Cuarteto Coculense - The Very First Recorded Mariachis: 1908-1909

In 1908, three American phonograph companies, Columbia, Victor, and Edison, recorded the Cuarteto Coculense in Mexico City using the acoustic process-that is, the musicians played and sang directly into a horn without electrical amplification. Even using this simple technique, the recordings captured the very essence and joy of mariachi music in Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century. Liner notes include translations of all lyrics, as well as a history of mariachi that explains the historical context.