With its driving energy and spirited flair, the son has held the essence of mariachi music for more than 150 years. Even today, the modern mariachi dips into the son repertoire to punctuate its performances, evoking boisterous yells and percussive zapateados from its listeners. In Sones de Mariachi, multi-Grammy-winning Mariachi Los Camperos makes its mark on the son legacy, powered by the group’s lauded signature sound and leader Jesús “Chuy” Guzmán’s uplifting arrangements. This meticulously curated mix of popular and lesser-known sones rooted in the western Mexican heartland of mariachi tradition is played with the typical virtuosity, superb vocals, and rhythmic precision of one of the world’s greatest mariachis.

“The Los Angeles-based Mariachi Los Camperos is considered by many to be the finest mariachi ensemble in the world. Undoubtedly, it has played a central role in the United States in raising both the artistic standards and the public perceptions of mariachi music, which is now recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” —The National Folk Festival

Mariachi Los Camperos’ newest album, Sones de Mariachi, is a high-spirited and upbeat collection that features a variety of sones and includes many well-known mariachi classics. The mariachi son is a fast-paced genre of mariachi music that heavily utilizes the guitar-playing section to create complex rhythms. Its bright and colorful sound captivates listeners, immersing them in an energizing experience. Los Camperos takes the classics on this album and reinvigorates them with fresh, energy-packed arrangements. While the collection was initially intended to include huapangos, sones tamaulipecos jarochos, and huastecos, Los Camperos decided to focus on the pure mariachi sound. According to Guzmán, “This album identifies with the mariachi tradition, and what identifies mariachi tradition is the son.” In addition to featuring sones from Jalisco, the album explores sones from the Mexican states of Michoacán, Guerrero, Colima, Guanajuato, and Nayarit. By educating their audiences about the importance of the son to the foundations of mariachi, Los Camperos stays true to their founding ethos of preserving and cultivating interest in mariachi and the culture from which it springs.