I am spending this afternoon getting ready for the Frida Kahlo event tomorrow at The Dali Museum, performing with Rhonda J. Nelson and The Irritable Tribe of Poets, by listening to the music of Mexican artists such as Lila Downs, Celso Duarte and studying the styles and feel of sones del istmo, son jarocho, son huasteco and mariachi. Although much of the music will be eclectic improvisation and a few songs with a Tampa style (fusion of Cuban, Italian and Spanish music), I want to bring some texture and rhythms rooted in Mexican/Aztec culture and the fusion of Spanish & African influence on the coasts. So far I have the instruments of rain stick (palo de lluvia), vibraslap (quijada morderna), tambourine (panderos), snare drum (tarola), guiro, ocarina, using my Senegalese djembe as a tlalpanhuehuetl, ayayote nut shell shakers (chachayotes), claves, tumbadoras and I hope to find or make a slit drum (teponaztle), maracas and gourd water drums tomorrow.
