La Vida Yaya

Las fundadoras, Laura Rebolloso and Martha Gonzalez. When the lead singer of my favorite band comes a-calling for a special request to write about her new project, there is no way a super-fan can say no! As much as we are hounded to death to financially support everyone else's jogathon, spring break trip to Nepal, or buy magazines from guitar-playing Xanax junkies, once in a while comes a project that you wish you could fully fund on the spot. Alas, being $9,980 short, I'm doing my part and blasting this far and wide. Aside from being a Chicana singer/songwriter extraordinaire for the band Quetzal , Martha Gonzalez is also one educated chica. In 2007, Martha was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to head to Veracruz and write songs from a feminine perspective along with collaborator Laura Rebolloso, founder of Son de Madera , a son jarocho group in Veracruz. There Martha and other local women musicians gathered around kitchen tables and living rooms, multitasking songwri...

Marisoul, J. Hernandez, G. Tenorio, P. Hidalgo, Miguel Ramirez, Donaji, Juan Domingo The African roots and influences in Mexico are still somewhat of a mystery to most. Fiercely patriotic citizens boast about Mexico's rich homogenous culture, history, and food, but for some, Mexico's culture is rich in outside influences that have been adapted and remade Mexican. But labels and identity are always far more complex than what you see on the surface. That is why I felt compelled to chat with my friend and local LA musician, Gabriel Tenorio, about his recent cross-cultural/border-crossing project, The Return of the Conga . The conga, aside from being an actual drum, is also an African rhythm that crossed to Southern Mexico via Cuba in the 1800s. While the style flourished and became popular in Cuba in the early part of the 20th century it disappeared in Mexico. The conga is still danced and played in contemporary Cuba and continues to be played throughout the salsa world. ...