This past weekend I went on a trip to Los Angeles and stayed at a Comfort Suites in Bell Park, which is a heavily Hispanic area of the city. Next door to our hotel was a quaint building with neon pink signs advertising “Baile y Comida.” Out of these doors I could smell what was described as an extravaganza de mariscos (a seafood extravaganza) and could also hear the entrancing music of a live mariachi band. This combination of dance and food sparked an interest in the world of mariachi music…thus this blog is born.
From my research, mariachi music is more than a style of music but encompasses a dance and clothing style as well. It seems as if it is a way of life. The usual mariachi group consists of at least three violins, two trumpets, a Mexican guitar, a vihuela (a high-pitched, five string guitar), a guitarrón (a small-scaled acoustic bass), and of course at least one singer. There are variations on this format, but in general this is the skeleton of any mariachi group.
Mariachi groups originally started like most artists…as street performers. In many places around the world, outdoors performances are still very common. When I visited Guadalajara, Mexico two summers ago there would be many evening mariachi performances at the Plaza de los Mariachis. Traditionally, mariachi members dress in studded charro(Mexican cowboy) outfits with wide brimmed sombreros. Historically, most songs performed by mariachi bands are about winning the love or heart of the one person they desire most. There are some sad mariachi songs, but most are upbeat and high-energy songs.
As in the photo example below, most mariachi bands love to have fun during their shows too (I took this picture when studying abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico).
Now that the history lesson is over, let’s talk about where to see some quality mariachi music. In Tucson the 27th annual La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference will be taking place from April 22-25. This years conference boasts some of the world’s best mariachi attractions and performers like: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, and Linda Ronstadt.
The conference is a time for aficionados of mariachi music and baile folklórico to convene in the Old Pueblo and enjoy these cultural staples. It is a celebration of folklórico and mariachi music starting with student workshops and culminating in the Fiesta de Garibaldi, an all day party in the park. This festival is unique because it focuses on showcasing the immense amount of talent around the country and the world but also focuses on teaching to younger generations. One of the major events of the conference is the student workshops wherein students of all ages can sign up to take classes on traditional mariachi and baile folklórico.
This year’s theme is “La Pasion y Amor de Mariachi” (the passion and love of mariachi), and it is evident in the opportunities provided by the planners of the conference that the main goal is to spread this passion and love to anyone who decides to check it out…young or old, Hispanic or not.
So my suggestion would be to check out any of the events going on for the 4 days. Click here to check out a schedule of events.
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