Tag: mexico

“Rock The Border, Stop The Wall” looks to break more barriers

A 2,000 mile border wide concert is being planned amid the upcoming 2020 election. The event “Rock The Border, Stop The Wall.” Over 30 musicians, activists, and artists, will perform in a CO-VID-safe online concert. The concert will take place on Friday, October 23rd at 5PM CST/6PM ET in the bordering states of California, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.

Tension at the southern U.S. border has peaked in the past few years, due to U.S. immigration policy. To downplay and unite in spite of all the controversy, musicians gathered togther in high spirits to perform and play music. “Fandango At The Wall” was a film centered on gathering musicians on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border. Musicians played big band jazz arrangements and enjoyed the harmonious music on both sides of the border. Another border-related concert is coming soon, although it’s not exactly a film.

The event aims to motivate young latinos for the upcoming election and aid efforts in stopping the controversial border wall project. The event is a 2,000 mile border-wide concert and it will be hosted by the “#No Border Wall Coalition” in Laredo. Formed in February 2019, The #No Border Wall Coalition is a network of community members, artists and activists who oppose the border wall. With this upcoming election, the youth latino vote may be crucial to the final results.

The number of Gen Z latinos likely voting for the first time may surpass numbers from the 2016 election. Adrian Quesada of the “Black Pumas” says “The time is now to make our voices heard against injustice, oppression, division and hatred. Joining together to stop the border wall is the first step, and voting is more important than ever to head in the right direction.”

The concert has garnered plenty of support from artists. “The border wall is the physical manifestation of everything we have to mobilize against in this election: hate, fear, xenophobia and division,” guitarman Beto Martinez says. “This concert is a show of solidarity and a statement of hope against all those things that would divide us.” In addition to being a performer, Martinez is also the creative organizer of the event.

The concert will be at 5PM CST/6PM EST. The full line up of the event includes the Black Pumas, Aloe Blacc & Maya Jupiter, Ozomatli, La Santa Cecilia, Grupo Fantasma, Gina Chavez, Making Movies, Trans-Border Orchestra (Orkestra Mendoza + Mexican Institute of Sound), Anais Mitchel & the Cast of Hadestown, Las Cafeteras, Superfónicos, XIXA, B Side Players, Amalia Mondragon, Tiarra Girls, Bidi Bidi Banda, Radio La Chusma, Nosotros, Nohe y Sus Santos, Native Creed, Esther Martinez, Papaya Con Chile, Baracutanga and Rizu X.

For more information on “Rock The Border Stop The Wall” the organization has a website along with a Facebook and Instagram page. Navigate through the details of the organization, their mission statement, and relevant news.

October 22, 2020
Sonia De Los Santos releases “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” as Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close
Sonia De Los Santos, a Mexican born artist who now lives in New York, has released her new single “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” Sonia De Los Santos wrote the song as a celebration of life and a thank-you letter dedicated to all the people who have inspired her musical journey. The release date of “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” coordinates closely with Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. that runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

photo by Mikel Melcon

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic Americans celebrate the contributions and histories of the Central American countries including Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Hispanic Heritage Month starts on Sept. 15. in the U.S. is to honor the anniversary of the five Hispanic countries who declared independence from Spain in 1821, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence day on Sept. 16 and Chile celebrates its independence on Sept.18.

“¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” tells Sonia’s story of her travels as an artist as she voyages to America. As Sonia looks back on her journey, she hopes to encourage listeners to be grateful for the years of life behind them.

The song is in the rhythm of cumbia which is dance music originating in Colombian and is similar to salsa. “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!” includes Sonia’s voice mixed with children’s voices and instruments including guitar, accordion, horns, congas, Afro-Colombian alegre drum, percussion, and double bass.

Here is the English translation of “¡Fiesta, Fiesta!”:
```
From a far away land, I came full of dreams
Crossed through the savanna, sharing my song
There are roads I have walked, and to all of those I’ve known
I dedicate the verses, that for them I’ve written

I came with my guitar all the way from Monterrey
Crossed rivers and mountains and up north I arrived
A winter welcomed me in New York
and from here I sing this Cumbia with love

To my friends; I am singing, we are playing everywhere
I go around the world on this journey
Collecting stories that I want to share with you

Drums are calling, with their beat they accompany us
Dance porro, move your skirt with your hat, dance this cumbia, hey
```
Sonia’s music has reached young audiences across the world with the release of her two-family music albums Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island and ¡Alegría!. Sonia won a Parents’ Choice Foundation Gold Award for Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island in 2015. ¡Alegría! was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2019 and received recognition from Billboard as the “Best Latin Children’s Music.”
October 7, 2020
Borders Can’t Stop Music: ‘Fandango at The Wall’

The music documentary Fandango at The Wall premiered on HBO Latino on Friday, September 25 and is now streaming on HBO Max. Taking place on both sides of the United States/Mexico border, founder Jorge Francisco Castillo invited multi-GRAMMY Award-winning musician Arturo O’Farrill and multi-GRAMMY Award-winning producer Kabir Sehgal to Veracruz.

The intent behind the film was to meet the masters of Son jarocho, who perform 300-year-old folk music. Musicians took their places on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border, playing big band, jazz arrangements. People gathered on both sides, enjoying the presence of the harmonious music despite being on alternate sides of the United States/Mexico border.

Since the election of our current president, border tension has been rising in the past few years. The wall may be symbolic of division, but the annual “Fandango Frontierizo” music festival aims to unite all people together, regardless on whatever side of the wall a person is on.

The film was directed by Varda Bar-Kar and executive produced by Quincy Jones, Andrew Young, and Carlos Santana.

Our film shows how the border can become a place of friendship and amity by harnessing the power of Afro-Mexican music known as Son jarocho I’ve been making music for decades, and I’ve never experienced a more enveloping and transformative artform.
Kabir Seghal, as told to Variety magazine

Fandango at The Wall features Son jarocho legends Andrés Vega, Martha Vega, Ramón Gutiérrez, Wendy Cao Romero, Tacho Utrera, Fernando Guadarrama, and Patricio Hidalgo. Guest appearances include multi-Grammy nominee and MacArthur Foundation fellow Regina Carter, CNN historian Douglas Brinkley, Mandy Gonzalez, The Villalobos Brothers and Grammy nominees Rahim AlHaj and Sahba Motallebi. For more information regarding “Fandango at The Wall,” visit the film’s website, as it sure to present a diverse, and interesting, expression of music on visual platform.

October 3, 2020

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