Overview
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.
Objectives
- 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
1990s: Latino Pride
By the 1990s, the hard work of mature artists and musicians in the recording industry made it possible for Latino youth to feel proud of their heritage and culture. In early 1990, the news spread that Capitol/EMI Latin was buying the Tejano independent label Cara Records. Despite possible pitfalls, EMI Latin became hugely successful and jump-started the careers of young stars such as Emilio Navaira and Selena Quintanilla. Their success prompted a reaction from CBS Discos to up their sales. They began signing artists and the race was on. Now signed Tejano artists could benefit from large recording budgets, national marketing campaigns, and retail chain store distribution and attempt to move out of the regional arena and onto the national and international stage.
The hothouse environment thus created led to newer artists innovating new Tejano sound fusions from Tejano/Pop (Selena), to Tejano/Rap (La Sombra), and Tejano/R&B (Jay Perez). Selena for example, fused tropical/cumbia rhythms with pop dance styles. Many of her songs were written by her brother A.B. who drew heavily upon hip hop and reggae beats.
