Young mariachi group from Chicago coming to Fox Tucson

When you think of mariachi music, chances are the Windy City doesn’t register as a hotbed for the quintessential Mexican genre.

But one of the hottest young mariachi hails not from the Southwest or Mexico — but from Chicago.

The 14-member Mariachi Herencia de México, which is bringing its “La Nueva Generacion Tour” to Fox Tucson Theatre on Wednesday, April 30, was formed in 2016 by César Maldonado, a former member of the non-profit Mariachi Heritage Foundation that promotes mariachi education in Chicago public schools. Nearly 22% of Chicago’s population has Mexican origins.

In the southern neighborhoods of Chicago, especially in the Latino communities, “you’re going to see a huge mariachi scene,” said Marco A Villela, Herencia de México’s musical director. “There are dozens and dozens of groups that are currently active.”

But none, arguably, has had Mariachi Herencia de México’s success.

The ensemble, comprised of 13 men and one woman ranging in age from 18-32, has released five albums, all of which topped the Latin streaming charts, and earned two Latin Grammy nominations. They’ve also toured nationally and are considering international touring, said Villela.

The ensemble is taking “La Nueva Generacion Tour” to 100 cities from coast to coast and is “looking to expand to other continents,” including Europe and South America, as well as Canada and Mexico, Villela said.

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Wednesday’s Fox concert is the group’s first in Tucson and follows the 43rd annual Tucson International Mariachi Conference running through Sunday, April 27.

The ensemble has drawn critical acclaim for its musical virtuosity and ability to connect with audiences. Its goal is to stay true to mariachi’s Mexican roots while expanding its reach to younger, multicultural audiences.

“We dabble in a lot of fusion, especially nowadays. This next album that we’re releasing is, I don’t want to say purely, but most of it is fusion with other Latino musical styles,” said the 21-year-old Villela, who joined the ensemble when he was 12 and it was part of the Chicago Public Schools system.

“We’re doing mariachi with salsa, mariachi with bossa nova, mariachi with Latin jazz. And it’s just something to kind of promote mariachi in other areas as well as to ... keep this tradition alive, keep it fresh. We like to play in a lot of styles to just keep it fresh all the time. That’s our goal.”

In addition to mining songs from the depths of the mariachi canon — “Gallo de Oro,” “Bésame Mucho,” “Así Son Los Hombres” among them — the group, donning elaborate charro costumes and playing traditional instruments from the guitarrón, trumpets, guitars and violins, is known to slip in a medley from the Disney film “Coco,” country classics “Crazy” and “Orange Blossom Special” and ranchero and pop songs from the late tejano/pop singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, aka Selena.

Wednesday’s audience also can anticipate a spirited performance of Blas Galindo’s folk song “El Son de la Negra,” largely considered the “second national anthem of Mexico.”

The group is set to take the stage at Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $20-$55 through foxtucson.com.