Banda music - Mexico

I think Dr. Phil and Dimension 5 and Chuck Eddy know the most about banda around here. There's Banda el Recodo and Yolanda Perez

I don't know anything about it, but I like Yolanda Perez's bandaton ventures, like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TEcaJGdv_s

but I only know about her from Chuck and Matt and others discussing her.

(Round up the usual suspects.)

(I think I am going to like New Mexico.)

I listen to more Durangunese than banda per se, but Duranguense's basically a banda subgenre. Here's me on Duranguense, which was the fruit of a year of googling and going to a little mom and pop record store/zapateria out by me. Really, though, you could go to Target and find whatever you need. Matt and Chuck know a whole heckuva lot more about banda, and probably about Duranguense too.

But yeah, Yolanda Perez is really great, Jenni Rivera and Diana Reyes are both great and put out CDs this year, Graciela Beltran sounds good too. And I hear men sometimes make this stuff...

I don't know anything about it. I like a lot of the regional Mexican stuff I see/hear on mun2 (bilingual video channel, check your cable listings) and really need to find a super-informed source who can provide me with a shopping list.

not banda but sorta close--from San Antonio critic Ramiro Burr's blog--

Latin Notes Now

April 01, 2008
Intocable, DLG, Jimmy Edward, Latin Breed early PLM winners

Intocable, David Lee Garza, Jimmy Edward and Latin Breed were among the early winners at the Premios a La Musica Latina Tuesday night at the Majestic Theater.

The tension is high early on, as many are awaiting the performance by Emilio's sons Diego and Emilio IV tonight.

It is a much anticipated moment, despite the fact that their performance was never advertised, or even confirmed by show officials.

But it was the biggest known, most talked about secret in town.

We can tell you that Garza received a louder-than-usual applause when he was named a winner. This was obviously due in part to the fact that DLG was the first group Emilio ever performed in back in the late '80s.

Surprisingly, Garza didn't say anything about Emilio. You would have thought as an early winner, he would have sent out a get well wish or something, since he, unlike the other artists tonight, has one of the very few direct and long-time connections to Emilio.

But Emilio was clearly in everyone's mind in this packed theater.
To continue..click MORE below

Hosts Raul Gonzalez and Priscila, as well as several presenters have mentioned Emilio, and it is still early in the evening.

Early winners:Mejor Norteno: Intocable
Mejor Grupo Religioso: Jimmy Edward
Mejor Conjunto Progresivo: David Lee Garza
Mejor Orquesta Tejana: Latin Breed
Mejor Mariachi de High School: Jefferson High School
Presentation- Mejor Video: Kumbia All Stara
Mejor Mariachi de High School: Jefferson High School
Mejor Jazz Latino: Joe Posada

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/latinnotes/archives/2008/04/intocable_dlg_j.html

Maybe I should start a Tex-Mex and conjunto thread (for the thousands of ILMers interested in such sounds!)

That would be great; I asked about Graciela Beltran on the generic world music thread and got silence.

Maybe a general "Regional Mexican Music" thread? Since there's not too much interest or expertise around here (and I include myself in that, on both counts), more general would be better.

x-post

Unfortunately I'd have to give you silence to, but maybe others would not. I liked some Tex-Mex and conjunto I heard years ago but just have never taken the time to learn and enjoy more.

hey this is the thread where my k-paz de la sierra questions should go. mostly just curious if there's any one album worth getting. i'm guessing there's probably a sergio gomez post-mortem compilation out there. can't totally explain why i like this stuff, hokeyness and all, but one thing is the drumming -- the stretches of no percussion followed by clattery snare drum flourishes.

Just noticed this

OK, I'LL start it: Rolling Banda/Duranguense/Narcocorrido/Flashy Matching Suits Regional Mexican Thread 2009

I remember I got a K-Paz CD from the library once and was disappointed. From that CD and hearing them on various comps, they're not my favorites, but they're definitely representative of the basic sound.

Like you, Tipsy, I love the percussion in this genre. Basically my like or dislike of any Duranguense artist comes down to how much extra "stuff," instrumentally and conceptually, seems to be rattling around outside the confines of the songs themselves. (Meltzerian "free lunches," I think.) So I don't really like K-Paz or Montez because they basically just play their songs, and aside from some percussion flourishes there's not a whole lot else going on. Horoscopos I like better because they throw in pop songs and they're led by hot women, but overall they come off a little too polite and studied. But Alacranes really have a sense of arrangement--the song textures will change from verse to verse, and their percussion is more nutso. And Banda Lamento Show are the craziest of these bands that I've found. And then Diana Reyes has a great voice and sings poppier songs, though her band leans toward the generic.

That said, Montez and Horoscopos are very entertaining on their concert DVDs because their musicianship is so outstanding.

(will now repost on aforementioned thread)