The making of Radio Jarocho video (all photos by Enrique González)

Last Tuesday we recorded our first two videos, for Colás and Siquisirí. It was an interesting learning experience. Marvelous Josh Weinstein shot both videos and we all had fun doing it. We shot Colás on the roof of our good friend Enrique González (who also took all these great photographs) and Siquisirí we did on Minetta Street, in the West Village. After having had rain in NY almost every day for the last month, we were surprised and delighted that the weather was so incredible on the day of the shoot. Rain would have ruined everything!

It is not easy to shoot a video: the pressure of the camera, having to repeat the song over and over, and dealing with curious people on the street, made us appreciate how much work and concentration we have to put on every single thing that we do as a band. We will let our fans know as soon as the video is ready. In the meantime, let's keep on fandangueando and get ready to celebrate at the cd-release party tonight!

Getting ready to party

Today we rehearsed for our cd-release party on Saturday. The whole band was there, plus Arturo Castillo, the famous decimero from la Huasteca. Our gig in Queens promises to be really great. We are going to present the numbers included on the cd and some other classics. Also, the great Castillo will delight us with some decimas combined with zapateado.

We have really come a long way by releasing our album, shooting our video (which will be ready in a few weeks), and getting ready to participate in some of the September festivals (Celebrate Mexico Now! among others). It is wonderful to be able to bring a little bit of Veracruz to New York and to show the Mexican community here that the tradition never dies.

The maestro Castillo said last Saturday, at his book-release party ("Así me pinta la aurora"), that it not only a pleasure to support and encourage the continuation of our cultural heritage, but it is also a responsibility for all Mexicans. "Even if you're home alone," he said "you should write, sing, dance or make music that celebrates our traditions." In Radio Jarocho, we entirely agree with maestro Castillo. We need to maintain that tradition not only for our pleasure and growth, but also for the generations of Mexicans that will be born in the US and will not have Mexican cultural expressions readily accesible. Radio Jarocho takes that responsibility very seriously. Thank you, Arturo Castillo, for reminding us that playing music is not only about aesthetic pleasure, but also about maintaining our Mexican heritage.

Radio Jarocho

Formerly known as Semilla, Radio Jarocho is the continuation of the only New York City-based project devoted entirely to the son jarocho and fandango traditions from southern Veracruz, Mexico.The group has performed in notable events dedicated to Mexican and Latin American folk arts in the state of New York and Washington D.C. These include: Celebrate Mexico Now! Brooklyn Folk Music Festival, National Geographic's All Roads Film Festival, Lincoln Center's La Casita and Brooklyn Botanical Garden's Chili Fest, where they shared the bill with folk music legend, Pete Seeger. With their old moniker they have also performed in clubs like Banjo Jim's and Jalopy Theater. As part of the artist's roster in organizations like Brooklyn Arts Council, Mano a Mano, City Lore, and the Americas Society, they have promoted son jarocho in public schools and community events throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Radio Jarocho is committed to extending their research within the array of influences that have permeated this genre of Mexican music for nearly 300 years, and to bring its exciting and joyful sounds everywhere they go. The group's first recording: Radio Jarocho, produced by Gabriel Guzman and Carlos Salazar and recorded at the Cutting Room in New York City, will be available on June 27th.

Son Jarocho is the rich traditional music and dance from the coastal state of Veracruz, Mexico. This genre has its roots in Spanish secular music from the colonial period and an ethnic mixture of Afro-Caribbean and Mexican Indian elements. This mix is not surprising considering that the city-port of Veracruz has been a gateway to Mexico and Latin America since the sixteenth century.

The Band
Gabriel Guzman: jarana, harp; Juan Lucero: guitarra de son; Cecilia Ortega: dancer; Julia del Palacio: dancer; Carlos Marin: marimbol; Carlos Salazar: guitarra de son.