Meanwhile, the Chronicle naturally puts an Austin angle on the story: Monterrey is "just" seven hours by bus from Austin; a singer whose connection to Piña isn't explained has spent the summer in Austin recording; Austin's own eclectic cumbia collective Grupo Fantasma and dub act Echobase are collaborating with Toy Hernández and have plans to play in Monterrey soon. I don't know whether this really means much; we've heard about the Next Big Thing coming from Mexico via Austin for years.
But Grupo Fantasma is great and a listen to their self-titled release may make you agree that cumbia makes other latin styles popular north of the border sound sterile in comparison (e.g., salsa). I hear that Grupo Fantasma has a benefit show coming up to raise funds for their Monterrey trip. So if writing about an Austin-Monterrey axis might help make it happen, more power to the Chronicle.
Article comments
1 - Jeanne
how do we get vhs videos of Cumbia Sobre el Rio and El Tren?
2 - MARTHA
i love celso pina