Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán & Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán in Midland

Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán is a Mexican mariachi ensemble founded in 1897 in Tecalitlán, Jalisco, by Gaspar Vargas. Its repertoire spans son jalisciense, ranchera and huapango, and the group is closely associated with its arrangement of “El Son de la Negra.” Its recording history also includes work with Linda Ronstadt on Canciones de Mi Padre and Luis Miguel on México en la Piel. Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlán accompanied Linda Ronstadt in the televised Canciones de Mi Padre concert filmed at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. In 2017, the ensemble marked its 120th anniversary with a concert at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. The concert format is a full mariachi ensemble built around violins, trumpets, vihuela, guitar and guitarrón. Instrumental arrangements, ensemble singing and featured solo voices carry a repertoire rooted in Mexican regional music. The Tucson International Mariachi Conference has repeatedly presented the group in its Espectacular concert and educational program. The ensemble is also the namesake centerpiece of the annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza in San Antonio.

Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán is a traditional Mexican mariachi ensemble founded in 1965 by brothers Pepe Martínez Barajas and Fernando Martínez Barajas. The 12-piece group’s catalogue includes Mariachi En Concierto, Sones Jalisciences and Folklore de Mexico, while its television appearances include Siempre en Domingo and México, magia y encuentro. Between 1968 and 1995, the ensemble performed at the Cazadores Campestre restaurant in Tlaquepaque. It also toured Latin America and the United States as a second generation of musicians joined during the 1980s and 1990s, and has performed at Guadalajara’s Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi y la Charrería.