Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Road trip music

Music for a Hispanic heritage road trip to the southwest: while there is a great deal of fine Mexican and Mexican American music to be heard. my one choice for you is Tish Hinojosa. Take a listen:

The border lands between the southwestern United States and northern Mexico are places where cultures of several sorts intersect, and where’s there long history of political, social, and cultural change on both side of the border. Those things find their expression in music as well.

History and culture play into the celebration of Hispnaic Heritage, be that at Hispanic Heritage Month or at other times of year, for a specific time or for any time that strikes you. C Culture Swing is perhaps Hinojosa’s most well known album, but there are more than a dozen others to enjoy, music which illuminates her experiences as is as a first generation Mexican American in the southwest and in other parts of the world.

Aquella Noche, which is an all Spanish album, is a fine choice, as Homeland, with songs which speak of cowboys, border crossings, and growing up on the west side of town in San Antonio. Dreaming from the Labyrith offers a mystical take on the voyages of explorers, on thoughts during a rainstorm, and on journey on God’s own open road. Our Little Planet finds her continuing to draw these threads of life and culture together with an artist's gift for idea, word, and melody, as does at this writing her most recent recording: With a Guitar and a Pen.

You may also wish to see
Tish Hinojosa: Our Little Planet
Ian Tyson: Yellowhead to Yellowstone
road trip music: New Mexico
rTish Hinojosa's web site

A quick way to offer support for Music Road: you could Buy Me a Cup og Tea at ko-fi.com

If you enjoy what you are reading here, I've recently begun publishing an occasional newsletter at Substack with more stories about music, the people who make it, and the places which inspire it. Come visit and check it out!

Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Bookmark and Share
posted by Kerry Dexter at 0 Comments

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

R Carlos Nakai: Talisman

R Carlos Nakai
Talisman



RC Nakai’s latest recording begins with music that’s like a quiet walk into evening darkness, and continues with wonder and the stars, the many version of night, and then through early morning hours through sunrise. Speaking as I just was in the post about Billy McComiskey about music that could last through the turn of seasons, this also could be a quiet soundtrack of preparation for the work of winter.

Nakai, who is of Navajo and Ute heritage, plays traditional Native cedar flutes here. It is to the spare sound of solo and duo flute her returns, in the midst of a career long exploration of the possibilities of Native music on the cedar flute, and exploration which has seen him found an ethnic jazz quartet, play with many symphony orchestras, collaborate with a Japanese ensemble, and work with many other artists as well as create adventurous music of his own. He has earned two gold records - the only Native American recording so far to do so -- and has received eight Grammy nominations. And is is to simplicity that he returns.

yuo may also want to see

Music Road: looking toward Christmas: Bill Miller

Music Road: season of change: music for autumn 2008

Music Road: now playing: cathie ryan: the farthest wave

-->Your support for Music Road is welcome and needed. If you are able to chip in, here is a way to do that, through PayPal. Note that you do not have to have a PayPal account to do this. Thank you.

Labels: , , , , , ,

Bookmark and Share
posted by Kerry Dexter at 0 Comments