CAMP CHAIRS and blankets pack the sloping lawn of Ashley Pond Park for the opening night of the Los Alamos Summer Concert Series. Wearing a white cowboy hat, a rodeo-size belt buckle, and cowboy boots with a brown-toned diamond pattern, Las Cruces singer Dzaki Sukarno mixes some covers of country classics with his original tunes.
A few couples get up to dance as the former American Idol contestant launches into a song off his Love Like ’90s Country release: “Used to fall in love with just one dance, wasn’t searchin’ for a longtime romance,” he sings in his twangy, soulful style that feels classic but contemporary. “Now that I’m older, I finally know, that ain’t my kind of love.”
Like in the lyrics, Sukarno’s music seems to be maturing as well. His latest, “Make Ya All Mine,” released in mid-June, feels like a hit in the making, perfect for a New Mexico saloon or an afternoon sipping tequila by the water.
I found Sukarno—one of the spotlighted artists in this month’s “High Notes” feature—on social media, like many of his other fans. (“I put up a couple videos and went from 50 followers to 10,000 in the span of a month,” he tells senior editor Candolin Cook.) Getting to see him perform live as the sun dipped behind the Jemez Mountains and cast a magical light on the bandshell was a special treat.
Red Light Cameras amps up the atmosphere at the Lodge at Santa Fe’s Marigold Room. Photograph by Ramsay de Give.
As with so much of New Mexico, I’ve loved exploring our music scene. Just about every weekend during the summer, you’ll find me and my wife, Kathleen, on some patio or at a concert venue listening to live music, whether it’s rock, country, alternative, norteño, indie, folk, or blues. When we travel, we often seek out the musical hot spot in town: A recent trip to Silver City included a night at Whiskey Creek Zócalo to hear a singer-songwriter from Oklahoma.
In fact, our adventures have evolved into a bit of a running feud over who has the better music scene, our former town of Cleveland or our home in the Land of Enchantment. As a former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame employee, Kathleen’s a tad biased in her assessment. I argue that New Mexico has expanded my tastes and interests in ways I couldn’t have imagined. (There’s no way you’d get me to a country act like Sukarno back in Ohio.)
As for our debate, I suspect it might be a false dilemma—her way to keep testing the theory and discovering more acts and venues. And after this issue, we should have plenty to keep us listening.
Read more: Our red-hot music scene sizzles with tradition and innovation. Meet the local legends, genre-bending artists, indie labels, enchanting venues, and beloved radio stations who are serving the rhythms of New Mexico.
