Mariachi music is the most widely recognized style of music to emerge from Mexico; it is a style of music that has its own specific image associated with it as well as specific types of dance and celebration that are analogous to the word mariachi. While there is no disputing the lasting and iconographic nature of mariachi music, it is only one of many types of music to originate from Mexico. Corrido, Banda and Tejano are all fashionable genres of Mexican music that exist, at least outside of Mexico, in the rather long shadow cast by mariachi.
Long before mariachi, corrido was the popular form of music in Mexico. It is generally thought to be an accompaniment to the Mexican - American war, as the musical form was often more of a musical story telling. Long passages and movements were often written to commend or recognize whatever was happening with regard to the political climate or episodes of heroism and bravery related to the war. Much of the history of the war was documented in the corridos ballads. The music continued to evolve beyond being a voice for the war effort and the themes and topics in the lyrics followed suit.
Eventually corrido music settled on being the voice for tales of the life of the more common individual in relation to the immigrant experience and migrant worker lifestyle. Recent years have seen more of a focus on the ominous presence of the drug cartels. Although the topics are darker, and some may say more hopeless, Corrido is still what it has always been - a musical style that reiterates what is happening in Mexico and the life of Mexicans.
Tejano music originated along the border of Mexico and Texas, coming to be seen and recognized as the music of the Mexican population in central and southern Texas. Indeed, the word "tejano" is used to describe a Texan with Mexican heritage or origins. The music came from the cattle and cowboy culture of Texans who were from Mexico or of Mexican descent, and is often classified as country music, although it bears little actual resemblance to traditional americanized country and western. It is however, in some ways responsible for the entire romanticized notion of American cowboy culture. The music is rooted in a more modern sound and is very similar to Cajun music, which is a more rural type of folk music that stems from Louisiana. However, the Cajun flavoring that runs through Tejano music is also mixed in with many more modern styles of rhythm and blues, pop, rock, country and the widely known mariachi.
Big band music also plays a part in Mexican musical culture and history, but plays a somewhat smaller role than other styles like tejano or mariachi. Banda - Mexican big band music, is based around a brass ensemble and has an emphasis on percussion and movement, usually featuring anywhere from 10 to 20 members including a lead singer and secondary singer who complement each other with harmony as well as enabling duets. Of note is the fact that percussion in banda music is generally for accenting and not keeping time or tempo and groove is usually provided by a sousaphone instead of drums. The evolution of banda in recent years has seen all brass instruments replaced with electronic instruments instead - "techno banda", with electric bass guitar subbing in for sousaphone for rhythm.
Long before mariachi, corrido was the popular form of music in Mexico. It is generally thought to be an accompaniment to the Mexican - American war, as the musical form was often more of a musical story telling. Long passages and movements were often written to commend or recognize whatever was happening with regard to the political climate or episodes of heroism and bravery related to the war. Much of the history of the war was documented in the corridos ballads. The music continued to evolve beyond being a voice for the war effort and the themes and topics in the lyrics followed suit.
Eventually corrido music settled on being the voice for tales of the life of the more common individual in relation to the immigrant experience and migrant worker lifestyle. Recent years have seen more of a focus on the ominous presence of the drug cartels. Although the topics are darker, and some may say more hopeless, Corrido is still what it has always been - a musical style that reiterates what is happening in Mexico and the life of Mexicans.
Tejano music originated along the border of Mexico and Texas, coming to be seen and recognized as the music of the Mexican population in central and southern Texas. Indeed, the word "tejano" is used to describe a Texan with Mexican heritage or origins. The music came from the cattle and cowboy culture of Texans who were from Mexico or of Mexican descent, and is often classified as country music, although it bears little actual resemblance to traditional americanized country and western. It is however, in some ways responsible for the entire romanticized notion of American cowboy culture. The music is rooted in a more modern sound and is very similar to Cajun music, which is a more rural type of folk music that stems from Louisiana. However, the Cajun flavoring that runs through Tejano music is also mixed in with many more modern styles of rhythm and blues, pop, rock, country and the widely known mariachi.
Big band music also plays a part in Mexican musical culture and history, but plays a somewhat smaller role than other styles like tejano or mariachi. Banda - Mexican big band music, is based around a brass ensemble and has an emphasis on percussion and movement, usually featuring anywhere from 10 to 20 members including a lead singer and secondary singer who complement each other with harmony as well as enabling duets. Of note is the fact that percussion in banda music is generally for accenting and not keeping time or tempo and groove is usually provided by a sousaphone instead of drums. The evolution of banda in recent years has seen all brass instruments replaced with electronic instruments instead - "techno banda", with electric bass guitar subbing in for sousaphone for rhythm.
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