Mariachi has power to seduce

Every genre of music has stories to tell. Mariachi music has a million of them.
The music tells much of the character of the culture that created a rich and enormous literature of song and instrumental tunes as varied as it is beautiful and striking. It is a music of the soul of a people that also contains their history and human drama.
There are the obvious things in the lyrics - the pride Mexican people feel, their independent spirit and their love of the landscape in all of its regional flavors. Their great passions in love, their pain and sorrow in times of loss, romantic or personal, are woven into poetic texts of classic mariachi fare. The spirituality and moral fiber of the people are likewise ingrained.
At heart, the body of modern popular mariachi music has its roots in both folk and popular music. What finds its way to the stage of the Espectacular Concert of the Bank One Tucson International Mariachi Conference is an elevation to the level of high art of materials from both sides of that coin. In the complex, galloping rhythms of the huapangos, one hears echoes of the sones huastecas while such tunes as "La Bamba" have theirs in the sones jarochos of Veracruz. Over a century's time, these humble roots have been transformed by skilled composers and arrangers into the scintillating fare that thrills audiences around the world.
In the layered polyrhythms of its tunes, one hears even more regional flavors related to the various folklórico dances for which such music was created. And its corridos (ballads) are living memories of history, detailing events from the days of the revolution to the present in a matter-of-fact, narrative style. One also hears other less overt vestiges of history as well - the polkas borrowed from 19th century eastern European immigrants, along with an assortment of cultural leftovers from Spanish colonial days. Rhythms of Mexico's African populace too, along with rhythms borrowed from other Latin cultures, have filtered their way into the music. And when one hears the music of Mariachi Vargas' great composer/arranger, Ruben Fuentes, one unmistakably hears the light, vibrant spirit of the '50s and '60s.
This is music of life, music that accompanies the important social milestones from the cradle to the grave. It is the music of choice for quinceañeras and weddings, baptisms and funerals, family gatherings and political occasions that require people to stand together. It is music that arouses passion and liberates the joyous spirit.
For 14 years it has been my privilege to cover the mariachi conference for the Citizen, and I attended at least twice before I was reviewing. When I started, I knew little about it but was drawn to its life and soul. All these years later, I still feel like an infant in that musical world, and it still gives me the same childlike thrill to hear the proud trumpets, sizzling violins, sparkling harps and drilling vihuelas, guitarrón and guitars, as well as the passionate vocals. It is an art form worthy of serious treatment, and one that humbles me for my ignorance. But it also is one that beckons me on with the assurance that bit by bit, a fuller picture is emerging in my head. It's the kind of intellectual challenge I like - something unfathomably immense to ponder and try to put in perspective. If I write respectfully and lovingly of it, it is because the music has earned my respect and love. In a very special way, it has opened my eyes to the community in which I've lived for 30 years.
The same things amaze me year after year, the oceanic vastness and epic range of the repertoire first among them. There are literally thousands of tunes and songs associated with this repertoire. Likewise, the skillfulness of the arrangements and the symphonic scope of the mariachi ensemble never fail to leave me in awe. A great mariachi is a compact opera company - part pit orchestra, part chorus and always with a stable of solo singers from which at least one voice seems perfect for every style.
People in the mariachi community have been very kind to me over the years, patiently sharing information, explaining details and helping me to gain a better appreciation of this incredible tradition. And while mariachi week is the busiest week of a very busy arts season, and at the trailing edge when I am most worn out, it is impossible not to be revitalized by the sweep, grandeur and heart of the music-making.
This year is a particularly exciting one for me because there are so many new faces headlining - the next generation of mariachi greats, steeped in the traditions of their parents and ready to carry the music into the new millennium. If you've never been before and are afraid you might not understand it, get over yourself. This music communicates on the most basic human level, nourishing spirit and soul. Make this part of your weekend, and you'll be as hopelessly addicted as I have become.