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- Mariachi Corner
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- Western Folklife Center Media
Mariachi music is inseparable from Mexican-American life. In Los Angeles alone it's said there are 3000 active mariachi musicians. Hal Cannon of the Western Folklife Center reports on the business of Mariachi.
Orginally broadcast on Public Radio International's Marketplace November 2, 1999.
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Piece Description
Mariachi music is inseparable from Mexican-American life. In Los Angeles alone it's said there are 3000 active mariachi musicians. Hal Cannon of the Western Folklife Center reports on the business of Mariachi. Orginally broadcast on Public Radio International's Marketplace November 2, 1999.
2 Comments
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Review of Mariachi CornerI have a confession to make: I'm scared of mariachi bands, kind of like some people are scared of clowns. This piece, however, blew me away. It is very well written with wonderful, colorful descriptions of each place that is visited and interviews with members of mariachi bands. Lots of music with history thrown in. I felt like I was there . . . and I wasn't scared! Loved it. I notice that it originally aired on PRI's MarketPlace in 1999. It's been six years . . . it needs to be aired again. |
Broadcast History
Originally broadcast on Public Radio International's Marketplace November 2, 1999.
Transcript
Transcript
HAL: (0:00) Mariachi musicians have taken over this old neighborhood in east LA.
They call it the Boile because the epicenter is the corner of First and
Boile. [street ambience] No sooner do I pull up in my car when a man with
gleaming boots and pompadour approaches.
M: (0:12) Mariachi's?
H: How much?
M: 275 for one hora.
H: For one hour. And what instruments?
M: Two trumpets, two violins, bass y guitar
H: So this is your card. Music for all occasions...eventos socials.
MUSIC: (0:29) [hit hot, fade under next track]
HAL: Mariachi is music for all occasions in the Mexican community – baptisms,
birthdays, weddings, funerals and even at divorce announcements.
MUSIC (0:42) [up briefly, fade under & keep thru end of graf]
HAL: (0:52) Mariachi tradition is a tangle of rural Mestiso folk music. In the last
hundred years it's become the national mu...
Read the full transcript
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Anna Brozek
Posted on August 24, 2005 at 08:38 AM | Permalink
Review of Mariachi Corner
I never thought about Mariachi as a part of the "music business". The word business seemed the last word I would use to describe this style of music. I have lived in Arizona most of my life and have spent a significant amount of time in Mexico, yet until this piece, I had not considered how Mariachi musicians made their living or booked performances. Hal's interview was a truly informative piece that opened my eyes to a life I have always known existed, but never really contemplated.