This week Hanover will be injected with the vibrant sounds of son jarocho, the traditional music of the Mexican Caribbean. The Jarocho Festival will feature ensembles Son de Madera and Los Cojolites, and will open on Thursday, March 30.
Son jarocho as a musical style formed from centuries of African, Spanish and indigenous influences in the region. Even so, the Jarocho Festival promises to be an aural and visual feast that anyone can enjoy. The combination of acoustic guitars, animated harps and homemade string instruments, African drumming and percussive dancing on a wooden platform with brisk vocals will showcase the strength and perseverance of son jarocho in the face of time and obscurity.
The two distinct groups each bring an interesting story with them. Son de Madera, the more experienced of the two groups, has gained acclaim since its conception in the early 1990s. Credited with an instrumental role in renewing the spirit of son jarocho music after decades of unpopularity, the group is led by Ramn Gutierrez, who plays a cinco zapotero, a five-stringed instrument that he created, and powerful vocalist Laura Rebolloso Cullar. This Jorocho Festival is their first performance in New England.
The second group Los Cojolites is composed of people aged 12 to 20 years and represents the future of son jarocho in the 21st century. The group was formed in the refinery town of Cosoleacaque after a community center offered Son Jarocho music workshops for children. After seven years of playing together, the group has cultivated an impressive and exciting repertoire.
The musicians of Los Cojolites are all from families with histories in the son jarocho tradition. They have reclaimed and rediscovered a piece of their culture and custom that was on the verge of extinction. Ricardo Guillen, one of the group's leaders said, "Son jarocho has given us something to identify with, some deep roots to hold on to. We are the heirs to a great spiritual and cultural treasure that we need to preserve and develop." Named for a pheasant important in indigenous tradition, Guillen's ensemble was also featured in the 2002 film "Frida."
Musicians from both groups will be in Collis Common Ground on Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m., hosting a demonstration and "jam session" open to everyone. The Jarocho Festival will start at 7p.m. in Spaulding Auditorium on Thursday, March 30.
The Festival is part of the Hopkins Center's "Arts Mexico" program. The Limon Dance Company will be performing on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1 in the Moore Theater at 8 p.m.
