Chuchumbé

The group of Jarocho son Chuchumb? is an interpreter of and recreates music in verse and dances from the fandango tradition of southern Veracruz, Mexico. It is currently integrated by Patricio Hidalgo, Liche Oseguera, Zen?n Zeferino, Rub? Oseguera, Leopoldo Novoa, Adriana Cao and Andr?s Flores. Occasional collaborators, as dancers, are: Araceli Gal?n, Donaj? Esparza, besides Dalmacio Cobos. Founded in 1990, it has taken part in the fandangos and festivities of the region and, recently, it has focused its musical work en the interpretation and composition of new sones.

The group has been dedicated to the diffusion and teaching of the traditions of the fandango through workshops of traditional music and zapateado (a form of tap dancing), writing of verses and the construction of instruments at the cultural centers in the region, especially with children.

Chuchumb? group is also concerned with the investigation of the sonorous and aesthetic possibilities of the instruments of the son Jarocho, looking to expand both construction and interpretation techniques. With Chuchumb? is work, as well as with that of other groups, and with the support of cultural promoter, researchers and civilian groups, it has been possible to keep alive one of the most important traditions in Veracruz, as well as in the country.

Besides taking part in most of the festivities and reunions of traditional son in the south of Veracruz, Chuchumb? has given presentations on various occasions throughout the country, in cities such as Monterrey, Tampico, Matamoros, San Luis Potos?, Cancun, San Miguel de Allende, Juchit?n, San Crist?bal and Mexico City, among others.
They have taken part in musical exchanges with: Un solo pueblo from Venezuela, The Cassidys from Ireland, Vieux Diop and Kouyate from Senegal.

The group has organized five traditional Jarocho son festivals, in which, besides offering conferences and conventions of sonero musicians, they gathered many groups of traditional music. They have collaborated in the edition of six issues of the Son del Sur magazine, which promotes the history and cultural roots of the region.

On an international level, the group has given concerts at the Lisner Auditorium at Washington University, at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. They have also taken part in festivals such as: the Historical Center Festival of Mexico City; the Caribbean Festival, in Veracruz; the Ibero-American Theater Festival, in Bogot?; the Caribbean Festival, in Canc?n; the Latin American Harp Encounter, in Caracas, Venezuela, and at the same Encounter, two years later, in Mexico City. This year the group was invited to participate in the International Cervantine Festival. On top of that, they were representing Mexico, giving concerts in Hanover, Germany, during the Expo 2000.

Its members have participated in various recordings such as Sones campesinos de la regi?n de los Tuxtlas (Peasant Sones of the Tuxtla Regions), Los Utrera (The Utreras), Son pa? los amigos (Son for friends), Zacamand? (Zacamand?), and Las voces del cedro (Voices from the Cedar), and Monstruos (Monster), this latter with the Mexican rock group La Maldita Vecindad. In February of 1999, they collaborated, along with other groups from Latin America, in editing a disc in honor of Sim?n Bol?var