La Tuza
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Music
Press
Proudly claiming to be the only Mexican roots band in town, La Tuza plays son, a traditional folk genre that can vary widely depending on the region. The acoustic trio (on violin, guitar, and percussion) even plays son jarocho, the African-influenced music from the state of Veracruz, which you rarely hear in this part of the country.
---James Reed, Globe Critic - November 13, 2008
La Tuza specialize in three varieties of Mexican roots music, or son (jarocho, huasteco, and calentano), and perform with a level of huggable charm typically reserved for indie pop. Hear what they do with one violin, one jarana, three voices, and a cardboard box and just try not dancing.
---Michael Brodeur - July 15, 2008
David Wax ’06 never took a music course at Harvard. But while traveling and studying music in Mexico on a Sheldon Fellowship after graduation, he realized that what he really wanted to do was learn to perform the Mexican “roots” music he loved so much. Instead of pursuing the academic career he seemed destined for, the history and literature concentrator is now a professional musician, the founder of La Tuza, a Mexican roots-music trio that has been performing around New England for the last couple of years. (continued on review URL) - Harvard Magazine Winter 2009
Discography
Son del Otro Lado (2009)
Photos
Bio
The dynamic acoustic trio La Tuza performs Mexican roots music. The band presents a colorful collage of dance music from three musical genres in Mexico: the fiery son huasteco of central Mexico, the lively son calentano from the Mexican Hotlands, and the synco- pated son jarocho with its rhythms drawn from African traditions.
La Tuza strums, plucks, and rattles its way through high-energy shows with traditional Mexican instruments, such as jarana jarocha, guitar, jarana huasteca, requinto, violin, cajon, marimbol, pandero, and quijada (donkey jawbone). Audiences throughout New England at festivals, weddings, music clubs, bars, schools, and private recep- tions have embraced La Tuza’s exciting approach to folk music, proving that while son comes from the Mexican countryside, its infectious spirit has no boundaries.
“Hear what they do with one violin, one jarana, three voices, and a box and just try not dancing.” - The Boston Phoenix
“Part of La Tuza’s mission is to demonstrate that there is a lot more to Mexican music than the familiar strains of mariachi bands.” - Harvard Magazine feature on David Wax & La Tuza
“Critic’s Pick” for Fall 2008 concert at Johnny D’s
- Boston Globe
Best World Music Act nominee in 2010
- Boston Phoenix
Links
