Mariachi and Salsa

In the 20th and 21st century

Salsa is said to be a new twist on traditional Afro-Cuban forms of rhythm. Though

seeming to have been derived from Cuba, the belief is that its birth place would be

New York during the 1960’s. Immigrants from southern countries where moving up

to New York to perform, here they intermingled with each other and their varying

styles giving birth to mambo in the 1950’s, and salsa in the 1960’s.

Salsa

Tito Puente “The Sultan of Salsa”

Traditional Salsa Wear

Woman would wear colorful, sequined dresses which where tailored to the hips and busts. The more modern looks have adopted a flashy bikini style.

Men would dress up in nice suits. The modern look adopted for men consists of body hugging shirts with a deep dropping neck line, tight pants and a pair of tap shoes

Celia Cruz

Gilberto Santa Rosa

Celia Cruz wasn’t popular at first being a female singer. Even so, the leader of the band “Sonora Matancera” still kept her for her potential. Cruz gained popularity short after. She than became one of the most influential and well known people in the world of salsa. By the end of her career she had earned six Grammys.

Celia Cruz (above)Sonora Matancera (right)

The basic setup for salsa involves, a brass section, piano, and numerous divers percussion instruments. Though depending on its geographical influence there can be an even larger variety .

Puente and his percussion instruments.

MariachiToday, this word means one of the most exciting and

enchanting musical ensembles found anywhere in the world. Mariachi as we know it today began in the 19th century in the

Mexican state of Jalisco, in the town of Cocula. Only after the Revolution of 1910 where mariachi widely adopted as a symbol of nationalism.

Mariachi’s first made there appearance in the U.S. at the city of Los Angeles, with the group “Los Camperos” which became the best known U.S. mariachi ensemble.

Mariachi became the symbol of Mexican nationalism in 1936 when President Lázaro Cárdenas enlisted the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán to play the music of his campaign across Mexico in an attempt to unify the people

President Lázaro Cárdenas and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

Los CamperosNati Cano was born

in the state of Jalisco, Mexico in 1933 to a family of laborers, Cano set out and joined Mariachi groups.

Cano moved to America in 1957, joining the Million Dollar Theater’ Mariachi Aguila. Soon after he became the musical director, and changed there name to Los Camperos.

Synonymous with the best Mariachi’s in the world, Los Camperos find there home at La Fonda Restaurant.

(above) Los Camperos(left) Nati Cano

A group may consist of up to eight violins, two trumpets, and a guitar. They may also have a harp that doubles as a bass line and helps ornate the melody. Forms of guitar used include Vihuela and Guitarro, both with there own tone and voice.

Instrumentation

Outfits

Originally groups had no concern to dress or look alike, they wore there regular clothes even while playing together.

Only after the Revolution of 1910 did they start to dress uniformly. They could now afford to dress themselves elegantly , dressing up in Trajes de Charro, “suit of the horseman.”

Modern groups have adopted a tighter more ornamented outfit with boots, and short jackets.