For this mix for LYL Radio I was feeling more than a tinge of nostalgia. Somehow, one day, hearing the plaintive tones of Pat Metheny’s “Sueño Con Mexico” got me reminiscing about where I come from and how much of the music I love comes from music that triggers memories of things I heard when I was much younger.
When I was younger, growing up along the U.S.-Mexico border I was raised hearing the music streaming in from Mexican stations. Both my parents would man the dial and gravitate to regional folk stations that played some of the most wonderful music I’ve yet to fully explore quite as meaningfully. On special days we’d take those same songs for a trip, driving around the city and its borders, placing that music in context (physically). Moonlit desert nights and scorching hot summer days revealing the multiple layers of meaning behind the music.
There were also those special days my dad would take out his guitar and play gorgeous songs that he composed himself. Hearing him improvise guitar instrumentals now I can conclusively say was, secretly, one of my life’s greatest/quiet joys. Through these small actions, latin music felt of my heart before anything else I can think of.
Largely guitar-based and featuring spacious, booming, acoustic percussion, largely played on the guitar itself, it was this music that taught me to appreciate the quiet, sad, and joyful moments in life. It’s something that I wanted to capture here.
Now, as I’ve grown older and my taste in music has grown in a bit different direction I still can’t run away from that music. Now that I hear that influence spread out further, in the hands of others, it makes me want to keep on digging. If I can give a peek into that inquisitive feeling with others, heck, even better.
Although, it is a springtime mix of sun-kissed, Balearic, guitar-centric instrumental ballads from unlikely sources found in New Age, jazz, fourth world and minimalist groups. It’s a love letter, of sorts, to the musical rhythms of Latin America and the tropics that has some universality to it. Hopefully, it gets you close to where I come from.
Sueño Con Mexico
1. Pat Metheny: Sueño Con Mexico
2. Kenneth Nash: Seascapes
3. Gianluca Mosole Group: Halloween
4. Akira Inoue Acoustic Meeting: The Last Dolphin
5. Steve Kindler & Teja Bell: The Dolphin Suite
6. Joan Bibiloni: Marina
7. Miguel Herrero: Mascamangas
8. Martin Kolbe + Ralf Illenberger: Genéve
9. Juan Martin: The Diver: David Hockney
10. Hiroki Miyano (宮野弘紀): Miroku
11. Finis Africae: Managua
/DOWNLOAD/