continental drift 4/26/23
Hello and welcome back to continental drift! This is my third to last episode, and the second leg of my “farewell tour” of sorts that kicked off in Fiji last week. This week, we are in Mexico! Find the playlist here.
The United Mexican States is a country in southern North America bordering the US, the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, and Guatemala and Belize. It is the 13th largest country in the world by area and the tenth most populated with its population of 126 million. Mexico is ranked fifth in natural biodiversity: remember #2?
It has no official languages, but does recognize Spanish and 68 amerindian languages in the country.
Due to its proximity to the US, the prevalence of Spanish speakers in the US, and the inclusion of english in Mexican music, Latin music, much of it from Mexico, is growing faster than the overall US music market.
Classical guitar music is a popular genre often associated with Mexico. The classical guitar used in this kind of music is sometimes called a Spanish guitar, and features a wooden instrument with nylon strings, rather than steel strings. These are derived from Spanish vihuela and gittern instruments from the 1400s.
Work by Mexican artist Maria Medem
Guitarra segment:
Piensa en Mi // Los Poetas De La Guitarra
Esperanza // Hermanos Gutierrez
Bolero is a form of trova music that was created in Cuba in the late 1800s. Lyrically, it draws not from European opera/canzone, but instead romantic folk poetry from Latin America. It quickly spread to the rest of Latin America, including Mexico. Bolero also was part of the latin influence on African rhumba, and was even popular in Vietnam for some time.
Bolero Mexicano segment:
Candilejas // Trio Delfines
Talisman // Antonio Badu
Espumas // Yolanda Y Su Trio Perla Negra
Mexico is credited by some with introducing brass into jazz music.
Jazz Sample:
Amanceres // Los Músicos De José
Indie music has been blossoming in Mexico, and a growing movement is developing the scene in the Yucatan peninsula. According to Sureste Records president Alejandro Castilla Pinto, “unifying the peninsula is an objective many of us have had for years. There’s Indie Fest out in Campeche and lots of studios and bookers in Cancún and Chetumal, so the idea has always been to create a circuit independent of México City.”
In Caloncho’s album Balsamo he explores music as a mother figure. Composed partially in India, it also takes inspiration from the Dalai Lama’s teachings on positive thinking.
Caloncho
Indie segment:
Fotosíntesis // Caloncho
Háblame // Chicano Batman, Caloncho
Menta // Melted Ice Cream
Lo que tú me das // Juanpalitochinos
Cuando // Ruzzi
Women are at the forefront of pop and rock music in Mexico today. They are often incorporating “zany satire” in their lyrics, “reinvigorating and expanding the limits of rock ‘n’ roll armed with buzzing guitars, an irreverent sense of humor, and little patience for stale, boy’s club antics.”
Maria Medem
Misc Modern:
Mis Mejores Poses // EMJA
Chill // Miranda Santizo
Templos // CLUBZ
Cuando // Ruzzi
Mezcal // Nina Dioz, Hispana