Nestor Villaseñor is from Guadalajara and is founder of the musical group Tajín (think hot and spicy!). He specializes in prehispanic musical instruments and has a stand in the Olas Altas Saturday market where he sells these wonderful pieces. Your mouth will water seeing them even if you are not a musician! Music fans from all around seek him out to purchase or just admire the beautiful handmade instruments he displays.
Not only does he collect and sell these gorgeous pieces of art, Nestor plays them! His group Tajin composed of Nestor on harp and flute, the lovely and talented Magali Uribe, violin and voice, Memo Rojas, guitar and other instruments and Ismael Drummerboy Gomez percussion including the requisite burros jaw produce marvelous music in the Veracruz style at various venues in Puerto Vallarta.
If you are not familiar with the “Son Jarocho” or the music from Veracruz, this is the man to know. The instruments in themselves are works of art, meticulously hand crafted from one solid piece of a special wood. The music is not only spirited and delightful to hear but when the lyrics are studied you learn it is filled with fun, “picardía” or roguishness, and double meaning. It is really infectious. The songs sometimes go on forever with verse after verse making fun of everyday situations and each time becoming more hilarious as the singers go on with a second voice often repeating the first in a slightly different manner. In the song El Gallo a woman complains that she thinks the neighbor wants to catch her rooster and make a stew, but then you realize her neighbor may have other plans for her “Gallo” or man. Well, you see what I mean? The music has the feeling of a community gathering (a Fandango) filled with dance (zapeadeo), joy, and participation from all present singing, as the songs are familiar to the entire group, clapping and dancing.
The instruments used in the music are the Requinto for melody and bass, Jarana of many sizes for rhythm, Harp again carries the melody while the jawbone of the burro is used for percussion. The Tarima, or wooden platform for dance, is a community building tool as well as a musical instrument. According to the organizers of a Fandango conference in Seattle in 2010: leaving ones soul on the Tarima or “Dejar el alma en la tarima”, is an expression one utters when...one...has exhausted...oneself...physically in zapateado (percussive footwork) and all at once senses a near spiritual moment in the process”.
Grupo Tanjin continues to play at Cuates y Cuetes in front the pier on Los Muertos Beach at 7:30 Friday nights and no doubt many fun locations to thrill audiences as the season opens up. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to pay Nestor a visit at the market on Saturdays. You will be happy you did. You can also contact him on his Facebook page for information regarding private events. I will be sure to add performances on my website calendar at vallartasounds.com as I learn of them.
Not only does he collect and sell these gorgeous pieces of art, Nestor plays them! His group Tajin composed of Nestor on harp and flute, the lovely and talented Magali Uribe, violin and voice, Memo Rojas, guitar and other instruments and Ismael Drummerboy Gomez percussion including the requisite burros jaw produce marvelous music in the Veracruz style at various venues in Puerto Vallarta.
If you are not familiar with the “Son Jarocho” or the music from Veracruz, this is the man to know. The instruments in themselves are works of art, meticulously hand crafted from one solid piece of a special wood. The music is not only spirited and delightful to hear but when the lyrics are studied you learn it is filled with fun, “picardía” or roguishness, and double meaning. It is really infectious. The songs sometimes go on forever with verse after verse making fun of everyday situations and each time becoming more hilarious as the singers go on with a second voice often repeating the first in a slightly different manner. In the song El Gallo a woman complains that she thinks the neighbor wants to catch her rooster and make a stew, but then you realize her neighbor may have other plans for her “Gallo” or man. Well, you see what I mean? The music has the feeling of a community gathering (a Fandango) filled with dance (zapeadeo), joy, and participation from all present singing, as the songs are familiar to the entire group, clapping and dancing.
The instruments used in the music are the Requinto for melody and bass, Jarana of many sizes for rhythm, Harp again carries the melody while the jawbone of the burro is used for percussion. The Tarima, or wooden platform for dance, is a community building tool as well as a musical instrument. According to the organizers of a Fandango conference in Seattle in 2010: leaving ones soul on the Tarima or “Dejar el alma en la tarima”, is an expression one utters when...one...has exhausted...oneself...physically in zapateado (percussive footwork) and all at once senses a near spiritual moment in the process”.
Grupo Tanjin continues to play at Cuates y Cuetes in front the pier on Los Muertos Beach at 7:30 Friday nights and no doubt many fun locations to thrill audiences as the season opens up. Meanwhile, don’t hesitate to pay Nestor a visit at the market on Saturdays. You will be happy you did. You can also contact him on his Facebook page for information regarding private events. I will be sure to add performances on my website calendar at vallartasounds.com as I learn of them.