“The University of New Mexico Press returns with another stunning songbook, this one focusing on the musical traditions of Mexico’s Costa Chica and Costa Grande region.”—¡Ask a Mexican!
“The largest and most comprehensive anthology of corridos from the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. [¡Corrido!] is an invaluable contribution to Mexican music scholarship and a welcome reminder that this form of balladry has flourished in many different regions and not only in those that are closer to the US-Mexico border.”—Ethnomusicology Review
“Given the fine overall quality, rich and well-chosen documentation, and splendid insights . . . it’s not only Latin Americanists who might want to become acquainted with McDowell’s work, but all students of traditional narrative song.”—Journal of American Folklore
“This sensitive analysis of the ballad tradition of Mexico’s Costa Chica speaks of McDowell’s deep humanity. Rarely have corridos been treated with such delicate insight into the human struggle and drama to reveal the complexity of life in communities in the grip of endemic violence.”—Helena Simonett, editor of The Accordion in the Americas: Klezmer, Polka, Tango, Zydeco, and More!
“This thrilling repertoire makes ¡Corrido! a brilliant complement to John H. McDowell’s Poetry and Violence and a must-have volume for scholars of folklore, ethnomusicology, and literature. Field observations and musical scores animate each song, while lucid commentaries and references underscore the author’s unrivaled knowledge of the rich ballad tradition in Mexico’s western coast.”—Ana Cara, Oberlin College
