Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

Anything will turn political if it gets a chance to run. I think we started talking about radio and music. I don't see a lot of folks using the radio here in Mazatlan. Anyone who has music has CD's. The pirated ones are rampant and even sold from little carts down at the central market. Most of the Cantinas I've been in are frequented by guys/gals with daypacks full of pirated CD's and Movie CD's. They LOVE Banda here. Sinolense is second followed by the classical Baladas and Musica Romantica.

Now back to politics. I know the US will survive but it's going downhill. Health care is becoming a reason to move to Mexico. At my age, health care in the US costs about 1/4 of what it costs to live in Mexico. There isn't any manufacturing anymore. The housing bubble is starting to deflate. The war is taking every last cent of money that could have been spent on SANE projects. If the US doesn't bomb Iran, the Iranians will be opening their new Oil Bourse which will be based NOT ON THE DOLLAR, rather the Euro. This will be of disasterous consequences to the US dollar. If you do your homework, you'll see that life as you know it up there is going to change radically in the not too distant future.

Holy crap Batman, I asked a question a few days ago about what songs are "Hot" and which are "Not" ... for the folks in Melaque/Barra et al and it has morphed into a very strange argument about the survival of the USA ... can music do that?

Scott, is it possible to parse the data and move that which is "political" to another posting area?

Back to the Music at hand ... for the past week here in Boise, Idaho there has been the annual Flower and Garden Show downtown. My wife is involved and of course I "Got To" be involved as well. So I am at the booth area smiling and being polite ( as we all know is somewhat surreal ) ... when I hear my wife chatting warmly with a lady, an old friend from days gone by. She and my wife had worked together at the Idaho Migrant Council some 20+ years ago ... can it be that many years?

Anyway, as I 'eaves-dropped' carefully ( and eventually became involved in the 'oh it is so great to see you again ... how are the kids and my goodness you have grandkids' discussion ) ... I hear her name, 'Marta' ... Marta Tovar and that she has been for the past several years a radio announcer.

BAMB !!! Now it hits me ... she must be THE Marta from KWEI radio, "un ciento y uno punto nueve ... radio variodades". Yeah that's right SHE is the dj that plays the songs that I've been listening to for several years now trying to improve my "ear for Spanish".

Well I'll be damned ... that's what I said ... LOUD and directly to her ... ( I always seem to have that charming ability to use the language most eloquently ).

So by now I have pretty much "muscled" my wife aside and am severely into Marta's face carrying on like "a baboon at the zoo". She is kind and forgiving and laughs at my continual blithering about anything and everything regarding Mexico ... I was such a "schmuck"!

I finally settle down and get back to the question of the importance of the type of music that her station selects to play. All in all she shares that the music played is determined by several factors but one of the most important is the "soul" of the music. What it says to the listener. She felt as if the programs offered a very ecclectic blend and that alternative styles through and including the traditional would be the agenda.

Finally, I asked her if I could visit the station and sit in on a session to listen "first hand" when the callers make song requests and want to talk about their special home in Mexico. She said she'd get back to me on that ... which I think means I went too far ... another one of my endearing qualities, never knowing when/how to shut up.

But at least now I know "What's Hot and What's Not" here in my little slice of paradise; EVERYTHING!

Thank you to all who let me know about Melaque/Barra and beyond ... and to those who made this into a political forum ...
PLEASE no more morphing ... create your own post away from the music and the people and the soul of Mexico ... please?

Esteban, I'll be in Mazatlan the 1st of May. Any suggestions on where to go to hear good music, Mexican or otherwise?

jct2, see what music can do? It can cheer you up, make you cry or turn conversations into poly sci classes. Anyway, my apologies for getting off on a tangent. Will stick to the original context of the thread from now on.

Bb ...

Apology accepted, kindly and humbly. Have fun in Maz ... and let us know if you hear any "really good" music!

Will do, although my taste in music is rather different than most peoples these days. Love 50's Rock and Roll, folk music, Irish music, bagpipes, and wandering minstrals. Guess my age is showing.

It's practically impossible to tell what's going on here on a daily basis. Very few people advertise except on the same day as the music. Mazatlan is a town of about 500,000 people so there are lots of venues for music. From, banda to sinoloense to salsa to rock and roll to acoustic at the Plaza Machado.. it's all here. If you get into town, buy a Noreste newspaper and check the entertainment section. Read carefully and you'll find what's happening around town for the night. If you want night life, start at Joes Oyster bar. No live music but they have the CD's playing R and B to Rap to the occasional Shakira, Mana, Juanes and others. I don't know how old you are but the big hot night spots don't start till about 11:00 PM. Hope that helps.

To those others who are worred:
No need to delete the political stuff. It's just an anamoly of message boards. Relajate amigo.

Daughter dear moved out last week and took her Mexican CD music collection with her. Her collection reminds me of this thread, quite a lot of diversity...and always played loudly:)

Tourist places often have many musical groups visiting during tourist high season and fiestas...and any other special type events.

In small places, put your ear to the grapevine and train your eyes to scan the posters that spring up like mushrooms before the event.

In PV, which in my experience is a terrific place for music, Tom Colvin runs a yahoo group for live music performances, all types in the area.

Does a great job of getting the word out.
If any other Mexican town has a group like this dedicated to music, I'd love to hear about it.

Sometimes I schedule visits so to hear particular performers play...anywhere I travel:)

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/mu ... -vallarta/

A few weeks back, Here in Mazatlan, there was a great turnout for Credence Clearwater. From Banda and Coyote to Credence...that's diversity for ya.

One of the most interesting facets of Mexican music is the various instruments used. I just love the tuba as it is played in a Rock'nRoll style song. It makes me laugh almost every time I hear it. I remember way back when the saxaphone was used in early Rock'nRoll as the hard-driving instrument ... now it seems to be all guitar stuff.

But the Tuba ... WOW ... I imagine the first time ( sometime back in the late 50's, maybe ) somewhere in a small Mexican town when a local Mexican Band was getting ready for one of the many Fiestas. The band members were practicing all the songs and one of the members said, "hey there is a really neat NEW Song called 'Louie, Louie' and we sholud play it". Thus was born the Tuba version ( bom, bom, bom ... ba ba ... bom, bom, bom ) etc etc ... "ya gotta luv it!"

I like all kinds of music ... BUT ... I really like the ecclectic offered by music from Mexico. I mean SOMEBODY has to do it!

I have too admit a tuba has a unique sound. However, I relate them more to a German Oompa band than anything. I also remember the sax being almost required back in the 50's and 60's. Even the great Dick Dale used one in his surf band. Several years ago, at the Seafood and Wine Festival in Newport, they had a mariachi band that wandered around the area for several hours. I loved the sound and followed them like a puppy dog. I think one reason was it is such a happy sound, unlike so much of todays music.

Hi there, interesting chat. Interesting times we live in. You all have made good points. I was invited to this chat but what the heck. Here are a few thoughts. We dont make good victims, never had never will. Americans are good people but dont piss us off. Our problems in the world didnt start with Bush and wont end with them. Do you really think, the real power brokers in other countries respected us via Clinton? If our debt does us in... who is going to buy the chinese stuff? The Chinese and others will see to it that we dont collapse. I would love to retire to Mexico... like the freedom down there. Like the fact that I am responsible for my actions not others. (trail lawyers stay away) However, do you really think that a Mexican passport will protect one if the stuff hits the fan? Come on, blood is thicker than water.

By the way, who has the best pozole in Melaque?

I'll ignore the China and Mexican passport part of that last one ... but the best pozole is (and I always forget the name - among other things) on the plaza across from the taxi stand. I usually go to the one next door because they are larger, not full and have seating outside. Don't think I've had a bad pozole in Mexico.

Some of my neighbors surprise me with their selection of music. They must have quite a library ... even classical stuff at times. I played my Edie Gorme con Los Panchos tape on the way to the water park this weekend and everybody knew the words.

I hate papaya....ScottM....