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Caña Dulce y Caña Brava In Concert!
April 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm EDT
Caña Dulce y Caña Brava offers a performance which exhibits the dance, poetry, and the traditional attire of Veracruz, Mexico. These noteworthy performers, who are beneficiaries of the Jarocho culture, bring years of experience on both the national and international stages with them. Join us for this exciting performance!
*Tickets are priced at $20 for General Admission and $10 for Student or Low-Income Admission.
The Sanctuary recognizes that even with a sliding scale, cost can affect the accessibility of any event. We want to emphasize that no one will be turned away at the door for a lack of funds. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Caña Dulce y Caña Brava
Made up mostly by women, Caña Dulce y Caña Brava are exceptional performers of son jarocho, a traditional Mexican expression who combines music, dance and poetry. With a deep connection to tradition, the group sang poetic messages with a feminine perspective, offering a unique show within the traditionally male-dominated scene of music performers. Thanks to their dedication, innovation and perseverance, the group has established itself as a benchmark for son jarocho, bringing innovation to traditional Mexican music. Caña Dulce y Caña Brava delivers a unique sound composed on top by the poetry and harmony of their voices, floating around the vibrations of the horse jaw, the mystical harmony of the harp and the strums of the jaranas, while the beat is foot-tapped on stage and flashy colors emanate from their dresses. The music virtuosity of its members are deeply rooted in the jarocho tradition, where all of them have learned directly from ancient masters and have developed and proven their skills both at national and international stages.
Adriana Cao – Harp
Born in the port city of Veracruz, her musical
formation began when she was merely a child. Her
passion and tenacity for playing the jarocha harp
have positioned herself as the most well-known harp player in the son jarocho universe, learning the
tradition directly from “maestros” such as Pánfilo
Valerio, Nicolás Sosa and Andrés Alfonso Vergara,
amongst others. Adriana has been invited to perform with the most representative groups of son jarocho, such as Zacamandú, Mono Blanco, Chuchumbé and Tembembe.
Raquel Palacios – Jarana
A distinguished singer and “jaranera”, born into one of the most respected dynasties of son jarocho music: the Vega family. Native of Boca de San Miguel, Tlacotalpan, Veracruz, she has lent her unique voice and talent to diverse musical projects such as Los Utrera and Son de Madera, and she has collaborated with Jorge Drexler, Ernesto Anaya and Geo Meneses, amongst other artists. In 2012, Raquel, alongside her family, received the National Prize of Sciences and Arts for the cultural contributions of the Vega and Utrera families.
Violeta Romero – Jarana & Dance
Born in Mexico City, she began her formation in music and dance from an early age, studying in Mexico, Guinea, Canada and the United States. Violeta is known for her dance style that is both powerful and elegant. Over the years, she has formed part of bands such as Tamakán, Maíz Negro and Los Utrera. Currently, she is a cultural producer, band member of Caña Dulce y Caña Brava since 2013, and cast member in Pachuquísmo (dance project based in San Francisco, CA, USA).
Anna Arismendez – Leona
Mexican descent who was born and raised in Austin, TX, USA. Ana encountered son jarocho for the first time in 2010. Since then, she has been an avid student of the tradition, participating in fandangos, and learning directly from different maestros and collectives. With persistence, she embraced the guitarra grande (also called “leona”), a bass instrument not commonly played by women, that she plays with charm and strength. Anna currently lives in Mexico City and has been a member of Caña Dulce y Caña Brava since 2016.
Alonso Borja – Requinto
Alonso joined the band in 2023, but has been an active member of the Mexican music tradition since 1996, when he founded “Chéjere”, a widely recognized band mixing tradition with innovation, who has performed at national and international festivals. With a major in classical guitar studies, he has been a member of the Mexican National System of Creators since 2019, and has received awards for his compositions, such as the Ibermúsicas popular song composition.
The zapateado (percussive dance) on the tarima (wooden platform) accentuates the beat, while the band’s colorful wardrobe embellishes their musicality. Appealing instrumental landscapes include the captivating vibrations of the horse jaw, the profound and mystical harmonies of the harp, the percussive atmosphere created by the jarana, the robust rhythm of the guitarra grande, and the renaissance-sounding bowed instruments created ex profeso for the group, resurrecting extinct baroque instrumentation.
We are committed to lowering the barriers to access for events at The Sanctuary for Independent Media. For people who are hard of hearing or deaf, blind or low-vision, or whose physical limitations can interfere with a satisfying experience, let us know two weeks in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements.
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