DJ Feature: Tomas PachecoÂ
Fiesta Musical is going strong after five years with a fresh brand of Tejano programming in Kansas City. Fiesta Musical features an unrivaled new artist music library; insightful and informative guest artist interviews; edgy commentary and informed opinions; and listener’s song requests. The fiesta begins every Monday night at 7:30 pm and lasts until 10:00 pm (central standard time). Fiesta Musical airs on 90.1 FM in Kansas City and simulcasts via live web stream at http://www.kkfi.org. For an enhanced, interactive experience, join us in our chat room at http://www.myspace.com/fiestamusical during the show to interact with the djs and make your requests while chatting with Tejano fans from across the nation. Fiesta Musical…Taking Tejano to the Future! Â
DJ Feature:Â Tomas PachecoÂ
Early Interest in RadioÂ
At a ripe young age of five years old, Tomas has used his creativity to produce a radio program. With a Mr. Microphone, record player and a Radio Shack transmitter kit, Tomas broadcasted music and talk. He would play anything that he had in his early collection including Tejano and pop music. He broadcasted to an audience of one which was his own mother.Â
Interest in Tejano
Tomas’ family was filled with love for Tejano music. In fact, two of his uncles played in Kansas City area bands in the mid 1970s featuring orquesta style onda chicana music. Tomas’ uncles inspired him to be on stage and he wanted to be along side with them but he lacked the musical talent. Although lacking musical talent, Tomas still desired to be a part of the music industry in any way. And the seed for the love of Tejano music was firmly planted at this point.Â
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Tomas deviated from Tejano music while growing up as he discovered rap and other styles of music. In fact, Tomas became a rap artist and toured on a circuit performing his original rap songs. During this phase, Tomas discovered La Sombra through some friends. He was pleasantly surprised by the ability of La Sombra to fuse rap with cumbias. And Tomas happened to catch La Sombra on the Johnny Canales show and this sparked him to rediscover his interest in Tejano music. The next day after that particular Johnny Canales show, Tomas went to a local music store and bought all the La Sombra music he could find along with Xplosivo, Shelly Lares and Estrella. The seed of love for Tejano music had begun to sprout and grow.
Continued Interest in RadioÂ
Tomas’ true interest is in talk radio. During his rap career, Tomas was a frequent guest in the early 90s on local radio talk shows discussing the 2 Live Crew issues with censorship. Tomas discovered he liked being a panelist which ignited his interest in talk radio. Tomas also became a regular guest on a Hispanic public affairs talk show in Kansas City and he launched an online show titled Musica y Mas. Musica y Mas was a one-hour live web stream primarily featuring Tejano music and advertised local Tejano events. Tomas attended these events, took pictures and placed them on a website as well as posting blog reviews of these local Tejano events.Â
Fiesta Musical is Born
Tomas Pacheco’s increasing interest in radio led him to 90.1 FM KKFI, Kansas City’s Community Radio. For years he helped the radio station as a volunteer. Tomas handed out flyers; manned the KKFI booth at various events; operated the board on various shows; and maintained the music library. As Tomas’ radio experience grew with training and certification, he eventually submitted a proposal to create his own radio show. Tomas’ original vision was to appeal to a younger audience by mixing in Latin and hip hop music, which they like to hear, along with Tejano to expose the genre to a younger audience. The proposal was revised to appeal to a broader audience primarily using Tejano music as a format. Fiesta Musical was approved in July 2003 and, thus, a new Tejano show in Kansas City was born.Â
Next Week:Â Fiesta Musical DJ Feature on Dan the Man
