Music Identification
A chant to the orisha Chango
*AFRO-CUBAN SACRED MUSIC* (identified with the Catholic's St. Barbara), who is considered to be the warrior deity, the keeper of thunder, lightning, and drums. This is a typical example of the music found in the *Santeria (or Lucumi)* ceremonies utilizing the three *bata* drums *(iya, okonkolo and itotele)* and a gourd shaker with a net of beads tied around it called the *shekere.* Note the use of *call-and-response* in the singing, the bells on the *iya,* and the changes in rhythmic *ostinato.*
A chant to the orisha Oshun
*AFRO-CUBAN SACRED MUSIC* performed on three *shekeres,* a metal hoe struck with a spoon, two *conga* drums and a *caja* (wooden box). The latter, being the lowest-pitched, is the leader and improviser
the yambu
*AFRO-CUBAN SECULAR MUSIC* A slower rumba-associated with the older generation and is probably a precursor to the faster styles of rumba. Also a couple dance, it is more elegant and sensuous than the others
the columbia
*AFRO-CUBAN SECULAR MUSIC* The fastest of the three rumbas. The pulse is kept by the metal hoe (hit with a spoon) instead of the *claves* and plays a different *clave* pattern (or *ostinato*) than we've heard in other rumbas. The hyper-activity of the lead *conga* (known as the *quinto*) in this example is a testament to the frenzy of the solo male dancer who shows his athleticism and creativity in this dance.
the guaguanco
*AFRO-CUBAN SECULAR MUSIC* one of the three *rumba* styles found in Cuba. It is a playful couples dance that culminates in a pelvic thrust performed by the male called *vacunao.* Note that unlike the sacred music, it is the high-pitched drum that leads and improvises
Feliz
*ANCIENT INDIGENOUS MEXICAN* A rendition of pre-Cortesian Aztec music. Composed and performed by *Antonio Zepeda*; interpreted on clay flutes, *ocarinas, teponaztlis* and other percussion. This is a contemporary re-creation and interpretation.
La Casa Del sol
*ANCIENT INDIGENOUS MEXICAN* Performed by *Antonio Zepeda* Instruments include clay pots, clay flutes, *teponaztli's*, rattles, clappers and scrapers, brass bells and others
Cimientos del Cielo
*ANCIENT INDIGENOUS MEXICAN* Performed by *Antonio Zepeda.* Instruments include rattles, wind whistle, *huehuetl, teponaztli* and voices
Las Mañanitas
*CELEBRATION SONG* the traditional Mexican birthday/anniversary/celebratory song sung by *Perla Batalla.* Originally, these were separate songs (two mañanitas), but tradition has now combined them as one for most occasions.
El Charro Canroll
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* by *Botellita de Jerez (Little Sherry Bottle).* This group played an integral part in the emergence of Mexican rock at the end of the 1980s. Formed in 1983, Botellita were a bridge between the 1970s bands (mostly copies of the Anglo bands) and the new generation led by Café Tacuba and Maldita Vecindad. They discovered a sound that was totally Mexican, loaded with satire, a multicultural mix of local and international rhythms, an ability to dominate different genres and at the same time a lack of pretension that opened the doors to massive audiences. This song tells of how a charro (cowboy) fell in love with rock and roll.
Las Flores
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* by *Café Tacuba.* Until the late 1980s, international rock bands were banned from playing in Mexico. When this law was changed, there resulted, ironically perhaps, an explosion of very Mexican bands that played an urban sound (mainly from Mexico City and Guadalajara) that was by no means a copy of the Anglo rock. Café Tacuba have found a place at the top of the Mexican rock world. Firmly rooted in their traditions, irreverent, perfectionist, cynical, and idealistic, Café Tacuba shun the superstar image.
Yunu Yucu Ninu (Tree, Black Mountain)
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* by *Lila Downs.* Born in 1968 she spent many years grappling with issues of identity. She started singing mariachi songs at the age of eight, studied voice and anthropology in both countries, and even had thoughts of becoming an opera singer at one point. In the early 1990s, she was asked to translate documents relating to the deaths of people who had attempted to cross the U.S./Mexico border, a task that inspired her to tell their stories (and eventually her own) by writing songs.
Joder ("Screw," sort of)
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* by *Los de Abajo.* They are an explosive cocktail of merengue, punk, funk, salsa, cumbia, polka and regional son with lyrics that are provocative, critical and brave. "Joder" is a high-octane merengue-based mixture, railing against corruption and narco-politicos, the politicians who are in bed with the drug barons and exploit the country.
Fandango Allende
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* by *Salón Victoria.* The second wave of the Mexican rock phenomenon came in the early 1990s, with the emergence of underground ska bands that play an energetic mix of ska, funk, merengue, swing, cumbia, and surf, with lyrics that capture the frustrations and desires of city kids. "Fandango Allende" is a furious merengue, somehow finding space for hip-hop, ska and even son jarocho. The lyrics tell of the death of Salvador Allende, a hero for every generation of Latin Americans who oppose governments capable of ordering the highway killings of pacifists.
A Nadie
*CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC* sung by *Eugenia León.* This song was written by Argentinian composer Lilian Felipe. The singer also evokes the spirit of Edith Piaf here as well as exhibiting influence from the highly emotional canción style.
Cuban son
*CUBAN SON* 9. Though the first recordings of the Cuban son were made around 1909, the most famous group to record the Cuban son was El Trio Oriental. This group was later known as the *Sexteto Habanero* after moving to Havana and adding three more members. Instruments include the *tres, guitar, bass, muted-trumpet, bongos, claves and maracas,* the latter two played by the singers. Note that the bongos improvise through most of the piece. Also, note the *3-2 clave pattern* maintained by the *claves.*
Arsenio Rodriguez
*CUBAN SON* Blind tres player Arsenio Rodriguez revolutionized the Cuban son by adding *piano, three trumpets, and conga drums* to the typical ensemble. The subject of this song is the glory of the guaguanco, but this is a son. The song has the typical *verso,* then moves to a short, and faster *montuno,* and ends with a guaguanco percussion section
Isaac Oviedo
*CUBAN SON* Singer and tres player *Isaac Oviedo* was 82 years old when he recorded this song with his family at an informal house party in Havana in 1990. This *son* uses the *standard son instrumentation* (identical to the previous example, except for the trumpet). The bongo player switches to *cowbell* at certain times in the song. This is typical of all modern Latin American dance bands that play so-called "salsa." The humorous lyrics of this song tell of a man who is denied entrance to a party because he's so ugly
Charanga tipica (Mambo)
*DANZON* Beginning in about 1910, a new type of musical ensemble called the *charanga tipica* played the danzon. This consists of a *flute, piano, bass, timbales (also known as pailas, replacing the tympani), guiro, congas, and two violins*. This example begins as a danzon, but the last half of the piece opens up into a more upbeat, looser dance section called the *mambo.* The title of this piece is "Mambo" and was written in 1939 by the pianist in this ensemble, *Orestes Lopez.* He is given credit for creating this dance craze that lasted until the 1960s and developed into what is now loosely called *"salsa."*
Danzon
*DANZON* In 1879, a new style of music for these bands was created—the danzon. It combined elements of the French danza (or contradanse) with the more earthy Cuban son. Many scholars believe that the style of playing used by the wind players (cornets, trombone, clarinet, etc.) featuring collective improvisation, was a precursor to New Orleans jazz and ragtime. This recording was made in 1916 in Havana and features the typical danzon instrumentation: *cornet, trombone, two clarinets, two violins, bass, a pair of tympani (kettle drums), and a guiro (a gourd scraper).* Note the almost constant presence of the *cinquillo* rhythm
lamentaciones
*ECCLESIASTICAL* by *Manuel de Zumaya* (1678-1755). Zumaya was born in Mexico of mixed Native American and European ancestry. This piece shows his ability to handle the large polychoral sound of the high Baroque.
cumbee
*ECCLESIASTICAL* by *Santiago de Murcia* (1682-1714). The composer was deeply moved by the music of the Africans in Mexico and used this African dance rhythm in his religious music. The non-Spanish words in this piece are of African derivation.
Traditional punta
*GARIFUNA MUSIC* *sung by a dancing woman* (hence the shaking in her voice) from *Belize.* The instruments are *turtle shells, primera, segunda, and tercera drums, and maracas.*
Faster punta
*GARIFUNA MUSIC* A faster punta is heard in *Honduras.* Same instruments as traditional punta.
Modern punta
*GARIFUNA MUSIC* also known as *punta rock,* is now popular among the younger Garifuna people wherever they may live, including Los Angeles. They use the traditional instruments along with modern electronic instruments. All three songs are in the Garifuna language.
Valse chapanecas
*MARIMBA* performed by "Marimba Conjunto San Cristobal." An example of traditional *marimba* ensemble music of San Cristobal de las Casas, the Mexican state of *Chiapas'* equivalent of an Alpine town. Each key of the marimba has a resonating box of cedar below it; at the base of each resonator is a small hole covered with a thin membrane of pig's intestine, giving the marimba its *characteristic buzzing* sound (a direct influence from African instruments). A typical *marimba conjunto*, or band, includes two sizes of marimba, a grande and a tenor, accompanied by string bass and drum set.
Mass for Pope John XXIII
*MEXICAN ART MUSIC* *(1962) by Julian Carrillo*; an excerpt. This work is in the *microtonal* style Carrillo referred to as *el sonido trece* (the thirteenth sound), by which he meant the moment the traditional twelve-tone scale was "broken" not only by quarter-tones, but by all other intervals smaller than a semitone. It is considered his most important and successful work.
Sones de Mariachi
*MEXICAN ART MUSIC* by *Blas Galindo.* Based on the melody of the* traditional son "La Negra"* this piece is very obviously scored to sound like a mariachi (right down to the style of harp-playing, trumpet solo, subtle *sesquialtera,* and typical mariachi ending chords), but with a strong flavor of Charles Ives and maybe a little Bernstein thrown in. Galindo, and fellow Chavez students Pablo Moncayo, Ayala-Perez, and Contreras (all representing musical nationalism) formed El Grupo de Los Cuatro to promote their works.
Sinfonia India
*MEXICAN ART MUSIC* by *Carlos Chavez* (1899-1978). This highly rhythmic work is a prime example of *musical nationalism.* Note the use of Native American instruments and musical motives blending with European instruments. Chavez was only one of many artists who perpetuated the concept of independence and nationalism in what they called *" the Aztec Renaissance." * This was a way to show pride in their Native American heritage and to lessen the grip of the European influence in Mexico.
Sensemayá
*MEXICAN ART MUSIC* by *Silvestre Revueltas.* His best-known work, assimilating the energy and elements of his native Mexican music with contemporary compositional styles and techniques, but using only fragments of melodies, restructuring and reorganizing them *without direct quotation.*
El Gusto
*SON HUASTECO* performed by *Los Lobos* from East Los Angeles. Characterized by an ensemble of violin, *guitarra huapanguera (an 8-string guitar), jarana (a smaller 4-string guitar), guitarron (a large-bodied bass guitar) and voice*. Notice that the vocal style features *falsetto in something of a yodeling fashion*. This example also clearly shows the execution of *rhythmic sesquialtera and contratiempo*.
el pasajero
*SON JALISCIENSE* *Instruments include: trumpets, violins, various types of guitars and guitarron.* It is from this style of son that the modern *mariachi* developed.
la guacamaya (2)
*SON JAROCHO* Performed by *Graciana "La Negra" Silva* (harp and voice). A typical jarocho *harp* performance style. Notice the *syncopation in the harp* (referred to as either *sesquialtera or contratiempo—"two-against-three"*).
la guacamaya (1)
*SON JAROCHO* This style almost always uses the harp as a bass instrument as well as lead instrument. In this example, however, the *harp is absent and is replaced by a guitarron to play the bass part.* The other instruments are the *requinto, jarana and nylon-string guitar*. Performed by *Los Lobos*
Hey, baby, que paso?
*TEX-MEX/TEJANO/MUSICA NORTENA* by the *Texas Tornadoes.* This group is made up of four Texans, two of Mexican heritage, and the others of Anglo-American background. This particular song is typical in that it uses a *polka beat,* but atypical because the song is sung in "Spanglish," a mixture of English and Spanish. The main instrument is the *button accordion.*
El moro de cumpas
*TRADITIONAL CORRIDO* performed by Robert Lee Benton, Jr., vocal & guitar; Oscar González, vocal, lead guitar.
El Preso #9
performed by *Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.* Instruments: violins, trumpets, guitar, *vihuelas ( a type of small guitar)*, guitarron and voices. Take special notice of *sesquialtera* in this piece, as well as the *bel canto vocal style*.
