Son Jarocho
Son jarocho is a rich traditional style from southern Veracruz, Mexico a city port that has been the getaway to Mexico and Latin America since the sixteenth century. It has its roots on Spanish secular music from the Colonial period and an ethnic mixture of Afro-Caribbean and Mexican Indian elements.

The rhythms are fast with a generous amount of improvisation in both music and lyrics. The sones are usually performed with  eight-string jarana, four-string guitarra de son, harp, zapateado (footwork) and percussion instruments.

Thanks to the work and dedication of musicians, scholars and the community, son jarocho experienced a resurgence of popularity in the early 1980s after years in disuse. Nowadays, the fandango jarocho is celebrated not only in the Sotavento region of Veracruz but also in some parts of Mexico and the United States. 

Fandango
The fandango happens around a wooden dance platform known as tarima. It involves musicians, dancers, and the community in general, who gather to sing and dance sones jarochos. The word fandango is derived from the African dialect of Mandinga and means party or celebration. 

Sones in a fandango are divided in two main groups:

• Sones de Monton: for women only.
• Sones de Parejas: for male and female couples.