Mariachi Mexico Antiguo

About

For many years the members of the Las Vegas-based Mariachi Mexico Antiguo would make a yearly visit to Wallingford, Connecticut, where they would teach mariachi traditions to youth in the city’s growing Mexican-American community. “We made a joke that we should move here, and some of the local community leaders overheard us and asked what it would take for the group to move,” says leader Rodbel Virula. “So the joke became a reality, and now we’re here in New England.”

Mariachi was one of the many regional musical styles that emerged from the Mexican countryside. These various styles developed as local adaptations built around Spanish instruments including the violin, guitar, and harp, with the incorporation of indigenous and African influences reflective of regional, mestizo (people of mixed Indian and Spanish heritage) cultures. Mariachi originated in the west-central state of Jalisco. In the 1930s, urban migration brought mariachi to the attention of Mexico City’s emerging media industry; first radio and then the movies helped to propel mariachi to international prominence.

It wasn’t hard for Virula to find mariachi when he grew up in Las Vegas, where it was part of his high school curriculum. Virula and several of his bandmates were mentored by Jesus ‘Chuy’ Guzman, the director of Los Angeles’ renowned Mariachi Los Camperos, who performed at the 2006 Lowell Folk Festival. “He’s our padrino,” says Virula. “He has taught us discipline—that no one person can carry a whole mariachi group. When everyone is devoted the music really starts to take off.”

In Lowell Mariachi Mexico Antiguo will be 14 strong with seven violins, three trumpets, a harpist, guitar, the guitar-like vihuela and the bass guitarrón. They will be joined by dancers from Las Vegas’ Ballet Folklórico De Mi Tierra.

Virula sums up the group’s philosophy: “Simplicity can be beautiful. Having melodies and songs that people can relate to is what makes mariachi the music of Mexico.”