Page 23 - HOH

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 9 april 2019
Film explores rural health care amid poverty, opioid crisis

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS But seldom do these tourists northern New Mexico com-
Associated Press stop in the drive-by towns munities.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) and villages where largely "The Providers" looks at the
— Northern New Mexico Hispanic and Native Ameri- challenges three health
is known for tourist attrac- can residents make their care workers in rural New
tions such as artsy Santa home. And there sits an- Mexico face as they give
Fe, eclectic Taos and the other side of northern New services to aging patients
healing dirt of El Santuario Mexico. and those struggling with
de Chimayó. The region's A new documentary, set addiction to alcohol and
relaxing spas and skiing op- to air on the PBS Indepen- opioids. Through the eyes
tions present middle-class dent Lens series this week, of physician assistant Matt
and wealthy visitors the explores the world of rural Probst, family physician
opportunity to bask in the health care amid poverty Dr. Leslie Hayes and nurse
allurement of quiet and and a persistent opioid practitioner Chris Ruge, the
breathtaking landscapes. crisis by focusing on these film shows how the health
care providers from El Cen- In this Dec. 21, 2016, file photo, family physician Leslie Hayes lis-
tro Family Health Center tens for a fetal heartbeat while attending to a 40-year-old moth-
refuse to pass judgment er, not seen, who is being treated for an addiction to heroin with
the anti-craving medication Subutext, at the El Centro Family
on their patients who are Health medical clinic in Espanola, N.M.
just trying to get to the next Associated Press
day. El Centro is a group
of clinics in northern New Probst should know. His fa- phetamine. A 16-year-old
Mexico that helps people ther struggled with his own Probst once sold cocaine
in a region four times as addiction to heroin and to help his family pay the
large as Connecticut. his sister with metham- mortgage.q

Luther Dickinson, sisters in

song share 'Solstice'

By PABLO GORONDI
Associated Press
Luther Dickinson and Sisters
of the Strawberry Moon,
"Solstice" (New West)
Some of the solo and par-
allel projects of North Missis-
sippi Allstars guitarist-vocal-
ist Luther Dickinson have
been among his most fas-
cinating work.
He continues that tradition
on the diverse "Solstice,"
where his role as producer
and musical matchmaker
gives the spotlight to Sisters
of the Strawberry Moon, a
custom-made lineup that
includes some longtime
collaborators (Amy LaVere
and Sharde Thomas), a
Mississippi gospel trio (The
Como Mamas), the hus- This cover image released by New West Records shows “Sol-
band-and-wife duo Birds of stice” a release by Luther Dickinson and Sisters of the Strawberry
Chicago and Amy Helm. Moon.
Recorded at the Dickinson Associated Press
family's Zebra Ranch Stu-
dios in (where else?) Missis- delightfully playful, while from the "Cold Mountain"
sippi, "Solstice" has the kind Amy LaVere expertly re- soundtrack.
of effortless quality that prises David Egan's "Halle- The Como Mamas are a
results from musicians col- lujah (I'm A Dreamer)" and group in themselves, their
laborating on similar wave- kills softly with the romantic acapella renditions carry-
lengths. menace of her own "The ing powerful messages —
Drummer and fife player Night Is Still Young." "Turn the light from heav-
(a family tradition) Sharde Amy Helm takes the lead en/On my soul/If you find
Thomas' two songs — "Fly on the soulful "Sing to Me" anything that shouldn't be/
With Me" and "We Made It" and a cover of "Like a Take it out/And straighten
— are brief, optimistic and Songbird That Has Fallen," me."q