Un Grupo de Mexicali - Our Home Mexicali

The Mariachi group Un Grupo de Mexicali are back in Mexico at the release of their latest song,  Our Home Mexicali.  They ended a very successful tour of mainly the Southwest with a few one night engagements up north. We had them stay over from their last show so we could record them before they left.  We thought this was a large group, but Mariachis come in all sizes. This group that went on tour has 3 violins, 2 trumpets, 2 acoustic guitars, 1 Guitarrón, 1 Vihuela, and 3 vocalists that also play assorted instruments and percussion. Back at their home base in Mexicali they also have other musicians that fill in to enlarge the group for bigger occasions. 

Mariachi playing Guitarrón

Guitarrón

The two instruments that may not be familiar to you are unique to Mariachi bands.  The Guitarrón is the big, deep guitar that supplies the bass. It's name translates to large guitar in English. It has a very deep body with a relatively short neck with no frets. The strings are pulled, and the resultant sound is deep and rich, as well as being loud enough to carry the bass with the other instruments. It has 6 strings, 3 of them steel strings wound with either bronze, copper, or steel. The other 3 strings are nylon that are wound with nylon. String tension is very high, so there is a certain amount of effort to pull the strings with the right hand. The instrument provides the backbone of the Mariachi band as it supplies a steady bass beat pulse.

Vihuela

The Vihuela is similar to the Guitarrón in structure, only on a much smaller scale. The two instruments, along with the guitar, are thought of as being the rhythm section of the band. It is smaller than the guitar, and has 5 strings. The neck has frets made of nylon string tied tightly around it at the correct intervals. Its back is also convex, and as with the Guitarrón, the convex back helps the sound project throughout the band.The Vihuela seldom plays the melody, as it plays chords to support the rhythm and key of the music. The strings can be of different gauges and tensions to get the desired effect of the instrument in the music being played. 

 

 Mariachi playing Vihuela

If there's one thing we've learned here at Big And Tall Records,  is that a good musician is a good musician, regardless of what kind of music they play. Music is a discipline, and most of our recordings have been a group effort with members in a band. We've come to appreciate them all! 

Un Grupo Mexicali aren't due for another tour until late this year, so we'll look forward to having them record more songs for us then, maybe even talk them into coming to the States before then!

We miss our home Mexicali 

Back in the Baja state 

We love to play for you here

 Back home we can't hardly wait 

 

 We love play for good people but 

Our women folks miss us 

We miss them very much too 

But it's time we say adios 

 

Mexicali se llama 

La ciudad que capturó el sol 

Conocemos a toda la gente, lugares 

Mexicali es la única 

 

Mexicali is called 

The city that captured the sun 

We miss all the people, places 

Mexicali is the only one 

 

 Our tour has taken us far and wide 

We see much your country we never see 

All the audience have been muy bueno 

We play for them happily 

 

We greeted with honor wherever we go 

Our cachanilla corazón*  feel warm

We have felt welcome and safety 

And never we get any harm 

 

Mexicali is called 

The city that captured the sun 

We invite you all to come there 

Mexicali is so mucho fun 

 

You all come to Mexicali 

We show you muy bueno time 

We have a big fiesta! 

We laugh, and sing, all the time 

 

We shout 

We laugh 

We show you hospitality 

Come! Come to Mexicali! 

 

Mexicali is called 

The city that captured the sun 

We invite you all to come there 

Mexicali is so mucho fun

 

*Cachanillas is a nickname for the residents of Mexicali. The term comes from the cachanilla shrub, which is also known as arrowweed. Corazón means 'heart'