V/A - Texas-Mexican Border Music Vol. 1 (An Introduction 1930-1960) LP

Label: Folklyric Records/Arhoolie; Year: 1975; Format: Vinyl LP

I love picking up records like this compilation of at least to me absolutely unknown artists from the Texas-Mexican border with songs recorded between the 1930s and the early 1960s. It is kind of similar to discovering and learning more about blues music in the sense that it is music from the working people sweating in factories, packing houses or in the fields picking fruit. As the notes from editor Chris Strachwitz say it's the music of the Tejanos, Chicanos, Nortenos or Mexican-Americans. The recordings vary in quality and the songs recorded later sound generally louder and better but this is a highly enjoyable record taking you back in time to a place that certainly must be special and fascinating to this day. Migrants from Mexico have crossed the Rio Grande headed for the North back then and still do to this day in the hope of a better life in the US. Back then they have brought a different music with them and it would be interesting to see what a compilation like this one would sound like with current artists. I will definitely try to scoop more records from this series. Una historia de la musica de la frontera!