Robert Garfias was born in San Francisco in 1932, the child of Mexican-American parents. As a youngster he studied classical guitar and jazz saxophone. In high school he studied Western classical music composition, and he formed a jazz combo that played gigs for beatniks in the North Beach area of San Francisco, where he traveled in a circle of musicians that included Dave Brubeck, Vince Delgado, Vince Guaraldi, Harry Partch, and Bill Smith. During his career he founded the ethnomusicology program at the University of Washington; served as Dean of Arts at the University of California, Irvine, as a member of the Smithsonian Council, and as a presidential appointee to the U.S. National Council for the Arts; and conducted significant periods of fieldwork and language study in Japan, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Central America, Burma, Romania, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, and among Okinawans in the United States.
- Society for Ethnomusicology Newsletter (Vol. 7, No. 4, September 2013)
Recorded by Robert Garfias with Nagra III.
Contents: Tapes 1-8: Marimba music - Tape 1 Alberto Garcia Lopez(Tiple), Jesus Pineda Celaya(Segundo), Gregorio Flores Ordaz(Harmonia), Raul Lopez Orozco (Batteria); Tape 2 - musicians not identified; Tape 3 - musicians not identified); Tape 4 - Jose Bielma Gomez(Tiple), Mario Leyto Vasco (Segundo), Saul Caberra Romero (Harmonia), Eusebio Salinas Jimenez (Bajo); Tape 5 - same musicians as previous tape; Tape 6 - same musicians as previous tape; Tape 7 - same musicians as previous tape; Tape 8 - same musicians as previous tape.
Tapes 9-10 - Guitar music - Trio Pan Americano: Carlos Castillo Mendez (requinto), Jorse Alberto Sarchoz Patron (guitar), Omar Humberto Celicemartin (guitar).
Tapes 11-13 - Jarana music - Leader: Fernando Cardenas (instruments: electric piano, guiro, bass, tenor sax, alto clarinet, tympani)
Tape 14 - Harp music - Juan Mendoza.
Tapes 15-16 - Vals & bolero - Pociano Ramirez(Violin), Jesus Frausto(guitar), Miguel Romero(Bass)
Tapes 17-18 - Band music.
Tape 19 - Harp music - Juan Mendoza.
Tape 20 - Street sounds in Guanajuato, Leon.
Tape 21 - Band music.
Tape 22 - Guitar music - Jaire Agniul
Tape 23 - Master field recordings from Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, 1967?
Additional tape in collection titled "Guitar and Jarana Music" includes selections from tapes 10-13 (numbered 67-10.10-13 Dub); no work disc produced.
Original archive sheets dated July 2-3 1968.
Tapes 14, 15, and 19 (previously missing) were returned to the archives by Robert Garfias 04/02; Tape 23 added to collection 3/2014 (from Garfias basement collection)
Transmission Data: Digital files created 4/2010 - 67-10.1.wav through 67-10.1.wav (96 kHz, 24-bit); 22 work discs produced; 67-10.23.wav digitized 1/2014 (48 kHz, 24-bit) (no work disc produced)
Durations of Work Discs (WDs) (except Tape 23): Tape 1 - 12:46, Tape 2 - 12:16, Tape 3 - 13:03, Tape 4 - 13:58, Tape 5 - 15:39, Tape 6 - 15:37, Tape 7 - 15:26, Tape 8 - 14:33, Tape 9 - 13:35, Tape 10 - 5:58, Tape 11 - 12:21, Tape 12 - 11:00, Tape 13 - 7:10, Tape 14 - 10:50, Tape 15 - 12:52, Tape 16 - 12:15, Tape 17 - 14:19, Tape 18 - 0:25, Tape 19 - 8:11, Tape 20 - 8:03, Tape 21 - 8:08, Tape 22 - 8:23, Tape 23 - 15:24 (Total duration = 4:22:12)
Work Tape copies de-acquisitioned 4/2010 (19 reels (7 1/2 ips, 2 tr. stereo, 7")
Documentation: Photo-copies of tape boxes
Unrestricted: collection is open for research.
Marimba music recorded in Juchitan, Mexico.Performers:Tiple - Alberto Garcia LopezSegundo - Jesus Pineda CelayaHarmonia - Gregorio Floves OrdazBatteria - Raul Lopez Orozlo
Marimba music recorded in Juchitan, Mexico (Oaxaca).Note: performers not identified on original archive sheet.
Marimba music recorded in Juchitan, Mexico (Oaxaca).Note: performers not identified on original archive sheet.
Marimba music recorded at the home of Rujelio Garfias, Barrio San Juanico, Tehuantepec.Performers:Tiple - Jose Bielma Gomez (45)Segundo - Mario Leyto Vasco (45)Harmonia - Saul Caberra Romero (27)Bajo - Eusebio Salinas Jinenez (29)
Marimba music recorded at the home of Rujelio Garfias, Barrio San Juanico, Tehuantepec.Performers:Tiple - Jose Bielma Gomez (45)Segundo - Mario Leyto Vasco (45)Harmonica - Saul Caberra Romero (27)Bajo - Eusebio Salinas Jinenez (29)
Marimba music recorded at the home of Rujelio Garfias, Barrio San Juanico, Tehuantepec.Performers:Tiple - Jose Bielma Gomez (45)Segundo - Mario Leyto Vasco (45)Harmonica - Saul Caberra Romero (27)Bajo - Eusebio Salinas Jinenez (29)
Marimba music recorded at the home of Rujelio Garfias, Barrio San Juanico, Tehuantepec.Performers:Tiple - Jose Biel qua Gomez (45)Segundo - Mario Leyto Vasco (45)Harmonica - Saul Caberra Romero (27)Bajo - Eusebio Salinas Jinenez (29)
Marimba music recorded at the home of Rujelio Garfias, Barrio San Juanico, Tehuantepec.Performers:Tiple - Jose Biel qua Gomez (45)Segundo - Mario Leyto Vasco (45)Harmonica - Saul Caberra Romero (27)Bajo - Eusebio Salinas Jinenez (29)
Guitar music recorded at the Hotel Montejo Merida, Yucatan.Trio Pan Americano:Requinto - Carlos Castillo Mendez (30)Guitar - Jorse Alberto Sar[n?]choz Patron (26)Guitar - Omar Humberto Celicemartin (45)
Guitar music recorded at the Hotel Montejo Merida, Yucatan.Trio Pan Americano:Requinto - Carlos Castillo Mendez (30)Guitar - Jorse Alberto Sar[n?]choz Patron (26)Guitar - Omar Humberto Celicemartin (45)
Jarana music: Fernando Cardenas, leader.Instruments: electric piano, guiro, bass, tenor sax, alto clarinet, tympani.No location listed on original archive sheet.
Jarana music: Fernando Cardenas, leader. Instruments: electric piano, guiro, bass, tenor sax, alto clarinet, tympani.No location listed on original archive sheet.
Jarana music: Fernando Cardenas, leader. Instruments: electric piano, guiro, bass, tenor sax, alto clarinet, tympani.No location listed on original archive sheet.
Tape (OT) returned to the archives by Robert Garfias 4/02 (noted missing in 1984). Harp music by Juan Mendoza recorded in Leon, Guanajuato.Item #4 description on original archives sheet: "lists pieces popular during the times of Porfirio Diaz is 'Honor y Gloria'"
Tape (OT) returned to the archives by Robert Garfias 4/02 (noted missing in 1984). Vals music recorded in Guanajuato, Leon.Performers:Violin - Pociano Ramirez (52)Guitar - Jesus Frausto (45)Bass - Miguel Romero (45)5/02 - From tape box verso - "Trio Silao, Guanajuato". 2nd note on tape box verso - "original?" (looks like Garfias' writing)Note on original archive sheet: "Players were all born in Silao. According to these musicians there was a harpist in Silao whose name was Cruz Lira but since he hasn't been seen for some years they assured [sic] that he was dead. They think that Jose Perez may be alive."
Vals music recorded in Silao, Guanajuato, Leon.Performers:Violin - Pociano Ramirez (52)Guitar - Jesus Frausto (45)Bass - Miguel Romero (45)
Orchesta music recorded in Church of Laborio, Tehuantepec.Note: no performers listed on original archive sheet.Tape includes fragments of music and street-sounds.
Orchesta music recorded in Church of Laborio, Tehuantepec.Note: no performers listed on original archive sheet.
Tape (OT) returned to the archives by Robert Garfias 4/02 (noted missing in 1984).5/02 - pencilled in (on tape box verso) "Tierra Caliente."Harp music by Juan Mendoza.Recorded by Robert Garfias at 439 Calle Sollano, Leon, GuanajuatoNote on original archive sheet:"Juan Mendoza - born 1888 in a town near Lagos San Antonio, Jalisco. Learned harp: grandfather bought him a harp when he was 12, which was broken. Took three lessons from one of his uncles, self-taught. Also taught Jose Perez who lived (lives) in Irapuato, played in Jalisco in 1906. During times of Porfirio Diaz when he was paid often one contaro for each piece, later centaros, three centaros, but he complained that because the injury to his left hand he could only play a single melody and had to omit ornamentation and counter melody. Also complained that he had lost sensitivity in his fingers, left hand had been injured for some months when we recorded him. It caused him considerable pain to play, apparently a pinched nerve in his wrist. Has been blind for 74 years."
Sounds recorded by Robert Garfias in Leon, Guanajuato. Contents: Bells and street sounds from hotel Mexico at 7 pm (3:11); same at 7:15 am (2:01)
Recorded in Leon, Guanajuato [no date listed on original archive sheet].Instruments: 3 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 3 alto horns, 1 high tuba, 1 low tuba, snare drum, bass drum, cymbal.Ethnic Group (from original archive sheet): Banda delos hnos.
Recorded in Leon, GTO [Guanajuato?], in Hotel Mexico.Performer:Guitar - Jaire Agniul
Tape added to collection 3/2014.Typed note inserted in tape box:Master field recordings from Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, 1967? Lots of ambient noise. 1. Tehuantepec bugle corps; 2. Tehuantepec. Children's Song. (My nieces and nephews) Charming!? 3. Tehuantepec Banda El Torito. 4. Banda: La Petenera. 5. Saul Martinez: La Martiniana Cantina Jukebox. 6. Saul Martinez: La Petenera (runs out)