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Abstract
This project explores the rearticulation of identity between Mexican musical heritage and jazz as a global phenomenon. It investigates overlooked historical ties—particularly the influence of the 8th Cavalry Mexican Military Band in New Orleans—to challenge dominant narratives and construct a decolonial counterpoint that highlights inclusion, hybridity, and cultural resonance. Through historical research, composition, and personal reflection, the project integrates traditional Mexican music into a global jazz framework. It also brings to light the impact of Mexican figures such as Juventino Rosas, Florencio Ramos, and Lorenzo Tio on early jazz development. These insights inform a series of original compositions that engage in dialogue between past and present, tradition and transformation. The work further explores intersections between Mexican traditions and global jazz, drawing from cumbia, canto cardenche, bolero, and son huasteco. Rooted in artistic introspection, the project reclaims space for marginalized musical identities. It challenges vertical cultural dynamics and proposes a bilateral relationship of mutual influence. Devenir emerges as both a personal journey and a creative proposal for cultural diplomacy—redrawing sonic cartographies where memory, migration, and belonging converge.
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Campus
Boston Campus
Recommended Citation
Villanueva, Alan. “Devenir: Sounds Across Borderlines.” Master's thesis, Berklee College of Music, 2025. https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-global-jazz/195.