Mexican Music in California - Research Paper Example

Chicano Mexican Music in California Music is a soul of people who create it. Music is always highly reactive to social, political and cultural changes in society. In this way, music is a relevant tool to study different cultures and their history. Chicano music is created by second generation Mexican immigrants who were born in the USA and spent their lives there. Border states headed by California become homes for many Chicano people. Their relatively young culture is complex in its history and identity. Chicano music reflects the struggle of Chicano people for recognition and respect by the community where they live. It is represented by diverse music styles which makes it very influential in American pop culture today. What is most important, Chicano music is a good path towards understanding Chicano identity as a complex social and cultural phenomenon which this ethnic group unique in the diverse US population. Chicano Music: Literature Review Mexican/Chicano music has a long in California. According to Loza, in the end of 18th century, California natives had developed and well-organized community in the Southern California which consisted of smaller tribes and included around 5000 residents (3). The first kind of music researched in their community was represented by religious songs. Two songs alabado and bandito were used in daily family rituals. They were documented by the San Gabriel Mission (Loza 4-5). Tradition music was performed in ensembles which included flutes, violins, bass, trumpet and triangle. The early documentations of this music show discriminatory attitude of researchers as they regarded this music as “imitation of whites” (Loza 5). During the period when California belonged to Mexico, local tribes were carefully studies by missionaries. They noted that local people played music skillfully. Many women could play the guitar which males preferred to play the violin (Loza 6). Music was very important during the holidays; local musicians played different pieces of music which included traditional baile or informal fandango. Dance music was represented by traditional Spanish dances as well as contemporary pop forms of vals. Women could perform improvised ballads using all possible music instruments. After the massive immigration of people from the United States and Mexico to California in 18th century, local culture assimilated to new culture brought by the immigrants. Multiracial families starter appearing in the territory; in such families, people knew at least two languages (Spanish and English), and followed traditions of all cultures involved in family creation (Loza 9). The mix of different cultures resulted in the creation of people with totally new identity. In 1850 California became a state. Mexicans as well as Native Californians were predicted to disappear soon. Contrary to expectations, Mexicans survived in the struggle with assimilation and created their unique culture which represented the mix of Mexican, local and American cultures. The railroads which were constructed in 1870-s connected California with other states and made it more accessible for people who desired to find either gold or home in California (Loza 12). In the beginning of 20th century, the wave of Mexican immigrants came to California and revived Mexican culture which was oppressed as it belonged to working minority. During this time, Mexican folklore was very influential for music in California. For instance, the compilation of transcribed songs called Spanish Songs of Old California was published in 1923 (Loza 17). Folklorists gathered 340 local Mexican folk songs which could be the first records of Mexican American music in history. Chicano culture had a great boost in 1930-s and 40-s in California. According to Peña, during this period of time, Californians shaped their own approach to Chicano music development. While in Texas Chicano music was orchestral, working class Chicanos and Chicanas preferred ranchero (folk) music (166). However, ranchero was nor really popular in LA where different current cultural trends were known to people. The drivers of musical progress in Californis were represented by better educated and talented Chicano musicians compared to other border regions. There were many outstanding underground musicians who wanted to try new alternative music styles. They managed to move Chicano culture from rural to urban life styles. LA became the center of Chicano culture in 1940-s when Lalo Guerrero, who was referred as the father of Chicano music, moved there. In 1960-s he opened a night club called Lalos which became the center for Chicano music for long years. Music of Mexican Americans transformed and became the tool of protest the used to stand for their interests. In 1960-s, Civil Rights movements took place in different states of the USA. During that difficult historical and political period, young Mexican Americans who represented rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States starter the quest in the search for their identity. They were neither Mexican nor American anymore. They used a different language represented by a mix of Mexican Spanish and local varieties of American English. They faced problems which were not typical for Mexican life; Chicano people had to fight for their rights in order to be included in their community. Those young people adopted the term Chicano, which was used to represent assimilation of Mexican in the USA, and fulfilled it with the sense of personal pride. Even though they were American citizens, people and government refused to treat them equally. All in all, this social background served as a great inspiration for creative young Chicanos. According to Cateforis (33-34), LA was the heart of Chicano music in California because it had the biggest number of Mexican immigrant there. Chicano culture was referred as a culture of minority; it was mixed together with black culture. Chicano rock became a sensation in 1950-s when L’il Bobby Rey and Chuck Rios became popular with people. They featured different band playing saxes and created famous hits such as Tequila or Alley Oop. Their style was influenced by black musicians, but they included particular Chicano themes and motifs in their music. In this way, they could be easily differentiated in a separate music style. Li’l Julian Herrera, a singer, added Chicano tone and attitude to his performances. Chicanos had several popular dances which were very influential in their culture in 1950-s and 60-s. Cateforis lists Pachuco Hop, The Corrido Rock and Hully Gully (35). Los Pachucos or zoot-suiters created music which was closely linked to boogie and swing (Peña 173). The Corrido looked as an early form of a slam dance and it required special music. Chicano music faced the top popularity with the release of La Bamba by Valens. According to Pérez-Torres (86), this song was particularly inspirational for Chicanos. It contained mistakes in Spanish which was very characteristic for Chicanos who were not proficient in their native language. The popularity of Valens only proves the birth of ethnic group with double consciousness. Valens was not a professional musician; his guitar technique was limited to five chords. However, his music had a definite target audience which was lucky to find its place in the US culture. Later popular band, Los Lobos achieved international success by their manifestation of Chicano culture in their songs. They were the first to include son jarocho music in their version of Latin rock (Viesca 727). Even when they were internationally recognized, they paid much attention and contributed a lot to the development of Mexican American community in East LA. Many songs of Chicano movement were devoted to the exploitation of Chicano people by Anglo population. They traced realities of hard working days and total misunderstanding between people. Chicano people were not accepted by others. They were criticized by Mexicans due to their language which was different from standardized Mexican Spanish. The same difficulties in language made them unwanted by Anglo population who fought against accent and differences. Nowadays, Chicano rock is less popular than Chicano rap. The importance of Chicano rap motivates its popularity with people because “Chicano Rap lyrics from several Chicano artists, including Kid Frost, Cypress Hill, Control Machete, Lil‟ Rob, Proper Dos, Akwid, and Kinto Sol, expose the frustrations and demands of Mexican immigrants and Chicanos living in the U.S”(Lopez 2). Chicano rap, as well as Latin Hip-Hip, is a reaction to harsh immigration policies in the USA. Undocumented immigrants who were born in the states remain the outcasts of the legal system in the country they call their home. Chicano rappers use various linguistic means to trace their identity through their music. They mix English, Spanish, Calo and Nahuatl languages in their lyrics (Viesca 719). They create own record labels in order to provide support and opportunities for each other. One of the most representative Chicano rapper songs is the song “La Raza” by Kid Frost. This piece addresses the issues or race and ethnicity very openly “Si en da street hold all betters/ Chicanos and I’m brown and proud” (Lopez 4). Pride and identity become the main themes to discuss for many chino rappers in their lyrics. Borderland issue is the other problem addressed in Chicano rap today. The issues of deportations and abuse of illegal immigrants are covered in works by different rappers (Delgado 97). Kid Frost’s Stolen at Gun shows a pure representative function of Chicano rappers for Chicano community when people and rappers made a party on the border between US and Mexico. In La Raza Part II, Kid Frost says “Man, I think I came up with a solution/ And the answer is Brown Revolution/ So pump fist to this/ And wave your Mexican Flag.” (Lopez 5) By these words he encourages activism and reaction of Chicano people to oppression and ignorance they face in daily lives. Chicano music scene is reach in authentic bands which render their identity even in the titles. The contemporary band Ollin borrows its name from the Nahuatl language which is translated as the movement. Quetzal also uses Nahuatl; it uses a name of a native bird to come up with a creative title for the band. The names of Aztec and Mayan divines are also common in contemporary band titles (Viesca 725). The frequency of Cálo and Nahuatl in songs and band names can be characterized as an attempt to root Chicano culture in the US and Mexican mixed background. The Importance of Chicano Music for National Identity The reviewed studies show how Chicano music becomes a tool to communicate Chicano culture to the rest of the world. Chicano people are still treated as minority. They music dwells on contemporary social issues and traces Chicano collective opinion about them. Even though the population of Mexicans in California grows very fast, they are treated the same way as other racial and ethnic minorities which resided in California. Their culture exists in the underground because it is oppressed by the culture of dominant group in their community. The signs of minority culture are complex. First of all, only a few Chicano musicians are nationally and internationally recognized. People who are not familiar with Chicano music will recollect Los Lobos or Cypress Hill, but they will find it difficult to list more of Chicano musicians. The use of language limits the target audience of the music created by Chicanos. For instance, the use of Cálo by Kid Frost in his rap lyrics cited by Lopez or Nahuatl words for band naming mentioned by Viesca can be understood only by Chicano people. This linguistic complexity of Chicano lyrics as well as diversity of styles and their regional differences shows that Chicano culture needs to be studies in the context of definite location. Chicano musicians in Texas might use Spanglish in their lyrics (Viesca). Californian Chicano culture is very important for the rest of the country because it is centralized and popularized. Chicano people created no only sustainable music styles, but they created the whole industry to support local Chicano musicians. Music renders the complexity of Chicano identity as well. The mix of different styles and genres represent the adaptation of popular music to Latin traditional melodies and motifs. Chicano pop music has many things in common with traditional Latin melodies which Chicano rap uses Latin beats. It can be characterized as a certain cultural hybrid (Azcona) because it exemplifies contact between Chicano and other ethnic and racial groups in their community. Chicano music becomes a connecting element between American government and Chicano people. For instance, a celebration of Latin music at the White House included several Chicano musicians including celebrated Los Lobos (Pereles). However, this public appreciation of Latin culture does not result in adequate response to the needs of this community by government. Increasing number of Chicano rappers who address immigration and borderland issues identify that the fact that the problem persists and becomes even more critical. Chicano music is very responsive to the events which take place in the Us community. Farmers, Civil Rights and Immigrant Rights movements find their reflection in Chicano music and texts. They quickly become popular with working class Mexican immigrants who lack acceptance and understanding in their community. Expressiveness and diversity of their music has a supportive function. When it is recognized by the rest of ethnic and racial groups, Chicano people will finally find their place in this community. Conclusion Summing up, Chicano music is an effective way to learn about Chicano community in detail. Contemporary movements in Chicano music aim at addressing immigration issues. They also motivate pride of being Chicano in people who consume this music. Linguistic and stylistic diversity of Chicano music and lyrics represents their identity as a mix of different cultures which exist in constant contact with each other. Music keeps the whole community together and gives it an opportunity to survive social and economic pressure, assimilation and nonacceptance. Ethnomusicologists can easily reveal the issues related to being Chicano in time and space because Chicano music established consequential relationships with various social movements related to immigrants in different generation. One thing remain clear; Chicano music is flexible and sustainable at the same time. It is reactive to various social events but it keeps the right dominating Anglo culture in California. Works Cited Azcona, Stevan César. Movements in Chicano Music: Performing Culture, Performing Politics, 1965--1979. ProQuest, 2008. Cateforis, Theo, ed. The Rock History Reader. Routledge, 2013. Delgado, Fernando Pedro. "Chicano ideology revisited: Rap music and the (re) articulation of Chicanismo." Western Journal of Communication (includes Communication Reports) 62.2 (1998): 95-113. Lopez, A. “Does Chicano Rap Empower the Twenty-First Century Immigrants Rights Movement in the United States”. Excellence in Research Awards, 4. 2008. Loza, Steven Joseph. Barrio Rhythm: Mexican American Music in Los Angeles. University of Illinois Press, 1993. Pareles, John. “At the White House, a Celebration of Latin Music”. New York Times. 2009. Web. May 16, 2014. Peña, Manuel. The Mexican American orquesta: Music, culture, and the dialectic of conflict. University of Texas Press, 1999. Pérez-Torres, Rafael. Mestizaje: Critical uses of race in Chicano culture. University of Minnesota Press, 2006. Viesca, Victor Hugo. "The battle of Los Angeles: the cultural politics of Chicana/o music in the Greater Eastside." American Quarterly 56.3 (2004): 719-739. Read More