and flair. He is a favorite with audiences.

Daniel Ward plays on the Taberna Stage every Wednesday from 7pm-9pm

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.  He has been a featured performer and workshop instructor at festivals across the country, including: Reno Ukulele festival, West Coast Ukulele retreat, Wine Country Ukulele Festival, San Diego Ukulele Festival, Port Townsend Ukulele festival, Albuquerque Ukulele festival and many More.  With his partner Heidi Swedberg, he has performed as an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix AZ, and performed at Children’s Music Festivals around the country, including concerts in Los Angeles, New York City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and the Austin City Limits Festival. Heidi and Daniel were also featured performers at Music China in Shanghai in 2012.

As a guitarist, Daniel has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra (1997-2000) as well as performing with the flamenco dance ensembles of Maria Benitez, Dance Espana, and Yjastros (1994-present), and 20 years playing rock-n-roll electric guitar for Celebrity Enterprises corporate entertainment (1994-present).

As a commissioned classical composer, Daniel has penned two string quartets for the Del Sol ensemble of San Francisco, and a four-hands piano piece.  He has scored music for film, television and video. 

In the field of recording he has won awards (Parent’s Choice NAPPA, NM Recording Arts, Fids and Kamalies) on both albums he collaborated with Heidi Swedberg and is a sought after producer and arranger. His own CD “After the Storm” is an award winning virtuosic performance of original compositions masterfully played on electric and flamenco guitar.

Daniel Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in classical Guitar performance, and a minor in composition. His musical expertise includes Flamenco, jazz, pop and most styles of world music, along with the ability to compose and improvise within these styles. He is also a seasoned educator, and has 25 years experience teaching music to all ages. He is a consultant and music typographer for music method books, and writes as a columnist for Ukulele online magazines.

As a performer and a teacher, Daniel believes the Ukulele holds a strong place in music industry and music education as an expressive instrument that still remains accessible and approachable to all levels of students and professionals alike.

Nacha Mendez plays on the Taberna Stage every Sunday night from 6pm-8pm

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards.  She  received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Chuscales plays on the Taberna Stage every Saturday night from 6-8 pm

Chuscales has performed around the globe, including appearances at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theatre, The Joyce, Jacobs Pillow, Telluride Jazz Festival, The Lensic in Santa Fe, Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Festival Flamenco Internacional (20+ years), Santa Fe Jazz & International Music Festival. He was musical director and principal guitarist for the prestigious, Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco, for nearly two decades and has toured with Noche Flamenca, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Jesús Muñoz Flamenco, Yaelisa Caminos Flamenco, Yjastros, Susana Di Palma Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, and is the recipient of top honors including more recently: Dora More Award (2007,2009,2010) for outstanding sound design/composition and Isadora Duncan Awards for composition (1997 & 2011) for arrangement, and direction. Chuscales has appeared in riveting reviews for his work with major dance companies.

Jesus Bas plays on the Taberna Stage every Friday night from 7pm-9pm

Born and raised in Madrid Spain, however, now calls beautiful Santa Fe New Mexico his home. Bas is a "Cantautor" (singer songwriter), a guitarist, a working musician. Jesus is a brilliant Spanish singer and guitarist who sings in Spanish, English, Italian & Portuguese, performing familiar favorites and originals with great skill and flair. He is a favorite with audiences.

Daniel Ward plays on the Taberna Stage from 6pm-8pm

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.  He has been a featured performer and workshop instructor at festivals across the country, including: Reno Ukulele festival, West Coast Ukulele retreat, Wine Country Ukulele Festival, San Diego Ukulele Festival, Port Townsend Ukulele festival, Albuquerque Ukulele festival and many More.  With his partner Heidi Swedberg, he has performed as an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix AZ, and performed at Children’s Music Festivals around the country, including concerts in Los Angeles, New York City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and the Austin City Limits Festival. Heidi and Daniel were also featured performers at Music China in Shanghai in 2012.

As a guitarist, Daniel has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with  Ottmar Liebert  and Luna Negra (1997-2000) as well as performing with the flamenco dance ensembles of Maria Benitez, Dance Espana, and Yjastros (1994-present),  and 20 years playing rock-n-roll electric guitar for Celebrity Enterprises  corporate entertainment (1994-present).

As a commissioned classical composer, Daniel has penned two string quartets for the Del Sol ensemble of San Francisco, and a four-hands piano piece.  He has scored music for film, television and video. 

In the field of recording he has won awards (Parent’s Choice NAPPA, NM Recording Arts, Fids and Kamalies) on both albums he collaborated with Heidi Swedberg and is a sought after producer and arranger.  His own CD “After the Storm” is an award winning virtuosic performance of original compositions masterfully played on electric and flamenco guitar.

Daniel Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in classical Guitar performance, and a minor in composition. His musical expertise includes Flamenco, jazz, pop and most styles of world music, along with the ability to compose and improvise within these styles. He is also a seasoned educator, and has 25 years experience teaching music to all ages. He is a consultant and music typographer for music method books, and writes as a columnist for Ukulele online magazines.

As a performer and a teacher, Daniel believes the Ukulele holds a strong place in music industry and music education as an expressive instrument that still remains accessible and approachable to all levels of students and professionals alike.

Nacha Mendez plays on the Taberna Stage every Sunday night from 6pm-8pm

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards.  She  received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.

Chuscales plays on the Taberna Stage every Saturday night from 6-8 pm

Chuscales has performed around the globe, including appearances at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theatre, The Joyce, Jacobs Pillow, Telluride Jazz Festival, The Lensic in Santa Fe, Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Festival Flamenco Internacional (20+ years), Santa Fe Jazz & International Music Festival. He was musical director and principal guitarist for the prestigious, Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco, for nearly two decades and has toured with Noche Flamenca, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Jesús Muñoz Flamenco, Yaelisa Caminos Flamenco, Yjastros, Susana Di Palma Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, and is the recipient of top honors including more recently: Dora More Award (2007,2009,2010) for outstanding sound design/composition and Isadora Duncan Awards for composition (1997 & 2011) for arrangement, and direction. Chuscales has appeared in riveting reviews for his work with major dance companies.

Jesus Bas plays on the Taberna Stage every Friday night from 7pm-9pm

Born and raised in Madrid Spain, however, now calls beautiful Santa Fe New Mexico his home. Bas is a "Cantautor" (singer songwriter), a guitarist, a working musician. Jesus is a brilliant Spanish singer and guitarist who sings in Spanish, English, Italian & Portuguese, performing familiar favorites and originals with great skill and flair. He is a favorite with audiences.

Daniel Ward plays on the Taberna Stage from 6pm-8pm

Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country's top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’.  He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.  He has been a featured performer and workshop instructor at festivals across the country, including: Reno Ukulele festival, West Coast Ukulele retreat, Wine Country Ukulele Festival, San Diego Ukulele Festival, Port Townsend Ukulele festival, Albuquerque Ukulele festival and many More.  With his partner Heidi Swedberg, he has performed as an artist in residence at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix AZ, and performed at Children’s Music Festivals around the country, including concerts in Los Angeles, New York City, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and the Austin City Limits Festival. Heidi and Daniel were also featured performers at Music China in Shanghai in 2012.

As a guitarist, Daniel has toured the world playing flamenco guitar with  Ottmar Liebert  and Luna Negra (1997-2000) as well as performing with the flamenco dance ensembles of Maria Benitez, Dance Espana, and Yjastros (1994-present),  and 20 years playing rock-n-roll electric guitar for Celebrity Enterprises  corporate entertainment (1994-present).

As a commissioned classical composer, Daniel has penned two string quartets for the Del Sol ensemble of San Francisco, and a four-hands piano piece.  He has scored music for film, television and video. 

In the field of recording he has won awards (Parent’s Choice NAPPA, NM Recording Arts, Fids and Kamalies) on both albums he collaborated with Heidi Swedberg and is a sought after producer and arranger.  His own CD “After the Storm” is an award winning virtuosic performance of original compositions masterfully played on electric and flamenco guitar.

Daniel Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in classical Guitar performance, and a minor in composition. His musical expertise includes Flamenco, jazz, pop and most styles of world music, along with the ability to compose and improvise within these styles. He is also a seasoned educator, and has 25 years experience teaching music to all ages. He is a consultant and music typographer for music method books, and writes as a columnist for Ukulele online magazines.

As a performer and a teacher, Daniel believes the Ukulele holds a strong place in music industry and music education as an expressive instrument that still remains accessible and approachable to all levels of students and professionals alike.

Nacha Mendez plays on the Taberna Stage every Sunday night from 6pm-8pm

Nacha  Mendez grew up in the tiny border town of La Union, in southern New  Mexico, where she began singing and playing the guitar at an early age.   She learned traditional Ranchera canción from her grandmother and  performed in border towns near El Paso with her cousins, the Black  Brothers, sons of ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black.

She  went on to study classical voice and electronic music at New Mexico  State University before moving to New York City, where she studied  flamenco guitar with Manuel Granados of the Music Conservatory of  Barcelona, Spain.  In the early ’90s, she was a principal singer in  Robert Ashley’s opera company, touring Europe and Japan and translated  the libretto for Ashley's opera Now Eleanor’s Idea.  She performed  trouser roles in three of his operas throughout Japan, at the Avignon  Music Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Strasbourg, France, Graz,  Austria, and Berlin.

Nacha has also collaborated with  celebrated composer Steve Peters who produced “Bodega de Amor” and  “Volando.” “My Burning Skin to Sleep,” a song on the 2004 CD release  Shelter by Steve Peters and distributed by the Cold Blue Label features  the voice of Nacha Mendez.  Her recordings include “Slowly Rising” (as  Dueto Le Momo), and “Blue Silence,” “Bodega de Amor,” and “Volando” (as  Nacha Mendez).  Since 1990, she has worked on several projects with  Steve Peters and has collaborated with composer Raven Chacon, writer Melody Sumner Carnahan, visual artist Harmony Hammond, filmmaker Catherine Gund, and Producer/Director Daresha Kyi.

Mendez/Cordero received a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a  fellowship from Mutable Music in New York. In February 2011,  she was  honored by the New Mexico Committee of the National Museum of Women  Artists. She was voted Best Female vocalist in Santa Fe, New Mexico in  both 2009 and 2010. Voted Best Family Friendly Entertainer Santa Fe  Human Rights Alliance 2012 Pride Alliance Awards and in 2013 she was  awarded the Best Latin Production at the New Mexico Music Awards.  She  received a New Mexico Platinum Music Lifetime Achievement Award in  2018.  She performs under her grandmother’s name, Nacha Mendez, touring  regionally with her band, playing her original, eclectic  pan-Latin-style songs.  She also paints and sculpts and exhibits her work in Santa  Fe, New Mexico.