Thursday, July 2, 2009

CD-Relase Party at Terraza Cafe in Queens










Welcome to the first cd-release party of Radio Jarocho! We got together last Saturday at Cafe Terraza in Queens to celebrate our new album. Maestro Arturo Castillo was there, as well as our friends from the Aztec dance ensemble Atlachinolli. The gig started at around 10:30 and went on until 1:00 am. We began by playing the sones included in the album: Siquisirí, Bamba, Colás, Aguanieves, Zapateado and Cascabel. After having officially presented the album, we began the fandango, for which we played Guacamaya, La Morena, and Chuchumbé, among others. In between the sones, Arturo Castillo delighted us with some of his décimas, one of which was especially dedicated to Radio Jarocho and all its members. It was a décima written for our event, which is a great honor.

The jarocho section of the fandango went on for about an hour and a half, and then the huapango started. Gabriel, Juan and Juan Carlos played de violin, the jarana huasteca and the huapanguera respectively, and they all sang. Arturo Castillo also sang and improvised some décimas and Gabriel did not fall behind, and gave us some of his spicy improvs as well. Our good friend Sergio R. Reyes was there to take some photos, Carin Zissis did not bring her camera this time, but she has also taken quite a few shots of us soneros jarochos in New York. Some of the members of Atlachinolli danced in the fandango, and we were able to enjoy all of our friends' company in this wonderful event.

As we have announced before, our cd-release tour will include the five boroughs in New York City. Our next stop will be Manhattan in September, Staten Island in October, and the Bronx at the end of the summer. Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn will host us for that section of the tour, but we have yet to define the date. Keep coming back to this blog to learn more about what we are doing at Radio Jarocho!