Son Jarocho

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Son Jarocho

Stylistic origins:	Son
Cultural origins:	18th century Veracruz
Typical instruments:	Requinto, Jarana, Pandero, Harp
Mainstream popularity:	Popularity of this Mexican genre has grown much.
Other topics
Charro - Jarabe tapatío - Zapateado-Mariachi-Huapango-Son Huasteco

Son Jarocho is a traditional musical style of Veracruz, Mexico. It has been played historically from northern state of Tabasco state to central Veracruz including Veracruz port and its hinterlands. Its origins lie in a mixture of Spanish and African beats. Lyrics include humorous verses and subjects such as love, nature, sailors, cattle breeding that still reflect the life in colonial and 19th century Mexico. Verses are often shared with the wider Mexican and Hispanic Caribbean repertoire and some can even be found in works from writers of the Spanish siglo de oro. The instruments associated with the Son Jarocho are the jaranas (in various dimensions), requinto jarocho, harp and percussion such as pandero, Cajón and quijada (an instrument made of a donkey or horse jawbone). Son Jarocho is often played only on jaranas and song in a style where several singers exchange improvised verses called decimas, often with humorous or offensive content. The most widely known son jarocho is La Bamba which has been popularized through the version by Ritchie Valens and the American movie of the same name.