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Blog Post
Carlos Martínez Dentro del ambiente mariachero, es bien sabido que Pepe Martínez —director musical del Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán por casi cuatro décadas— se vio obligado, por motivos de salud, a tomarse un descanso desde el año pasado. Desde entonces, ha crecido la especulación sobre quién iba a ocupar su lugar. No fue sino hasta el mes pasado que fue confirmado su sucesor. En esta entrevista, la primera de dos partes, Jonathan Clark platica con Carlos Martínez sobre su invitación al Mariachi Vargas y sus expectativas como nuevo director musical del mariachi más célebre de la historia. JC: Carlitos, platícanos...
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Blog Post
Pepe Martínez, Arturo Vargas, and Pepe Martínez Jr. When I first met José “Pepe” Martínez in 1977, he was the newest member of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. He soon became a good friend and mentor. One thing I’ve always admired about Pepe is the exceeding generosity with which he freely shares his knowledge with anyone who asks. Another is the legendary ease and authority with which he performs even the most daunting musical task. Mariachi educator Mark Fogelquist aptly dubbed him “the Mozart of mariachi music.” (more…)
Blog Post
The 19th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza is off to a great start. Fernando Velásquez has arrived from L.A. for the "Splendor of the Mariachi Trumpet" presentation this evening with California-based mariachi historian Jonathan Clark, and, Mariachi Vargas' first trumpet player Miguel Martínez. The event starts at 6 pm and RSVPs are required by calling the Instituto Cultural de Mexico at 210-227-0123. Please plan to arrive by 5:30 p.m. (more…)
Blog Post
This is the fourth profile in a series of blogs written by mariachi historian Jonathan Clark on current members of Mariachi Vargas. Profiles will be posted on Mariachimusic.com blogs leading up to the 19th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza Dec. 1-7. Julio Martínez was born in Mexico City, where his father, Julio Martínez Sr., was an avid collector of harp records from all regions of Mexico and South America. Julio enjoyed harp music from his earliest childhood. At age 14, his father bought him his first harp, and he began studying under the tutelage of legendary Veracruz harpist Mario Barradas. He later studied with...
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Blog Post
This is the third blog in a series of profiles written by mariachi historian Jonathan Clark on current members of Mariachi Vargas. Profiles will be posted on Mariachimusic.com blogs leading up to the 19th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza Dec. 1-7. Mexico City native Enrique de Santiago descends from a distinguished family of mariachi musicians with roots in Guachinango, Jalisco. His uncles Mario and Nati were longtime members of Mariachi Vargas; his father Berna, a studio musician and one of the most accomplished guitarrón players in Mexico. (more…)
Blog Post
This is the first of a series of profiles written by Jonathan Clark on current members of Mariachi Vargas. Profiles will be posted on Mariachimusic.com blogs beginning today and leading up to the 19th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza Dec. 1-7. Arturo Vargas was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, to a large family steeped in the mariachi tradition. He counts over 40 mariachi musicians among his immediate kin. When he was a little over a year old, his family moved to Mexico City, where his father worked in Plaza Garibaldi. Arturo began his career as a ranchera singer at age 7. By the time he...
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Blog Post
Miguel Martínez is often referred to as the father of the modern mariachi trumpet. He began his career as a teenager in Plaza Garibaldi of the mid-1930s, at a time when the trumpet was commonly rejected by mariachi audiences. In 1942, he became the first trumpet player to join Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, which until then had been strictly a string ensemble. For the better part of the next three decades, Miguel remained the sole trumpeter for Mariachi Vargas, where he literally wrote the book on mariachi trumpet performance, creating thousands of golden era recordings that have yet to be...
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Blog Post
A Miguel Martínez se le refiere como el padre de la trompeta mariachera moderna. Comenzó su carrera cuando aun era adolescente en la Plaza Garibaldi a mediados de los años treinta, en una época cuando la trompeta solía ser rechazada por el público mariachero. En 1942 ingresó al Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, grupo que hasta ese momento había sido únicamente de instrumentos de cuerda. Durante las tres décadas de la época de oro que siguieron, dejó miles de grabaciones que definen el papel de la trompeta dentro del mariachi y que aun no han sido igualadas. Por si esto fuera poco, en 1953, en una estancia de...
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Blog Post
Congratulations to Alvaro Paulino, director of Mariachi Tapatio and mariachi director/founder of the New York City Mariachi Conservatory, for leading the first ever mariachi master apprentice program in New York City this summer. Workshops take place June 17-June 23, 2012 with special guests Alicia Juarez ("La Musa de Musas" el ultimo amor de Jose Alfredo Jimenez), Miguel Martinez Dominguez (Primer Trompetista del Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan), Jonathan Clark (Mariachi historian), Gil Sperry (Author of "Mariachi Gringo") and Jose Hernandez (Director of Mariachi Sol de Mexico).
Blog Post
Por Jonathan Clark Miguel Martínez No puede negarse el hecho de que, a sus 89 años de edad, Miguel Martínez es el instrumentista de mayor trascendencia en toda la historia de la música de mariachi. No sólo marcó la pauta para la trompeta sola en el mariachi, sino que también definió y popularizó la modalidad de las dos trompetas dentro de este género musical. Además, es un distinguido y prolífico compositor de canciones populares y piezas instrumentales para mariachi. Pero, como dice el proverbio, «Nadie es profeta en su propia tierra». Hasta hace muy poco, los medios de comunicación mexicanos...
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