INSTRUMENTS OF MESOAMERICA/INDIGENOUS MEXICO IMPROVISATION DEMONSTRATION C.GARCIA

Indigenous instruments of Mexico - improvisation/demonstration
SPECIAL THANKS to Joseph Julian Gonzalez for filming
in his studio between takes of recordings for his MISA AZTECA

INSTRUMENT NAMES in English, Spanish, Nahuatl and Maya

English - Fresh water Turtle shells
Spanish - Caparazon
Nahuatl - Ayotapalcatl or Ayotapalcatl
Ayotl is the word for turtle NOT turtle shell
Mayan - Aak
traditionally these are played with deer antlers

ADDITIONAL INFO ON THE INSTRUMENTS CAN BE FOUND HERE
https://indigenousinstrumentsofmexico...

ADDITIONAL INFO ON CHRISTOPHER GARCIA CAN BE FOUND HERE
http://christophergarciamusic.com/
*
was recently at a library and found a note in regards to the Ayotl in a book
printed 1920's
"people mistakenly play the shell as a drum,
it is actually scraped with a deer antler, much like a guiro or a scraper"
i.e.,
there are many different ways to play an instrument but this was the
first written documentation to specifically describe how the instrument was played"

English - Stones
Spanish - Piedras
Nahuatl - Tetl, tehuehuetl
traditionally these are played with smooth river rocks

English - Vertical Ceremonial Drum
Spanish - Tambor
Nahuatl - Huehuetl
Mayan - Zacatan

The tlapan huehuetl is currently played with sticks of various weights
sizes and types of wood in danza circles. It is interesting to note
that several of the codices do not show the huehuetl being played
with sticks at all, but with bare hands and there is written
documentation of as many as ten huehuetl players accompanying
singers in ancient times, i.e, they were not playing with sticks

when, how and why did this change?
we may never know

There is also written documentation of Nezahualcoyotl wearing a
huehuetl around his neck and striking before going into battle
What type of huehuetl and what size and what it was made of is
conjecture on our part

This short improvisation is to demonstrate some of the amazing
sounds of the indigenous instruments of Mexico for the
MEXICOLORE website
http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/

The instruments would traditionally be played by one person per
instrument. Over the years I have been able to learn the parts and
play 2 sometimes 3 parts depending on the situation, i.e., there
were no other drummers available.

THANKS FOR COMING BY TO CHECK THIS OUT
if you have any question or comments
please write Christopher
EMAIL: [email protected]

Christopher Garcia is also a member
LOST TRIBEZ PRODUCTIONZ
http://www.latinola.com/story.php?sto...