I. WHAT IS THE SON JAROCHO?

The Son Jarocho of southern,Veracruz is one of the most dynamic variations of the
musical/dance genre known as the Son Mexicano. The "folk music" of Mexico, the Son
Mexicano emerged during the colonial period as a mix in between Spanish, Indigenous, and
African, music and dance. As early as the 16th century, the Spanish introduced the native
indigenous population to stringed instruments such as the violin, harp, and various guitar-
types. These three instruments thus became an "instrumental core" and for the next 300
years natives and Mestizos developed their own regional stringed instruments on the
European models. Some of these instruments are the vihuela of the west coast, the jarana
huasteca of the eastern-central regions, and the jarana jarocha of Southern Veracruz. As a
distinct regional instrumentation developed so did a distinct regional music/dance tradition.
Just as the Son Huasteco from east-central Mexico and the west coast Son de Mariachi have
their own characteristics the Son Jarocho can be distinguished by its percussive rhythms,
syncopation, vocal style, and improvisation in its harmonic and rhythmic framework and
verse.

According to ethnomusicologist Daniel Sheehy, although the son jarocho repertoire consists
of around 80 individual sones based on local themes, the jarocho musicians ability to
improvise new harmonies, melodies, and verses, always makes the performance of one of
these sones unique. Jarocho musicians always say that they never perform two identical
versions of the same son.

The dance aspect of the son jarocho is also a defining characteristic of the tradition. The
"zapateado" footwork is not simply a dis-associated part of the son jarocho, but an element
of the tradition which provides a rhythmic complement to the instrumental and vocal
accompaniment. The traditional setting of the son jarocho, the Fandango, is at the center
of social reunions throughout southern Veracruz. As local musicians perform the sones,
people dance atop a large wooden platform known as a Tarima.

The base instrumentation used by contemporary jarocho ensembles consist of three main
instruments: The arpa, requinto, and jarana.

- The arpa jarocha is a large wooden harp with 32-36 strings tuned diatonically over
five octaves. Usually, the harpist plays a bass line on the low strings with one hand
and with the other supplies arpeggiated melodies on the higher strings.

- The requnito jarocho,(also known as the "javalina" or the "Guitara de son") not to
be confused with the requinto romantico, is also a melodic instrument. Its four
strings are plucked individually with a long,thin pick fashioned from either cowhorn
or plastic. Although construction of the requinto jarocho varies, the most prized are
the requintos "basiados" which are carved from a solid piece of cedar.

- The most fundamental and common jarocho instrument is the jarana. Most likely
derived from the XVI century Spanish Baroque guitar, the jarana has eight to twelve
strings grouped in five courses. It is strummed in a chordial manner called a rasgueo
and furnishes the rhythmic and harmonic framework of the son jarocho.
Although the base instrumentation used by contemporary ensembles is the harp, requinto,
and jarana, these are not the only instruments used in performing the son jarocho. Jaranas
range in various sizes(the smallest are called "mosquitos") Some ensembles use a large
bass known as a "liona" or the "Guitarron Jarocho",and the 6-string Spanish guitar is
commonly seen in many ensembles. Other unique instruments that are not as common but
show the variation and ingenuity of jarocho musicians are the pandero, (tambourine) the
quijada (a mule or horse jawbone), the cajon (percusive box), and the marimbola.

II. THE INOVATORS

Like many other types of folk music, commercialization and the rise of the professional
musician has played a part in the development of an urban son jarocho tradition. For
example, prior to the 1940's the arpa jarocha was much smaller than the one used by
jarocho musicians today and harpists would have to play the harp sitting down due to its
size. This would change as the jarocho harpist Andres Huesca (1917-1957) gained fame in
Mexico City through recordings with his ensembles Trio Huracan and Los Constenos and his
film roles during Mexico's Golden Age Of Film such "Historia de un Amor"(1942), "La
Perla"(1945), "Solo Veracruz es Bello"(1948), "Oro y Flor de Cana"(1948), and others.
During this period, Huesca began to use a larger harp modeled after the west coasts' arpa
grande. The larger harp produced a greater sound, and could be played in a standing
position. Huesca's use of a larger harp and the technique he developed set a new standard
among professional Jarocho ensembles and his impact is still felt to this day. In 1950,
Huesca was also the first to record a song called "Yo" by an upcoming songwriter by the
name of Jose Alfredo Jimenez.

In the late 1940's, many jarocho musicians such as Andres Huesca, Lino Chavez, Nicolas
Sosa, and Julian Cruz left for Mexico city to earn a living as musicians. In the next few
decades that followed, many outstanding groups such as Conjunto Tlalixcoyan de los
hermanos Rosas (the first exclusive conjunto jarocho for Ballet Folklorico de Mexico),Los
Nacionales de Jacinto Gatica, Conjunto Tierra Blanca,Conjunto Villa Del Mar de Angel
Valencia, Los Riberenos, and many others, emerged. Of all of these the most influential
group by far was Conjunto Medellin de Lino Chavez.

The various recordings made by Lino Chavez and his Conjunto Medellin are classics and the
innovative styles of requintero Lino Chavez (1922-1993) and harpist Mario Barradas as well
as Chavez' instrumentation of harp, jarana, and requinto and their technique have become
the standard for contemporary urban jarocho ensembles. Although he recorded over twenty
albums in his lifetime, Lino Chavez was a musical purist and never deviated from his jarocho
tradition. He virtually invented the contemporary style of requinto performance technique
that is now so widely imitated. Alberto de la Rosa, professor at the Universidad Veracruzana
and director of one of Mexico's premiere jarocho/Latin American ensemble Grupo Tlen-
huicani said,"Actualmente tocar requinto jarocho significa tocar el estilo de Lino Chavez...la
musica del requinto jarocho es la musica de Lino Chavez."("Presently, to play the requinto
jarocho means to play the style of Lino Chavez... the music of the requinto jarocho is the
music of Lino Chavez.")
III. THE PRESENT

What is the current state of the Son Jarocho? While the roots of the son jarocho are in
southern Veracruz, those who have decided to earn a living as jarocho musicians have for
the past sixty years found it more profitable to leave Veracruz for Mexico city or other
tourist areas. Ensembles such as "Conjunto Tierra Blanca" , founded in the 1950's and
directed by Marios Barradas Murcia, have earned a living playing their native music and
many of these urban jarocho ensembles have not only traveled throughout the world and
recorded various albums but have also taught hundreds of students abroad how to play the
son jarocho in University workshops and in school's such as Mexico city's "Escuela de la
Muscia Mexicana". Although the traditional manner of transmitting the son jarocho from
generation to generation is common, the aspect of teaching the son jarocho to students in
an academic setting is new and a vibrant new part of the son jarocho tradition.

In Xalapa, Veracruz the Universidad Veracruzana is the home of Grupo Tlen-Huicani and its
director, Prof. Alberto de la Rosa, who has had a great influence in promoting the
preservation of the son jarocho and Latin American folk music. For over 35 years,Tlen-
Huicani has remained one of the most faithful interpreters of the traditional folk music of
Veracruz, Mexico and most of Latin America. Since 1973, their music and international
achievements have earned them the honor of 'Best Folk Group in Mexico' by the Union of
Music and Theater Critics.

Another wave of preservation called the "Movimiento Jaranero" began in the late 1970's
which saw contemporary ensembles who had developed a style from the more commercial
urban ensembles in the 1940's as steering away too much from its roots. These
"renovadores" have concentrated on preserving the fandango setting (the traditional
celebratory environment of the son jarocho) such as at the annual "Encuentro de Jaraneros"
in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz. The movimiento stresses the Afro-caribbean aspects of the son
jarocho and at the head of this movement is grupo Mono Blanco who since 1978 has
recorded various albums, traveled throughout the world, and conducted various workshops
and conferences concentrating on their unique style of the son jarocho. Although
commercialization and the birth of the professional musician has had an effect on the son
jarocho tradition in Veracruz , the age old folk tradition of playing the son jarocho as a
pastime is still alive and well. While we will always have the commercial recordings of
professional groups such as Medellin, Tlalixcoyan, Tlen-huicani and others, there are
hundreds of musicians throughout southern Veracruz who are unknown and continue a
tradition which is over two hundred years old.
IV. NORTH OF THE BORDER

Proving the age old adage that music knows no boundaries, many jarocho ensembles have
also been formed throughout

the United States and in particular southern California. As early as the 1940's, Andres
Huesca and his ensembles, Los Costenos and Trio Huracan, were staples at theatres in the
Los Angeles area. Huesca, in fact, died in Los Angeles in 1957. In time, Los Angeles became
a hotbed for Mexico's musical talent and had a great influence on the musical scene
throughout Mexican communities in Southern California. Although many folk ensembles
formed throughout the Los Angeles area, initially these ensembles consisted of transplanted
musicians arriving to the southwest from Mexico. It was only a matter of time before
"homegrown" folk ensembles began to be formed on this side of the border. During the
1960's, the rise of Chicano political activism and cultural nationalism ushered in a high
interest in the folk arts and music throughout Chicano communities in the southwest. Some
of the first homegrown Jarocho ensembles that would emerge out of Southern California
were: "Conjunto Papaloapan"; Prof. Tim Harding of California State University of Los
Angeles and his ensemble "Los Tigres De La Sierra"; Prof. Fermin Herrera of California State
University Northridge and his family-based ensemble "Conjunto Hueyapan." , and "Conjunto
Alma Grande" de la familia Moraza of Ventura,California. While many ensembles have come
and gone, the native-born Herrera family of Oxnard, California have been active for over 30
years in disseminating the son jarocho to hundreds of students throughout southern
California .

There are currently dozens of jarocho ensembles throughout southern California and the
United States. Although the ensembles on this side of the border have obviously formed out
of the traditional contextual environment of the son jarocho, these musicians have traveled
to Mexico and abroad to establish the traditional master/apprentership relationships which
are vital in the transmission of the son jarocho. Members of ensembles formed on this
border such as "Conjunto Hueyapan", "Conjunto Jardin", "Conjunto Alma Grande",
"Conjunto Tenocelomeh", and others are true "Jarochos" without having to be native
Veracruzanos. While some folk genres in Mexico have been forgotten, this developing
unique aspect of the jarocho tradition will insure that it will continue long into the future.

_________________________________________________________________________
I. QUE ES EL SON JAROCHO?

El Son Jarocho del sur de Veracruz es uno de los estilos mas dinamicos entre entre el
genero de musica/baile conocido como el Son Mexicano. La "Musica Folkorica" de Mexico, el
Son Mexicano, nacio durante la epoca colonial en una mexcla entre la musica y baile
Indigena, Espanola, y Aficana. Desde el siglo XVI, los Espanoles introdicieron la arpa, el
violin, y guitara a Nueva Espana. Estos tres instrumentos se convertieron en la base en que
por los siguiente 300 anos se desarollaron los instrumentos regioinales de Mexico como la
vihuela de la costa occidental, la jarana-huasteca del sur-centro, y la jarnana jarocha del la
costa del este. Igual que el Son Huasteco del sur-centro de Mexico y el Son de Mariachi de
la costa occidental, el son jarocho se destingue por sus caracteristicas en ritmo, baile,estilo
de canto, y improvisacion de veso y musica .
El etnomusicologo Estaudonidence Daniel Sheehy ha escrito que aunque el repetorio del son
jarocho solo consiste de 80 piesas con temas regionales, la abilidad del musico jarocho en
imprivisanr versos, harmonias, y melodias nuevas hace la presentacion de un son distincta
a la occasion. Musicos jarochos simepre dicen que nunca tocan la misma version de un son
mas de una vez.

La tradicion de baile entre la tradicion jarocha es una de sus caracteristicas mas

importantes. Los pasos del "zapateado" no son solo un aspecto relacionado a la tradicion,
pero un elemento integral de la tradicion musical en que los pasos de los danzantes sirven
como parte de la harmonia musical. El Fandango es la escena tradicional del son jarocho. En
estas festividades sociales los musicos tocan sus sones mientras el publico baila sobre una
plataforma construida de madera llamada la Tarima.

La instrumentacion basica del conjunto jarocho contemorano consiste the tres intrumentos
basicos: La arpa, requnito jarocho, y jarana jarocha:

-La arpa jarocha de 32-36 cuerdas es un instrumento diatonico construida para ser
afinada sobre 5 octavos.
- El requinto jarocho, (tambien conocido como la "javalina" o "Guitara de son") no
confundido con el requinto romantico, de cuatro cuerdas es un instrumento melodico
que es tocadocon una pua construida de cuerno o plastico. Aunque la construcion de
el requinto jarocho es variable, los requintos mas apreciados son los requintos
"basiados" construidos de una pieza solida de cedro.
-El Instrumento fundamental de la tradicion jarocha es la jarana. Basada sobre la
guitara baroca del siglo XVI, la jarana tiene entre ocho y doce cuerdas. La jarana es
tocada en un estilo conocido como el "rasgueo" y proveer la harmonia entre el son
jarocho.

Aunque la instrumentacion basica de los conjuntos jarochos contemporanos es la arpa,

requinto, y jarana, estos no son los unicos instrumentos en huso entre la tradicion jarocha.
Hay varios tamanos de jarana ( las mas chicas son conocidas com "mosquitos"), se usa
tambien un bajo conocido com "la Liona" o "guitarron jarocho" y es muy commun ver la la
guitarra de seis cuerdas.

II. LOS INOVADORES

Como varios otros estilos de musica folklorica, la comercializacion y profesionalizacion ha

tenido un gran efecto sobre el desarollo de un estilo de son jarocho urbano. Por ejemplo,
antes de los 1940's, la arpa jarocha era chica (por su tamano, arpistas jarochos tocaban la
arpa sentados) en comparacion con la arpa que se acostumbra en hoy tiempo. En los 30's el
arpsita jarocho Andres Huseca(1917-1957) gano gran fama en la capital con sus papeles en
el cine ("Alla en el Rancho Grande"(1936),"Historia de un Amor"(1942), "La Perla"(1945),
"Solo Veracruz es Bello"(1948), "Oro y Flor de Cana"(1948), and others) y grabaciones en
que empeseo a husar una arpa jarocha construida al estilo de las "arpas grandes" de la
costa occidental. En poco tiempo arpistas sigieron la tradicion empesada por Huesca. Las
adventajas de la arpa grande eran la ampificacion de sonido y la abilidad de poder ser
tocada de pie.

En los 1940's varios musicos jarochos como Andres Huesca, Lino Chavez, Nicolas Sosa, y
Julian Cruz, llegaron a la capital de Mexico para empesar una vida nueva como musicos
profesionales. Durante los proximos anos grupos comos Conjunto Tlalixcoyan de los
hermanos Rosas, Los Nacionales de Jacinto Gatica, Los Costenos, Conjunto Tierra Blanca,
Conjunto Villa del Mar de Angel Valencia, Los Pregoneros del Puerto, Los Riberenos, y varios
otros tuvieron grandes exitos pero el Conjunto mas influencial fue el Conjunto Medellin de
Lino Chavez.

Aunque grabo mas de veinte discos durante su vida, Lino Chavez era un tradicionalista que
nunca le gusto salir fuera de su tradicion jarocha. Chavez origeno el estilo contemporano de
tocar el requinto jarocho que en hoy timepo tan imitado. Alberto de la Rosa, professor de
la Universidad Veracruzana y director del Grupo Tlen-huicani, dijo, " Actualmente tocar
requinto jarocho significa tocar el estilo de Lino Chavez...la musica del requinto jarocho es
la musica de Lino Chavez."

III. EL PRESENTE

Que es el estado del son jarocho en hoy timepo? Mientras sus raizes siguen en el sur de
Veracruz, por los ultimos sesenta anos, los que han querido sobrevivir como musicos han
salido fuera de la cuna jarocha para la capital o otras areas de turismo. Varios de estos
conjuntos jarochos urbanos como "Conjunto Tierra Blanca", fundado en los '50's y direjido
por Mario Barradas Murica, se han mantenido tocando su musica nativa y muchos no solo
han grabado discos y recoido a el estrajedo pero tambien han ensenado estudiantes en
talleres universitarios y escualas como la "Escuela de la Musica Mexicana". Aunque la
manera tradicional de trasmitir el son de generacion a generacion sigue viviente, el specto
de ensenando el son a estudiantes en un lugar academico es un aspecto nuevo de la
tradicion jarocha.

En Xalapa, Veracruz la Universidad Veracruzana es la base del Grupo Tlen-Huicani y su

director, el Prof. Alberto de la Rosa, ha tenido una gran influencia en prometiendo la
difussion del son jarocho y musica de Latino America. Por mas de 25 anos, Tlen-Huicani se
ha dado a conocer como unos de los grupos mas fieles en la interpretacion demusica
tradicional y se han reconocido como el 'Mejor grupo folkorico de Mexico'por la Sindicato de
Critcos de Musica y Teatro.

Otra ola de preservacion conocida com el "Movimineto Jaranero"se fundo al fin de los '70's.
Este movimiento mira a los conjuntos jarochos urbanos basan su estilo de los conjuntos de
los '40's como muy afuera de la tradicion jarocha y se han concertrado en preserevando los
aspectos mas afro-carribenos de el son jarocho. A la base de este movimiento de "
renovacion" esta el "Mono Blanco" que desde 1978 han grabado varios discos y establecido
talleres de su estilo perticular de son jarocho. Aunque la el comersialismo y el nacimiento
del musico profesional ha tenido un efecto sobre la tradicion jarocha, la tradicion regional
sigue viviente. Aunque siempre tenganos lasgrabaciones de Medellin, Tlalixcoyan, Tlen-
Huicani y otros, has varios musicos desconocidos en el sur de Veracruz que continuan una
tradicion por mas de dosientos anos.

IV. AL NORTE DE LA FRONTERA

Dando prueba al dicho que la "Musica no tiene Fronteras", varios musicos jarochos se han
establecido en los Estados Unidos, y en particular el sur de California. Desde los 1940's,
Andres Huesca y sus conjuntos, Los Costenos, y el Trio Huracan, andavan en giras en el sur
de California. Huesca murio en Los Angeles en 1957. Antraves del tiempo,Los Angeles se
convertio en una centro de exponer los talentos del entretenimiento Mexicano y esto tuvo
un gran efecto sobre la cultura muscial de la comunidade Mexicanas en el sur de California.
En tiempo se empesaron a fundar conjuntos jarochos en que sus miembros no solo eran
trasladaros de Mexico pero nacidos al otor lado de la frontera. Durante los 1960's y el
nacimiento del movimiento politico y nacionalista Chicano, crecio el interes en la arte y
musica tradicional de Mexico. Unos de los primeros conjuntos jarochos fundados en el sur
de California eran:"Conjunto Papoloapan", "Los Tigres De la Sierra" del Prof. Tim Harding de
la Universidad del Estado de California-Los Angeles; el "Conjunto Hueyapan" del Prof.
Fermin Herrera de la Universidad Estatal de California-Northridge y su familia; y el
"Conjunto Alma Grande" de la familia Moraza de Ventura, California.

Mientras varios grupos en el sur de California se han fundado y desentegrado, la familia

Herrera de Oxnard, California han difundido el son jarocho a cienes de estudiantes por mas
de 25 anos. En hoy tiempo, hay varios conjuntos jarochos de origen estadodiense en el sur
de California y en todo los Estados Unidos. Aunque estos conjuntosse han formaron fuera
del contexto tradicional jarocho, estos musico had girado a Mexico a aprendaer la muscia
jarocha y han establecido la relacion imoprtante de maestro/estudiante con maestros y
expertos en el folklore Mexicano. Miembros de conjuntos como "Conjunto Hueyapan",
"Conjunto Jardin", "Conjunto Alma Grande"," El Son del Pueblo", "Conjunto Tenocelomeh", y
varios otros son verdareros musicos "jarochos" sin tener que ser Veracruzanos nativos.
Mientras otros generos del folkore Mexicano han pasado al olvido, el desarollo de este
aspecto nuevo del la tradicion del son jarocho es unica y asegura su lugar en el futuro.

By: Francisco J. Gonzalez

www.sonjarocho.com