In just one word, it was Espectacular last night

The Jalisco harp was once a rarity at the Mariachi Conference.
Photos by VAL CAÑEZ/Tucson Citizen

DANIEL BUCKLEY
Tucson Citizen
April 26, 2003
The Mervyn's Tucson International Mariachi Conference entered its third decade with an Espectacular concert for the books.
The massive show, which was still going on when this writer left for deadline at 11:45 p.m., boasted the most spectacular folklórico dance presentation in its history, the best show by Los Camperos de Nati Cano in its 18 years at the conference, and an innovative, masterful set from Mariachi Cobre.
But probably the biggest surprise was the makeup of singer Pablo Montero's Mariachi Gallo de Mexico, which fattened the traditional compliment of violins, guitarrón, vihuela and trumpets with trap drums, electric guitars, accordion and keyboard.
Montero was a huge hit with the young ladies, who knew his lyrics by heart and finished his lines for him.
The handsome, dapper baritone crooner proved both an expressive interpreter of the tradition and a consummate showman who played the crowd like a beloved instrument, infusing love songs with palpable romance.
Young girls jockeyed with security to get close to him and steal a kiss, though the yellow- coat-clad guards generally won out. But not without Montero wading into the crowd, singing and shaking hands as he worked the audience.
As his group set up, one had to wonder how the crowd would react to his hybrid ensemble. But few seemed bothered by the additions, which actually tended to fortify the ensemble and lend extra dimension to the norteño-flavored tunes in his stack.
No doubt emcee José Ronstadt's mention that his violin section had two sons of Mariachi Vargas music director Pepe Martínez helped tamp down any anxiety. But it was the musicianship and showmanship they showed that ultimately closed the matter.
Whether you went for Montero's brand of mariachi or not, this Espectacular set a new high-water mark. Mariachi Cobre again kicked it off on a high note with its incomparable unaccompanied vocal rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner."
But from the moment the concert proper started, with the traditional filling of the aisles and stairs with student folklórico dancers and mariachis, this was a different experience.
Typically the dancers swell into the aisle like colorful confetti, whirling skirts and stamping boots without a whole lot of direction. But this year that opening flourish was carefully choreographed, creating an impressive visual spectacle previously unseen.
When Ballet Folklórico de la Universidad de Colima, which had spearheaded the dance workshops this year, took the stage, the impact of that opening evaporated.

Venerable Los Camperos leader Nati Cano works the crowd of 9,000-plus in the opening flourish of mariachis and folklórico dancers at the Mervyn's Tucson International Mariachi Conference Espectacular.

The collective and individual prowess of these young dancers was on a par of elevation with the virtuoso mariachis that backed them - Camperos and Cobre. With surgical precision and joyful exuberance they defied the limitations of human flexibility in polished presentations of regional dance. The limber, statuesque performers brought courtly grace and elegance to every piece, their execution ranking with the best dance this writer has seen in any genre.
One work in particular stood out. The dancers artfully rendered a corrido (narrative ballad) of a tragic love story that ends with the death of the man, his body carried off on the shoulders of the others as his woman mourns.
Even those who couldn't understand the words had no problem comprehending the story, the power and pathos of the dance leaving many on the verge of tears. The young students who attended the workshops got an example to strive for this same level of excellence the musicians have enjoyed for years. This kind of quantum leap on the dance front must be followed up with more in future conferences.
Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, which appeared dead tired at last year's Espectacular (and rightly so after a week of multiple concerts and intense workshops), seemed determined to reacquire its rightful prominence. Maybe it was the passing of the group's guitarrón player, Jose Maria "Chema" Arellano, in February, to whom they dedicated the show. But whatever the cause, Los Camperos delivered a knockout show.
Its vocal stable has, in the past, been the Camperos' Achilles heel. But last night it wowed the crowd with first-rate vocal solos, supported by well-blended choral arrangements and awesome instrumental chops. Its mainly traditional set took listeners on a tour of the states of Mexico, throwing in as well personalized versions of such crowd pleasers as "El Tren," "Volver, Volver" and "Violin Huapango." The latter tune was tautly executed, and frankly as good as any time Vargas played it at the conference. A bit of Vivaldi-esque counterpoint in "Michoacán" and a crowd-sparking rendition of "Mexico Lindo" capped the group's set.
Improved as Los Camperos' vocals were, Mariachi Cobre's supremacy in that department was in no danger. Soloist after soloist left the crowd slack-jawed. The blend at every dynamic was impeccable, the phrasing chiselled to fine detail.
Known widely as a mariachi that has taken the traditional repertoire and rendered it with unrivaled panache Cobre pulled a few new pieces out of its bag, building on the genre's foundations to crowd-pleasing result. Likewise, Cobre has long held the reputation of being an opera company in miniature. Vocalist/trumpeter Steve Carrillo upheld that claim with a stunning sampling of zarzuela (Spanish operetta) aria filled with hall-shaking power.
There's more today at Armory Park with the free Fiesta Garibaldi from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.