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.