The most immediately noticeable facet of any given performance by Salvador Duran, a hugely talented musician and artist from northern Mexico, is his level of concentration. He seems enraptured, caught up in the urgency and passion of what he is singing, even if the setting is a casual one. There is nothing phoned-in about what Salvador does; he means it, every word.
 
Duran is perhaps first and foremost a painter ("I am more inclined to art," he says), and thus settled into a warehouse studio space in Tucson back in 2003. Fatefully, it happened to be right next door to Solar Culture Gallery, and its operator, local culture maven Steven Eye, both directly and indirectly opened doors for Salvador that have defined his life since then. "Tucson has been completely enriched by the arrival of Salvador. He is one of our greatest hidden treasures," says Eye, although I'm not sure that he'll be hidden for long, if he even is still.
 
Since 2005, there has been a seemingly unending series of artistic triumphs for Duran: the recording of his first solo records; his appearance on the title track of the Calexico/Iron and Wine In the Reins EP; touring the United States and Europe with Calexico and Iron and Wine. Duran was a show-stealer every night if various Internet postings are to be believed; the clincher, it would seem, was performing at Lollapalooza in 2006.  Salvador also has been a featured artist with Orkesta Mendoza and has performed for thousands of people all over the world and soon will be releasing a new album of original music.