Last week Gypset Magazine presented a one of a kind show at Los Globos, members of Grammy winners, la Santa Cecilia, La Marisol and Pepe Carlos went back to their roots and the music that helped shape them into the musicians they are today.
Under the name they had when they were only a trio along with Pepe’s brother, Roberto, Marisol & Los Hermanos Carlos played a show full of classic boleros and “rancheras” that had people singing along with every song.
From an early hour, people began to line up outside Los Globos in anticipation of a night filled with romanticism and nostalgia. Amongst those in line were many faces of the usual rockers who brought along their girl friends for a night of romantic music, others brought their parents and even their grandparents, others came just to hear the great classics of yesteryear.
As Marisol, Roberto and Pepe hit the stage it was obvious that they were emotionally moved by the reaction of the crowd that included their families, many old time fans who knew them from the days when they used to play the house parties, wedding, funerals and Olvera Street, as well as the ones who became familiar with them after Marisol and Pepe Carlos became part of La Santa Cecilia.
Songs that were made famous by Los Dandy’s or Javier Solis like “Gema” made many people sigh, others wiped tears from their eyes, while others just sang along quietly. Songs like “La Copa Rota” which was made immortal by Vicente Fernandez and Jose Feliciano really showcased Marisol’s passionate voice as she sang it as if this was her last night on earth.
From very early in the show, people began to shout out song names, like “Sabor A Mi”, which the band complied with towards the end of the show, but without a doubt one of the highlights of this night was their rendition of the classic, “Odiame”, which is probably most familiar to Spanish rock followers as Bunbury covered it on his Licenciado Cantinas album. On “Odiame” Pepe Carlos played one of the most difficult “requinto” solos and he played it so brilliantly that everyone was in awe.
As the songs came, Marisol, Roberto and Pepe Carlos often told stories about how they were introduced to those songs, which many involved their parents or grandparents exposing them to those beautiful songs and they remembered how, as they became better musicians, their parents pushed them to play their music and sent them off to Olvera Street every weekend.
Other classics like Cuco Sanchez’s “Gritenme Piedras Del Campo”, Jose Alfredo Jimenez’s “El Ultimo Trago”, the Oaxacan classic “Pinotepa” and many others were also part of this magical night.
I had no doubt that the this event would have a good crowd, but I did not expect it to be a full house and not only was it full, but many of those present, were of a younger age, which only goes to show that the power of good music has no generational barriers. As I sat there listening to this great music, I could not help to think that this group and this music could easily feel right at home in a venue like the Walt Disney Hall or the Lincoln Center because for many, this is the classical music of Latin America.
*Photos by Angel Aguilar
