Northwest Folklife Festival
After zapoteco artist Fulgencio Lazo arrived in Seattle, his artistic integrity and dedication to culture and community attracted a large circle of artists and other friends. Among Ful’s passions was giving traditional fiestas. One friend–Bill Clifford aka Memo–noticed that the music cassettes that Ful played during these fiestas were losing fidelity. Although the music was strange it was also compelling and played on standard band instruments. Memo suggested that, if Ful could bring him arrangements of this music, he would convene musicians to play it live in Seattle.
In 2003, La Banda Gozona’s first attempt at playing the sones y jarabes of Oaxaca was an instant success here and in Oaxaca. Their presentations encouraged Oaxacan dancers in Seattle to form Grupo Cultural Oaxaqueño. Since that first presentation, they have given hundreds of performances around Washington and as far as Texas and Oaxaca. The band plays many styles in the banda repertoire (sones y jarabes, cumbias, danzones, chilenas, etc.) while the dancers offer the distinctive dances of the seven regions of Oaxaca.
Most importantly we have supported each other in building a community.
