Choosing to spin only vinyl for me is about activating a deeply rich resource that might not otherwise be shared in this age of digital DJs. Digging for records in Texas is amazing because as a Tejana, I have discovered so much about myself through Texas recording labels like—Freddie Records from Corpus Christi; Tear Drop Records from Winnie, TX; Ideal and Nopal Records both based in Alice, TX; and Falcon Records from McAllen, TX. These labels impart a history that is not readily accessible through textbooks or online searches. Here were entrepreneurial folks of Mexican heritage living in Texas who started their labels to present a better reflection of what communities in Texas were creating and listening to at their local social gatherings. These sounds and artists were often abandoned by the mainstream but thrived on the small mom-and-pop labels. This is my history as a Tejana and it's wonderful that I can contribute to its preservation. Not only do I get to save it from disappearing, but I get to share it with a wider audience through my DJ sets and recorded mixes. I impart the stories that the music and vinyl covers reveal and keep the culture present.
In addition to Tejano treasures, my visual arts practice takes me all around the USA and México where I dig and find tracks to compliment my growing collection. Each set I create is a reflection of my travels and unique perspective on the world. Each mix is a mirror of a certain time and place curated especially for you, dear listener.
Listen to some of my vinyl selections here, SUBSCRIBE to my Mixcloud page, or catch me spinning in Austin, TX.
Primarily focusing on Afro-Latin rhythms and cumbia stylings from around the Global South, this mix is meant for you to get up and move your body. Have a load of laundry and a house to clean? Have friends over to celebrate the delicious 80-degree weather? Tune in and turn this one up! It’s been a journey the last couple of months to find joy in mixing music again after transitioning away from my DJ crew, but the love for the medium continues to be in my heart & soul. I hope you enjoy this mix as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you. Abrazotes de Austin & thanks for listening!
Enjoy an all vinyl mix originally created for Chulita Vinyl Club's Soundcloud June 2021.
With rest & reverence at its core. With reverence for the ingenuity of musical traditions past & present, I share with you my never-ending amazement at the way melodies, instruments & vocalizations migrate from one part of the world to the other, interlacing into infinite adaptations. Let these unique cultural expressions softly entangle themselves in your mind to create new portals for adventure. As summer approaches, take a pause to listen & indulge in the warmth of the sun—the same sun that warms us all.
For more info about Chulita Vinyl Club & to find so many wonderful sounds selected by our collective of DJs standing true in our belief that el disco es cultura--visit www.chulitavinylclub.com.
The wildflowers are poppin’ and Madre Tierra is showing off here in Central Tejas. Enjoy an all vinyl mix of guitar twangs, country western warbling and the searching sound of the pedal steel—all perfect songs to sing along to while you take the back roads to find that perfect picnic spot this spring. Let this new season’s transition teach you more about who you are, who you were, and who you hope to be.
IMAGE: From the pages of John Lidstone’s "Working Big: A teachers guide to environmental sculpture" 1975.
Enjoy an all vinyl mix to get your nalgas moving to the polls! Hit play as you drive, ride, bike or walk your way towards activating great change for a brighter future. Whether you are voting for a less-than-perfect candidate to lead our country or placing a ballot for local propositions to improve your city or state’s infrastructure, it’s important to take responsibility for shaping our shared society. I vote for myself, my family and my elders that are no longer with us. I vote for a future with clean air & water for many generations to come. I vote for racial & immigrant justice. I vote for reproductive justice. I vote because I believe the future of our country depends on us working together to choose the best representation for all people. Join me in continuing to fight for our democracy and enjoy this mix as a little musical encouragement. When we vote, we demonstrate our collective power. Lead with love today & everyday, amigxs!
Created especially for Marfa Public Radio's BORDER BEATS & BABES show on MAY 8, 2020
As an invited babe in residence, I put together an hour long a collection of songs that have been my studio soundtrack for an upcoming exhibition at the Galveston Arts Center. The exhibit’s title is ROOTED BY INVISIBLE MEANS and I hope these sounds will ground you—like they have me—in a place of optimistic resiliency. All my Patreon supporters have the link for the downloadable version.
Thank you to host Gabriela Carballo for inviting me to take over the wheels of steel for an hour of good tunes, good tunes, good tunes.
An all vinyl mix of cumbia from around the Americas. Cumbia is the easy rhythm that even after a long day of work you can still move your hips to, it’s the beat that gets your nalgas moving through the hustle and bustle of the day, it’s a sound with deep African roots that we have come to cherish. All my Patreon supporters have the link for the downloadable version.
IMAGE: Detail of the album cover of Toby Muñoz’s “La Parranda en Panama”