Chalino and Narcocorridos (or Reading About Southwestern Music)

"There are many ways to know a city — through its restaurants or museums, its landmarks or outdoor spaces. But one way to get to a city’s heart is to immerse yourself in its music. You might think that would be impossible to do in Los Angeles, a landscape far too huge, too varied, too dizzying to ever sort out."

From "Music Without Borders" in last Sunday's NYT.

I really need to explore that Arhoolie Records crowd. Things always do seem to wind up back in Berkeley. I've been thinking about a trip south to visit UCLA and USC some time in the next two months. Maybe I'll need to stay longer.

"[E]ven the harshest narcocorridos are merely sweet-sounding polkas if you don’t know the words." So THAT'S why I'll need to learn Spanish; I get it.