Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

They call him Citizen Flores

“It was a serious occasion, something you dress up for”

Pianist Irving Flores avoided homelessness and gained a new homeland during the pandemic.
Pianist Irving Flores avoided homelessness and gained a new homeland during the pandemic.

In the days before Covid, piano virtuoso Irving Flores was one of the busiest cats in town. “Yes, I was playing every day,” recalls Flores. “But, just like that, it all collapsed from all that craziness.” The pianist says he was lucky enough to avoid homelessness, thanks to some help from his friends, notably trombonist Dave Scott. “He gave me a place to stay during the pandemic, and was always looking to help me out.”

Little by little, Flores began putting gigs together, and now he’s nearly back to his previous schedule. “It’s great, but a little scary at the same time” — he’s deeply aware of just how quickly and drastically things can change in the current climate. “Right now, I’m playing six or seven days a week. The previous three months have been very busy, sometimes with two or three gigs a day.” And while busy is much better than the alternative, it does carry its own causes for concern. Live music means live fans, many of whom keep their social distance, but some of whom do not. Flores doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he keeps it friendly, shakes hands, and then heads for the sink in the restroom for a wash. “I might do that 20 or 30 times a night. My Friday gig in Chula Vista has the acoustic piano in the center of the room, so I wear my mask when I’m talking to the people.” In general, he tries to balance caution with good sense and optimism.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Flores came to the U.S. (and San Diego) in 2004. One of the main goals he was able to accomplish during the pandemic, in March 2021, was becoming a U.S. citizen. It’s easy to hear the emotion in his voice when he talks about the process. “It’s a very good feeling. I am so proud to become an American citizen. I love this country. I’m very conscious to be a law-abiding citizen, so I can be a part of this beautiful society. I have a lot of respect for this country and this amazing music community. I’ll never forget where I came from. For sure, I will always love Mexico, but I am very thankful to be a U.S. citizen.”

Being granted citizenship was a unique experience, but for different reasons than he expected. “Of course, there were so many friends I wanted to invite to the ceremony, but this was right in the middle of the pandemic, so that was impossible. It’s not the same ceremony as it was before Covid; you couldn’t invite people. It was very controlled with a small group of applicants, like maybe 20 people who were socially distanced. It wasn’t in the same building as before. All in all, it was a very short ceremony. I went in at 7:30 in the morning and was finished by 8:00. But even though there were a lot of changes, it was still a very big deal to me. It was a serious occasion, something you dress up for. In the end, you get the certificate and the paperwork, and now you are a citizen.”

Irving Flores Trio

  • Romesco, 4346 Bonita Road, Bonita

The general public can shake hands with Flores at several recurring gigs throughout the city. Since last May, he’s been working Friday evenings at the Brew Bar in Chula Vista. Thursday nights, he does a solo gig at Alcove Wine & Beer in City Heights, and he plays in Bonita with his Afro-Cuban trio (Ignacio Arango on bass, Fernando Gomez on drums) every Wednesday at Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego Made Holiday Market, Veterans Day Parade & VetFest

Events November 10-November 11, 2024
Pianist Irving Flores avoided homelessness and gained a new homeland during the pandemic.
Pianist Irving Flores avoided homelessness and gained a new homeland during the pandemic.

In the days before Covid, piano virtuoso Irving Flores was one of the busiest cats in town. “Yes, I was playing every day,” recalls Flores. “But, just like that, it all collapsed from all that craziness.” The pianist says he was lucky enough to avoid homelessness, thanks to some help from his friends, notably trombonist Dave Scott. “He gave me a place to stay during the pandemic, and was always looking to help me out.”

Little by little, Flores began putting gigs together, and now he’s nearly back to his previous schedule. “It’s great, but a little scary at the same time” — he’s deeply aware of just how quickly and drastically things can change in the current climate. “Right now, I’m playing six or seven days a week. The previous three months have been very busy, sometimes with two or three gigs a day.” And while busy is much better than the alternative, it does carry its own causes for concern. Live music means live fans, many of whom keep their social distance, but some of whom do not. Flores doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he keeps it friendly, shakes hands, and then heads for the sink in the restroom for a wash. “I might do that 20 or 30 times a night. My Friday gig in Chula Vista has the acoustic piano in the center of the room, so I wear my mask when I’m talking to the people.” In general, he tries to balance caution with good sense and optimism.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Flores came to the U.S. (and San Diego) in 2004. One of the main goals he was able to accomplish during the pandemic, in March 2021, was becoming a U.S. citizen. It’s easy to hear the emotion in his voice when he talks about the process. “It’s a very good feeling. I am so proud to become an American citizen. I love this country. I’m very conscious to be a law-abiding citizen, so I can be a part of this beautiful society. I have a lot of respect for this country and this amazing music community. I’ll never forget where I came from. For sure, I will always love Mexico, but I am very thankful to be a U.S. citizen.”

Being granted citizenship was a unique experience, but for different reasons than he expected. “Of course, there were so many friends I wanted to invite to the ceremony, but this was right in the middle of the pandemic, so that was impossible. It’s not the same ceremony as it was before Covid; you couldn’t invite people. It was very controlled with a small group of applicants, like maybe 20 people who were socially distanced. It wasn’t in the same building as before. All in all, it was a very short ceremony. I went in at 7:30 in the morning and was finished by 8:00. But even though there were a lot of changes, it was still a very big deal to me. It was a serious occasion, something you dress up for. In the end, you get the certificate and the paperwork, and now you are a citizen.”

Irving Flores Trio

  • Romesco, 4346 Bonita Road, Bonita

The general public can shake hands with Flores at several recurring gigs throughout the city. Since last May, he’s been working Friday evenings at the Brew Bar in Chula Vista. Thursday nights, he does a solo gig at Alcove Wine & Beer in City Heights, and he plays in Bonita with his Afro-Cuban trio (Ignacio Arango on bass, Fernando Gomez on drums) every Wednesday at Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Two poems by Marvin Bell

“To Dorothy” and “The Self and the Mulberry”
Next Article

The Fellini of Clairemont High

When gang showers were standard for gym class
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader