Music has always been about tearing down walls, not building them.
Just look at British band Pink Floyd, whose iconic concept album The Wall, released in 1979, was used as the soundtrack to the fall of the Berlin Wall 10 years later.
For Vancouver mariachi musicians Los Dorados, a wall will never separate them from celebrating the musical heritage and culture of Mexico.
Dressed in traditional mariachi garb, specifically designed for the band, Los Dorados has continued to share its love and knowledge of this Mexican storytelling style of music for more than a decade, as Okanagan residents know full well with the band乌鸦传媒檚 annual spring tour of the Valley.
In Lake Country Saturday, March 18 to perform at the inaugural , don乌鸦传媒檛 be surprised if you see a few sombreros and smiles as Los Dorados travels up and down the Okanagan-Shuswap in its new 15-passenger van next week.
乌鸦传媒淚t is always a great inspiration for us to be right in the midst of not just the cultural/historical past of the mariachi, but what乌鸦传媒檚 happening stylistically now. It乌鸦传媒檚 always moving forward,乌鸦传媒� said Los Dorados乌鸦传媒� Diego Kohl, who was born in Ajijic on Lake Chapala, Mexico and raised in Armstrong, B.C.
Led by Mexican-born singer-guitarist Alex Alegria, Los Dorados is not only the organizer of Vancouver乌鸦传媒檚 successful Mariachi Festival Canada, but is also the Canadian representative at Guadalajara乌鸦传媒檚 International Mariachi Festival, which the band returned to this past year for its fourth visit.
乌鸦传媒淲e were invited there specifically,乌鸦传媒� said Kohl. 乌鸦传媒淚 especially love jamming in the hotel lobby. It乌鸦传媒檚 not pretentious at all. It乌鸦传媒檚 all for the love of music and especially with all of us being mariachi, it乌鸦传媒檚 a great experience.乌鸦传媒�
One thing that Los Dorados has been working on 乌鸦传媒� and has highlighted on its most recent and third self-titled album - is updating the mariachi repertoire.
乌鸦传媒淎ll these old songs are recycled by artists. We thought what was missing was new material,乌鸦传媒� said Kohl. 乌鸦传媒淕oing back to Mexico influenced us to further the style and add to it. We study the classics and respect the traditional, but it乌鸦传媒檚 a good move not to just do cover tunes and arrangements but to add our own flair and compositions乌鸦传媒� We are looking to expanding our base.乌鸦传媒�
Los Dorados乌鸦传媒� new album, which was submitted to this year乌鸦传媒檚 Juno awards in the world music category, features original songs written by band members, including Kohl乌鸦传媒檚 original arrangement of a traditional huapango, or Mexican folk dance, entitled Diego乌鸦传媒檚 Huapango.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 in a mariachi style derived from Spanish guitar and has a specific rhythm. My arrangement is based on mariachi orchestration with three violin parts, two trumpets and the rhythm section. The voice also goes in high range,乌鸦传媒� said Kohl who provided the vocals along with Alegria and bandmate Ricardo Ochoa.
Besides writing and arranging, Kohl continues be a part of Los Dorados乌鸦传媒檚 rhythm section, playing the big Mexican guitar known as the guitarr贸n. The unique instrument, where the strings are plucked not too unlike a harp, has provided him with his own community of musicians.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 one of my favourite instruments to play,乌鸦传媒� said Kohl, who also plays blues and Latin guitar as well as jazz piano. 乌鸦传媒淎 mariachi without a guitarr贸n just doesn乌鸦传媒檛 work. The tone of the guittar贸n is unique. Everything about it is different from the technique and the approach.乌鸦传媒�
Los Dorados乌鸦传媒� annual tour of the Okanagan, produced by Ken Smedley, takes place on the following dates:
乌鸦传媒� March 21 at 7:30 p.m., Zion United Church Hall, Armstrong. Tickets at Chocoliro, Armstrong, 250-546-2886.
乌鸦传媒� March 22 at 7:30 p.m., Barking Parrot Lounge, Penticton. Tickets at The Dragon乌鸦传媒檚 Den, Penticton, 250-492-3011.
乌鸦传媒� March 23 at 7:30 p.m., Carlin Hall, Tappen. Tickets at Acorn Music, SalmonArm, 250-832-8669.
乌鸦传媒� March 24 at 7:30 p.m., Okanagan College Vernon campus theatre. Tickets at The Bean Scene, Vernon, 250-558-1817.
乌鸦传媒� March 25 at 7:30 p.m., Centre Stage Theatre, Summerland. Tickets at Martin乌鸦传媒檚 Flowers (next to Nester乌鸦传媒檚), Summerland, 250-494-5432.
