WOMAD

Chavan

From Mexico

Chavan and his group play ‘mariachi’, which is the most popular and famous Mexican folk music. The name means ‘marriage’ - most people associate it purely with Mexico, but it in fact came to Mexico about 300 years ago, from New Orleans and originally France (it was originally played at French weddings) – like polka, waltz and other European music. Once in Mexico, it changed format to become more Latin-sounding, and became known as mariachi - a festive music for weddings.One one hand it is very up-tempo and dance orientated, but on the other hand being originally from the old continent it is still very orchestrated. There are horn and string sections, backed by a group of three different sized guitars: one called the ‘gitarron’, which is plays the role of the bass, then the normal classical guitar, then a little guitar (vihuela) which gives the pulsation behind the bass. These 3 guitars form the rhythm section for the trumpets and violins. So the group has 3 guitars, 3 violins, 2 trumpets – and everybody sings.Chavan is originally from Nicaragua. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose speciality is the lead trumpet, but he also plays the Marimba - like a huge wooden xylophone. This instrument originated from the African Balafon but evolved from Africa to South and Central America to become the Marimba. It is found from Mexico to Panama – sometimes even as orchestras of Marimbas (up to 12 playing it at the same time - the same exact tradition as in Africa with balafon orchestras). Chavan studied Central American music and his main attention is now focused on Mexico. He is also a musiciologist, and has traditional, jazz and classical training on his instruments.He brings all his influences and skills to the traditional mariachi music – making what is often a loosely-crafted and rough form of music much more evolved and sophisticated, whilst not losing any of the festive flavour.On top of the 8 piece band, Chavan plays the marimba and one of his musicians Javier plays the Central American harp (a Latin harp about same size as an Irish harp). These two instruments transform the traditional mariachi into a new art form.