Martin creates 90% of the MEXIKA's instruments. He is an expert with Bamboo and Gourds.
Booking: (562) 713.2774
Email: mexikamusic@gmail.com
The following video was shot by our great friend Higgy Vasquez
from http://www.love2drum.com/
if you have never checked out the site PLEASE DO
and THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT
IMAGES OF ANCIENT MUSICIANS OF MEXICO, PRIMARILY FROM THE CODICES
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MEXIKA with members of the BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY PERCUSSION SECTIONS after performing CARLOS CHAVEZ SINFONIA INDIA and SILVESTRE REVUELTAS SENSEMAYA
Influences
Our Ancestors and our life experiences as professional musicians
Sounds Like
We are MEXIKA, (pronounced meh - shee - kuh)we perform exciting “traditional and new music" with the ancient, exotic and cosmic sounds of the instruments of our ancestral México!” Many people say the music is very relaxing, meditative and surprising. Our music is not about how loud or fast we play because when we perform everyone suddenly gets quiet and attentive, and chilled out...
42 years professional musician, classically trained B.Mus with Honors from Immaculate Heart College 1978 in classical guitar, lute performance & Renaissance and Medieval music. Since 1975, I began research and have been playing the instruments of my Mexican ancestors not because I saw someone else doing this; because there was NO ONE to copy…but because I had inspired myself. The main thought I had was: “I’d love to help bring these instruments back to life” and so, for the last 33 years of my life (back then it wasn’t cool to play these instruments). I have conducted honest scholarly research into my ancestral Mexicano heritage, which includes not only my Hispanic but my Indigenous heritage. I am Tepehuano (Durango), Yaqui (Sonora) and Spanish = Mexicano.
Since age 13 I have been a professional performing musician but since the 80’s: I pioneered combining education, culture, performance and teaching methods into something that I call “Interactive Performance”. Since then, I've gained heavy experience working with all ages, ethnicities and abilities which allows MEXIKA performances to be accessible to ALL ages, yes even preschoolers. Back in the early 80's I was also in the forefront of the Andean music movement, playing for many solidarity events with Bolivian folklorist, Mario Torrico in Grupo YATIRI. We just celebrated 25 years of performing together! Since the early 90’s I helped revive/preserve such little known Mexican instruments as the “Water Drum” (Yaqui/Huichol etc.); the “Tawitol” (Hunter’s Bow instrument of the Tepehuano/Cora etc.). Both the Water Drum and the Tawitol are instruments of my heritage. I also invented such instruments as the “Jaguar Voice” and the “Arco de Lluvia”. Since the 90’s: I have toured throughout the U.S., mostly California, and Mexico (Baja California, Colima, Guerrero, Tabasco and Chiapas). Since the 90’s: I have been making instruments, becoming an expert with gourd and bamboo. I have made more then 35,000 instruments in workshops and those that I play and sell. I am honest with my art, myself and to others.
Chris, Mexicano, is a percussionist and classically trained musician. Chris plays all manner of ancient Mexican percussion instruments, sings and plays impossible things on the spot! He played drum set for several years when he received a full scholarship at Cal Arts in order to study the North Indian hand drum tabla where he studied with Pandit Tarnath Rao, Leonice Shinemann, John Bergamo and Swapan Chaudhuri. From his training in the music of India he also learned Kanjira and Ghatam.
This training along with performance experiences in percussion ensemble under the direction of John Bergamo, enable him to play multiple time signatures, metric modulations and superimposed metric modulations with ease, making MEXIKA able to play more complex music which always grooves. When Chris plays it sounds like several people playing. He also plays a very mean marimba and drum set in various styles as well being familiar with a vast variety of "world" hand percussion. Dang!!!!
He currently performs/tours the world with groups/people like:
DEMANIA trio with acoustic guitar genius, Alex Degrassi and bass idol/Jaco's protege, Michael Manring.
which utilizes instruments from India and Mexico and 10 string guitar and electronics!
We are also members of ANCIENT GROOVES with Malik Sow. John Zeretzke, and Houman Pourmehdi.
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MEXIKA "Sounds of Ancient Mexico"'s Friend Space (Top 24)
MEXIKA "Sounds of Ancient Mexico" has 307 friends.
Que ondas carnales! I wanted to share this with you, thought you would appreciate it it!
I want to share my art and Vision with you !
Check out the link below and it will take you to the some of my latest arte and article my arte and work!
GRACIAS POR EL ADDD... ESPERO Y TE DES EL TIEMPO DE VISITAR EL MYSPACE DE CEMICAN... ES UN CONCEPTO TOTALMENTE DIFERENTE, EN NUESTRAS COMPOSICIONES USAMOS INSTRUMENTOS AUTOCTONOS, DANDOLE EL TOQUE DE ROCK/METAL.. LA TEMATICA DE LAS CANCIONES, HABLAN DE MITOS Y LEYENDAS DEL MEXICO ANTIGUO ASI COMO VIVENCIAS DE NUESTRA ACTUALIDAD ARRAIGADAS CON LO ANCESTRAL... ESPERO TU VISITA.. LEVANTAR NUESTRA CULTURA ATRAVES DE LA MUSICA... Y NO OLVIDEN DE DONDE PROVENIMOS.. DE NUESTRO MEXICO ANTIGUO LLENO DE MISTICISMO. CENCA TLAZOHCAMATI!!.... MAS EXITOS EN EL CAMINO ..... TLIPOCA
Tlazokamati MEXICA, es un orgullo para mi ser parte de tus Amigos tambien estan en mis favoritos, gracias por la musica ancestral de nuestros Abuelos.... TIAHUI!!!
Awww thanks :} your so awesome :] and im flattered :} Martinis lucky lol i am too but dont tell him i told you cause then it gets to his head lol and starts getting tooo cocky lol :] so whats up with you how are you doing?? hows your crazy life??
THE
WORLD SHOULD KNOW ME, I AINT AFRAID OF MY EXPRESSION OF KNOWLEDGE. I
LIVED THREW THE EDGE,FROM STAYING WEARING CHAINS. I WONT HESETEITE TO
REFLECT ON MY BAD I'VE DONE AND TURN IT IN TO POSITIVITY . MY
CREATIVITY COMES FROM MY PAST AND EXPECTING WHAT'S COMING.MY
FUTURE IS MY CHILDREN'S ,CHILDREN. SO UNDERSTAND MY FUNDEMENTALS AND
EXPECT MY RETALIATION TOWARDS IGNORANCE, INTOLERANCE . THIS LETRAS I
WRITE IS FOR MY INNER REFLECTION TO REMIND ME, NOT TO FALL BACK IN TO
COLONIZATION.WITCH THAN WILL LEAD TO MY INCARSERATION ,OF MY
SPIRIT. I WONT BE DEFEATED,NO MATER WAT THEY SAY I WILL CONSIDERE. THAN I
MAKE A CHOICE,I DON'T REJOICE IN BEING CALLED A STADISTIC, REMEMBER I'M
A NIKANTLAKA AND WAS BORN MEXICATL. I'M OPPOSITE OF HATE AND NEVER ASHAMED.WE ALL HAVE TO SIDES OF US AND EVIL DOESN'T DEFINE ME.IF I WOULD DESCRIVE ME , I'D SAY I WOULD RATHER DYE ON MY FEET AND NOT LIVE ON MY KNEE'S , WOULDNT CHANGE MY BELIEVES...............................................................................
SERIO PEDO THOUGHT'S ,,,, DECOLONIZING THE MIND, THINK TO MAKE OTHER'S RETHINK.
Hi from Jam in France ! Thank you so much again & again for the precious link to my eyes. I see, you got much concerts. it is great !! You play a nice Music so powerfull of history, roots & culture. You touched deeply in my heart by accept my request. Respect, an' have a good time. Jam Huon.On this pic, i'm with my friends of Vientos del Sur Band (From Santa Barbara).
moments like these is when i need to go buy some headphones to hear at work. I just watched the video ... couldnt hear it ... but once I go home ... i sure will!!!
i would so be there for a Mexica New Year celebration with u appearing!!..u are such a blessing..i hope others will wise up and put a invite on if it's not too late..let me know if anything changes..tlazohz, nimitztlapalohua!
Nilce... pasando por la pagina... Les mando saludos desde las fria ciudad de los vientos..bajo mucho la temperatura...... Haber cuando gustan visitarnos por aca!
cualli teotlac Martin!..i'm planning to see you at the San Juan Capistrano show on the 16th ..hope you are doing well!..i have a work-heavy schedule this semester, so not much time for anything else--except this show!..see you soon if all goes as planned!! citlalin
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