The music of contemporary Mexican American culture ranges in style from traditional Mexican styles such as norteño and mariachi, to hybrid forms that combine the polka/ranchera sound with country, rock and roll, and cumbia, to hip hop and rap styles. Often the term Tejano is used generally to indicate any of these styles that have developed in Texas. However, for our purposes, the term Tejano will be used more specifically to indicate a modern, expanded conjunto style (electrified bajo sexto, bass, accordion, drumset, synthesizer and additional instruments). Individual artists and bands from California, Arizona, and Texas have driven the innovation of new approaches to traditional music with a resultant diversity of material. The selected artists and genres in this chapter will include Little Joe y la Familia, Jimmy Gonzalez y Mazz, David Lee Garza y los Musicales, Patsy Torres, Linda Ronstadt, Los Lobos, and Selena.

• Identify the instrumental ensembles and musical styles of La Onda Chicana, Mariachi, Tejano, Rock and Tejano/Cumbia aurally
• Recall the contributions and innovations of selected artists to Mexican American popular music
• Identify the following song/dance forms: polka, cumbia, son jarocho, son jalisciense
• Examine the cultural context that these ensembles, genres and forms originate from and understand them as part of an ongoing, bi-cultural musical expression