Smithsonian - Perishable Pundit

tional and contemporary, rural and urban, oldand new. In Chicago, recent immigrants frommany regions ot Mexico live alongside youngand old Mexican Americans trom familiesrooted in Chicago tor the past hundred years.The enthusiastic reception of Sones de Mexico'smusic in Chicago reflects their success at bothcapturing the essence of Chicagoan Mexicanidentity and painting a positive musical pictureot how the contributions ot mexicanos tromdifferent backgrounds and age groups are allvaluable and mutually supporting cultural assets.Folk-rooted, popular dance music playsa special role in forging a pan-Latino senseof community.When nation-specific differencesin heritage—Mexican, Puerto Rican,Salvadoran, Colombian, and so forth—softenas new generations ot Latinos emerge and findcommon ground in American society, labelslike "Latino" take on greater relevance. Musicstores advertise recordings ot música latina,and nightclubs offer dance music appealingto many Latino backgrounds and interests.Especially in cities such as Washington, D.C.,where people ot many Latino nationalitiesshare similar social footing, dance promoters,club owners, and dance bands provide dancemusic that appeals to a range of Latinos.While the members ot Washington's [CJ Bandspecialize m Dominican merengue, for example,they might also play salsa, cambia, reggaetón,and other popular styles. This meeting placeot rhythms is also a pan-Latmo commons thatbuilds a sense of shared cultural and social life.Through these and other musical "windowson culture" that the Nuestra Música: Music inLatino Culture program presents and explores,we can find the fullest meaning ot music. Thismeaning goes far beyond mere sounds; it goes tothe heart of personal and social identity, to issuesof survival for immigrant communities adjustingto alien social environments, to constructing anew spirit ot community m an ever-evolvingworld. Music carries knowledge, meaning, affect.and spirit because people have endowed it withthese assets, because they consider it essential toenvisioning and living a normal lite in whichthey are genuinely themselves. Creative musiciansand communities constantly constructnew meanings tor music, meaning that serves asocial purpose as well as an aesthetic one. NuestraMúsica otters visitors to this "living exhibition"on the National Mall the opportunity to meetthe musicians and to learn more about theworld ot meaning behind the sounds, as wellas to sing the songs, to dance to the rhythms,and to experience the panorama ot diverseexpressions we call música lamia. The 200sinstallment ot Nuestra Música presents a seriesof evening concerts showcasing a variety ofLatino musical styles and cultures and exploringthe theme "Music Builds Community."[ 5 3 ISUGGESTED READINGOlsen, Dale A., and Daniel Edward Sheehy, eds.2000. Tlic Garland Handbook ot Latin AmericanMusic. New York: Garland Publishing.Schechter, John M. 1999. Music in Latin AmericanCulture: Regional Traditions. New York: Schirmer BooksSheehy, Daniel. 2006. Mariachi MusiiAmerica: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture.New York: Oxford University Press.inDANIEL SHEEHY isan ethnomusicologist,curator, musician, and director of SmithsonianFolkways Recordings, the national museum'snonprofit record label. He has authoredand edited numerous publications on LatinAmerican music, as well as produced concerts,tours, and recordings ot musicians fromLatin America and the United States.All photos courtesy of Daniel Sheehyunless indicated otherwise.NUESTRA MÚSICA MUSIC IN LATINO CULTURE