This Ain't No Mariachi Music

On Sunday Alejandro and I returned to the Zocalo, the main plaza in downtown Mexico City.  A large stage had been set up in front of the National Palace, and free concerts were scheduled for each day until the Day of the Dead.

We arrived in the late afternoon, just in time for the day's musical events.  It was not going to be anything typically Mexican.  Today's concert was called "From New Orleans to the Zocalo", and was going to feature jazz, blues, and swing.

A group of dancers and musicians kicked off the event by parading across the plaza to "When the Saints Come Marching In".

Several groups played throughout the afternoon and into the night.  One group was called "Las Swing Sisters", and it was hard to believe that I was here in the heart of Mexico City listening to the Big Band Music of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.

  

The next group was called "Swing Mexico Jazz Band".  Their vocalist was a lady from Ireland, and she sang old standards such as "Paper Moon".

By the end of their set it was beginning to rain lightly, so Alejandro and I went to get some supper.  We went to a little place near the plaza called "La Parroquia de Veracruz".  It is a branch of a very famous café in the city of Veracruz.  It is famous for its "café lechero"...  strong coffee served with steamed milk in a glass.  The waiters make a big production of serving it with a kettle in each hand... one filled with coffee and another filled with milk.

If you want a refill, you tap your spoon against your glass.

By the time we were done with supper, the rain had stopped.  We walked back to the plaza.

Another group was performing.  Their music definitely sounded like rock, not jazz.  The next and final group was called the Big Blues Band.  It was made up of blues musicians from all over Mexico who joined together especially for this concert.