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Son jarocho music is a genre that’s been passed down in Mexican culture for generations. It’s easy to understand why it’s such an important form of expression after watching the HBO documentary, “Fandango at the Wall.”

The film, directed by Varda Bar-Kar, takes its filmmakers and producers on a journey that elaborates on the fine, beautiful line between music, culture and unity. “Fandango at the Wall” showcases the power of incredible music and great stories from compelling subjects.

The documentary centers around the annual Fandango Fronterizo Festival, in which musicians come together to perform son jarocho music at the United States-Mexico Border at Tijuana and San Diego. In the film, Grammy-winning producer Kabir Sehgal travels to Mexico with jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill, the founder of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. Along with the organizer of the festival, Jorge Francisco Castillo, they collected some of the most prominent figures in classic and contemporary son jarocho and brought them to perform with the Afro Latin Orchestra.

Right off the bat, “Fandango at the Wall” starts with an impromptu, home performance from Andrés Vega and Martha Vega, two famous son jarocho musicians from Veracruz, Mexico. This sets the tone for the rest of the film, with the music and culture driving the narrative. Several scenes smoothly transition through music from one moment to another, with scenes of individual musicians playing son jarocho music flowing into a larger concert taking place in New York.

The transitions put greater emphasis on the music at hand, which is fantastic. The emotion and passion behind each chord makes you want to get up and start playing the nearest musical instrument.

Part of that feeling also comes from the subjects and their passions for this style of music. The documentary is composed of a talented group of people from a wide variety of musical backgrounds across Mexico. They all have unique stories to tell and fascinating perspectives on son jarocho and its greater impact on Mexican culture and their nation’s discourse. Not to mention, the film has gorgeous cinematography of several different cities and towns across Mexico.

The film also touches on the current state of Mexico, and though it doesn’t sugarcoat negative aspects, it has a relatively optimistic outlook on the future of the nation. The subjects do mention Mexico’s relationship with the U.S. and the negative values represented in having any kind of a border wall, but the film mostly centers around Mexican culture and the spirit of son jarocho.

Several of the musicians and activists explain that son jarocho is an improvisational and active form of music, such as jazz. The title card defines son jarocho as “A 300-year-old folk music from Veracruz, Mexico, which combines Indigenous, Spanish and African traditions.” Son jarocho musicians have an outlet to express themselves in whatever means they want to, whether as a discussion of politics or a description of one’s country, as the subjects of the film explain.

That line between social activism and culture, like the music discussed in the documentary, is crossed smoothly. And that is exactly the sort of conversation that surrounds any form of music. More specifically, the film details how Mexican culture and son jarocho are intertwined, and how the music serves as a unifier.

“Fandango at the Wall” is a wonderful documentary that combines music and culture, producing a harmony of the beauty of Mexican culture and the lives of the many musicians involved with son jarocho. And, like the style itself, the documentary blends improvisational expression and passion with storytelling to create one incredible harmony.

Published on October 13, 2020 at 11:52 pm

Contact Patrick: pagunn@syr.edu