Son de Madera, one of the most legendary musical groups in the Son Jarocho movement of Southern Veracruz, Mexico, is visiting the Bay Area August 1-3. Three events are planned as part of their stop in Northern California.

• Friday, August 1, 8:00 p.m.
  Concert and Fandango at Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, San Pablo. Tickets are $12.
  Ph: 510-233-8015
  contact@loscenzontles.com
  
  
• Saturday, August 2, 8:00 p.m.
  Concert with Son Borikua, the Bay's finest bomba and plena group at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley. Tickets are $12.
  Ph: 510-849-2568
  www.lapena.org
  
  
• Sunday, August 3, 1:00 p.m.
  Tardeada Mexicana Concert at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose, CA (free). A music and dance workshop with the members of Son de Madera will be held prior to the concert as part of the San Jose event ($15 charge for workshop). Call for more information. www.mhcviva.org.

Son de Madera, heralded as one of the most innovative ensembles to delve into the rich Son Jarocho tradition, is based in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Featuring the virtuoso requinto work of Ramón Gutierrez and the incendiary vocals of Laura Rebolloso Cuéllar, Son de Madera, returns to the bay for the first time since their standing-room-only-show last year at the Alice Arts Center in Oakland.

The repertoire of Son de Madera comes mainly from the sones of the traditional fandango (musical fiesta) on the south of Veracruz, from the experience of the popular fiesta around the dance platform (tarima). Endowed with an enormous talent for musical arrangements and for research, Son de Madera expands on its multiethnic musical traditions and has landed itself at the top among peers in the current movement of the Son. The traditional scoring--requintos, jaranas, dancing boards and percussion instruments--is enriched by the incorporation of unique instruments. The cinco zapotero, an instrument with five pairs of strings played as a guitar and designed and crafted by bandleader Ramon Gutiérrez; the marimbol or marímbula which was used long ago in Veracruz to accompany the "rumbas de cajón," the harmonica and a double-bass combine to provide depth and serenity to the group's sound.

The Chicano Connection

A new generation of Chicano musicians has tuned into the contemporary Son Jarocho movement. Bands from Los Lobos and Ozomatli to Quetzal, Aztlán Underground and others have gravitated toward and pay tribute to the traditional form much like previous generations of rockers recognized the influence of great American blues artists. The jarocho form has been incorporated into original formulations as well. Los Lobos' "Saint Behind the Glass" pays tribute to the jarocho song "El Pajaro Cú," while Quetzal's "Jarocho Elegua" expands the instrumentation and harmonic range to create what the Los Angeles Times has called "jarocho-hip". The fandango tradition--a communal experience between dancers, musicians and audience that encourages musical improvisation -- has taken root in artist communities in East LA, San Jose, Richmond and Berkeley, California.

These Bay Area events are organized with the support of Son del Barrio Music, an artist-run music promotion and production group.

For more information contact:

• Chris Gonzalez Clarke at: chris@sondelbarrio.com , 408.621.2184

Read previous news:

• PochoSon (April 2002)