Chuy Negrete - Historian, musician, composer, playwright, organizer, activist
Chuy Negrete discusses his music and the politics that inspire him and plays several songs. Negrete explains that he got his musical start in church as a young boy in Chicago and then came to Chicano music through other genres, such as rock and roll, blues and big band. He was also involved in Latino student groups and the farm workers movement. For several years, he directed a Chicano theater group, for which he often provided the music. It was there that he started developing his theatrical musical style. Chuy provides an example of Chicano art in the Chicago context.
Negrete explains that folklore is often one of the most utilized elements of the culture of marginalized groups. As such he wants to use music as a way to raise people’s consciousness by simultaneously entertaining and politicizing his audience. He wants his music to affect people on an emotional level.
Negrete explains that he would like to analyze corridos to uncover what they reveal about the Mexican American experience and how they are used to contest the dominant culture. Fregoso concludes that his music evokes the common experience of all Mexican Americans. Throughout this episode, Negrete performs several of his songs that deal with such themes as immigration, migrant life, and imperialism.
KEYWORDS
ActivismActivist Art
Alex Ramirez
Big Band
Blues
Bracero Program
California
Chicago
Chicano Music
Chicano Theatre
Chile
Church
Chuy Negrete
Comedy
Consciousness Raising
Corridos
Cuban music
Farm Workers
Folklore
Hippies
Imperialism
Joe Cuba
John D. Rockefeller
Latin American Student Organizations
Latin Music
Midwest
Migrant workers
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Minnesota
Musicians
NACS
National Association of Chicano Studies
Pilsen
Plays
Political Music
Politics
Rock and Roll
Teatro Campesino
Victor Jara
Wisconsin