I’ve long been a fan of larger ensemble groups playing traditional or genre music. I am thinking of the country swing sounds of the mini orchestras that famously back-up singers like k.d. lang and Lyle Lovett, or the large tropical pop groups that were the sonic palette of composers like Sergio Mendes and Henry Mancini. So I am immediately intrigued by a touring act that pulls off the same feat with mariachi music, a genre for which a strong argument can be made is one of the world’s great examples of music of the people. The group in question is Mariachi Herencia de México, a Chicago-based outfit that has garnered quite a bit of renown in the relatively short time since its inception in 2017. Tonight at 7 p.m., you can catch ’em in action at the Van Duzer Theatre, and I suggest snagging your tickets sooner rather than later, as the Center Arts website was flashing the ominous “limited” link as of press time ($15-$35).
This article appears in Burger Week 2023.