Mariachi Los Camperos Return To Golden Age of Mariachi In Tribute To Late Founder Nati Cano With New Album (Out 7/14/15)

Mariachi is more than entertainment; it is a celebration of Mexican identity, artistry, and ritual. On July 14, Smithsonian Folkways will release Tradición, Arte y Pasión: Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, an exploration into the multi-dimensional sounds of Mexico’s past and present. The album serves as a fitting tribute to legendary mariachi musician, bandleader, teacher, and advocate Natividad “Nati” Cano, who died last fall during the album’s production. Each of this year’s performances by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano will honor the late GRAMMY-winning Cano, an irreplaceable force in elevating mariachi music to a globally respected art form.

Listen to a sneak preview from Tradición, Arte y Pasión here.

Cano was an integral player in the mariachi heyday of the 1930s and ‘40s. Born into a tradition of mariachi musicians, Cano learned to play the vihuela—a small mariachi guitar— from his father, Sotero Cano, and later mastered the violin. He practiced diligently throughout his youth and began playing professionally at the age of nine. This early success cemented Cano as a cultural leader during a time when mariachi music was being popularized and modern Mexican identity was taking shape.

Cano moved to Los Angeles in 1959 and became the leader of the musical group Mariachi Los Camperos in 1961. Cano helped shape the landscape of mariachi in popular culture in a number of ways, including by founding the concept of the mariachi dinner theater at La Fonda restaurant. This not only ushered mariachi into the mainstream, but it also provided new opportunities and unique platforms for musicians to perform. Cano was an educator at UCLA, passing along the mariachi tradition to young musicians of Mexican heritage, many of whom became later members of Mariachi Los Camperos.

Watch Nati Cano talk about “what makes a good mariachi” here.

Cano passed away on October 3, 2014, after a long battle with cancer, and had hoped for this album to be a vessel to deliver mariachi tradition to a new audience, not only sharing the beauty of the music, but also aiming to elevate the position of mariachi music in popular culture. The group continues to perform extensively, carrying on the Nati Cano name in the tradition of other world-renowned ensembles, including the Count Basie Orchestra & Mingus Big Band, for example.

The music on Tradición, Arte y Pasión reflects innovations in mariachi sound both old and new and spans a century of cultural traditions. “Parranda larga (The Long Binge),” the third track on Tradición, Arte y Pasión, was first performed by singer-actor Jorge Negrete in the 1953 film El Rapto, his last film before his passing. Performed by the group’s musical director Chuy Guzmán, this rendition of “Parranda larga” honors the original version, reminiscent of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. “Sones de antaño (Sones from Long Ago)” closes the album with military-style band instrumentation, traditional folk melodies, and an improvised bass drum on the guitarrón, distinctive of the music of Zacatecas. Please enjoy a free download of the first track “El súchil” (The Marigold).

Tradición, Arte y Pasión is Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano’s seventh Smithsonian Folkways appearance. Amor, Dolor y Lagrimas: Music Música Ranchera (2008) won a GRAMMY for Best Regional Mexican Album and ¡Llegaron Los Camperos!: Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos (2005) was a nominee for Best Mexican/Mexican American Album. Other albums include ¡Viva el Mariachi!: Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos (2002) the compilation Raíces Latinas: Smithsonian Folkways Latino Roots Collection., and the live concert release cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins (2004). The group also released a DVD, The Sounds of Mariachi: Lessons in Mariachi Performance (2010).

This album is the 42nd in the Smithsonian Folkways Tradiciones/Traditions Series of Latino music albums, produced with support from the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano Tour dates:
05/03/2015 – Lancaster Performing Arts Building, Lancaster, CA
05/10/2015 – Sycuan Casino Showcase Theatre, San Diego, CA

Track list:
1) El súchil (The Marigold)
2) Yo (I)
3) Parranda larga (The Long Binge)
4) La petenera (medley) (“La petenera,” “Tata Dios,” “La Cecilia”)
5) A los cuatro vientos (To the Four Winds)
6) El framboyán (The Flamboyant Tree)
7) La morena (The Dark Woman)
8) Nuestro gran amor (Our Great Love)
9) El silencio de la noche (The Silence of the Night)
10) El arreo (The Roundup)
11) Sones de antaño (Sones from Long Ago)

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