VENEZUELA-COLOMBIA-VERACRUZ (MEXICO):
A New Look at the musical traditions deriving from the Early Spanish Fandango in Latin-America.
The Mexican Son Jarocho and the Joropo from Venezuela and Colombia.
Chuchumbé and Claudia Calderón's Piano Llanero.
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THE PROJECT
Joropo, the great musical tradition of the Colombian and Venezuelan Orinoco Basin, and the the Son Jarocho Music from Veracruz, in the coastal plains of Southern Mexico, both share some very strong common Hispanic roots. The common ancestors left their cultural offspring in most countries on the Caribbean rim.These diverse Latin-American traditions are linked to the early Spanish Fandangos, Folías, Malagueñas and Peteneras, as well as to some contemporary forms of modern Flamenco. Son Jarocho and Joropo are cross-breeds of the three main cultures which met in the Caribbean melting pot: Amerindian, Spanish and African. (The word "Jarocho" originally designated a child born of African father and Mexican-Indian mother).
"Joropo" also designates a popular feast with music, dance, poetry and song. In the same way, Mexican Son Jarocho expresses itself through verse, songs, Zapateado dances and Fandangos that keep the tradition alive. The common traits are unquestionable, but each
one of these communities keeps its strong local flavor and identity.In the rural communities of the great Orinoco Basin Joropo is still seen as a village feast; in cities, what mostly counts is the musical content, an aspect which has evolved remarkably in the past five decades due to massive radio broadcast, record production, and a proliferation of festivals, contests and groups.Joropo music is a national emblem of Venezuela, but it only reaches that status in a quarter of Colombian territory, in the Central Eastern Colombian states.
Technically, Joropo music has become a genre for great solo performances on the leading melodic instruments, harp or bandola (the venezuelan four-string lute). The classical accompaniment is held by the cuatro (four-string strummed guitar) and the maracas. The
acoustic double-bass or, instead, the recently introduced electric bass, are also extremely important in the modern ensemble. The forms can be vocal or purely instrumental, but the real Joropo classic is the vocal joust, an improvised rhymed duel between two
singers. The groups are compact and the performers are extremely specialized in their different musical functions.
Son Jarocho, on the other hand, presents itself quite differently. The musical feast of southern Mexico is much more collective, its dynamics are inclusive and the audience often becomes part of the musical group. The number of simultaneously active players and
singers can increase during the show; the added singers and dancers may take turns in the song and on the stage without disrupting the general form of the piece and without damaging the order of things: both songs and groups are open structures which can change
as the crowd demands. This is not showcase music for soloists. The interest and charm of these forms lies in their collective force. In many cases professional performers might end up playing along with non professionals, children or entire families.
The Fandango Jarocho has a ritual character, a feeling of borderless, endless music, with a peculiar spirit of communion and sharing. A recent surge of groups, recordings and festivals of this traditional music has strengthened it to the point of extending its presence well beyond the borders of the state of Veracruz, and up North beyond the Rio Grande. The simplicity of its harmonies and the archaism of its forms is quite suitable for making variations on the lyrics of songs, a practice more frequent than the display of instrumental virtuosity. The ancient original songlines are kept to launch the song, andthen variations are added on by the singers, extending the length of each piece with improvised verse.
In its musical aspects, Mexican Son Jarocho is quite similar to Venezuelan or Colombian Joropo; this is also true for the instruments, which are surprisingly alike. The Venezuelan cuatro (a small four string guitar) has almost the same shape, size and musical role as the Mexican Jarana, which is just a few inches bigger; both instruments are strummed, and both play short repetitive harmonic cycles with a strong rhythmic profile. The "requinto Jarocho" and the "leona" often remind us of their Venezuelan and Colombian equivalent, the "bandola". The harp is also extremely important in both traditions. The Orinoquian harp is lighter and perhaps a bit sharper in sound, the Mexican harp is nevertheless identical to its cousin in shape and musical importance; they both play similar rhythmic patterns and comparable harmonic cycles.
The difference lies in details such as tempo and character: Jarocho music is more relaxed; its character is sweeter, broader. The lyrics remind us of the gallantly austere style of the Spanish Siglo de Oro, and the music is crafted to serve this poetic, vocal predominance, leaving the instruments to their complementary roles in the background.
In a totally different way, the Joropo of the great plains of the Orinoco basin was born at full gallop; it is a form practically shouted out at the inmense savannahs. In spite of having clearly consolidated forms, it is quite accurately named the "Untamed"Joropo.
It is brisk, often frantic and seemingly indomitable in its character. The Llanero musician strums and plucks his instrument in a fierce and percussive manner, and prefers lyrics which are strongly rooted in the poetic elements of his province, often in a proud nationalist gesture. The instrumental aspect of this music can be quite elaborate, and is often predominant. Individual virtuosity is frequently displayed over longer cyclical harmonic structures which allow a great range of colors and styles of instrumental improvisation.
In spite of their differences, like two sisters, these two traditions share many common points; one finds echoes of the Mexican Siquisirí in the Seis Por Derecho, the Buscapiés relates to the Seis Numerao,the Peteneras remind us of the Polo Margariteño, and
the Cascabel is like the Gabán or the Pajarillo.
Following these echoes and other forgotten connections between these two marvelously rich traditions, we have taken the initiative of proposing a cultural project integrating Venezuela and Veracruz to nurture creative processes and to strengthen our ties.
Following our project of broadening the specific area we work on towards other related cultures in the Caribbean, and as the founder and leader of the ensemble Piano Llanero I propose to invite the renowned Son Jarocho group "Chuchumbé" to start integrating these two traditions onstage.
This group of performers consisting of one Bailadora (Zapateado dancer) and six players, two of which are singers of traditional improvised verse, wishes to join forces with our Piano Llanero, to offer a concert showing the best of Son Jarocho as well as the great similarities existing between their art and the fascinating forms of Joropo music from Venezuela and Colombia.
Chuchumbé and Piano Llanero together onstage will reveal the surprising common roots in a historic counterpoint of traditions.
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