Video: Sones de Mexico Ensemble
A performance by the Sones de Mexico Ensemble, a Chicago-based Mexican-American group working to keep the tradition of son music alive.
Mexico is home to many different styles of traditional music, most unique to their own regions and subcultures. Folk music in particular forms a rich tapestry in Mexico, drawing from Spanish, indigenous, and African influences. The different folk genres of Mexico are collectively known as son, or “sound” in Spanish. Son includes modern favorites such as mariachi, but it also encompasses a much broader range of folk songs and dances from Mexico.
Son musicians typically, but not always, play together in a group. Their ensembles feature stringed instruments like guitars or violins and various percussion instruments. The guitar is frequently replaced with local variants, such as the jarana, vihuela, or guitarrón mexicano. Musicians also sing, leading to a joyful atmosphere that encourages dancing and relaxation all around. Son often resembles classic Spanish dance music, but with contributions from Afro-Caribbean and indigenous cultures for good measure.
Son mexicano can still be heard in Mexican towns and cities, but it has also found an international audience. As the genre evolves for a wider audience, musicians are working to both innovate and preserve the existing son library of songs.
In that spirit, enjoy this performance of Mexican-American music and dance courtesy of the Library of Congress and the Sones de Mexico Ensemble. According to the Library of Congress: “The ensemble was formed in Chicago in 1994 and soon incorporated as a non-profit organization to keep the tradition of Mexican 'son' alive in its many regional forms.”
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