Conjunto Alma Jarocha

Conjunto Alma Jarocha, stationed in Mexico’s port city of Veracruz, cultivates a sleek rendering of the son jarocha tradition, highlighting its brisk syncopated pulses, unadorned melodies, and inventive improvisations. Much of the ensemble’s singular texture arises from local instruments: the bulky wooden arpa jarocha that functions like a harp, the four-string requinto jarocha guitar played by plucking, and the compact ten-string jarana guitar sounded through strumming. Their lone album, Sones Jarochos, was captured under the direction of Arhoolie owner and producer Chris Strachwitz together with recording engineer Dan Sheehy.