KZSM–'Musica con Ganas' is now on Sunday evenings

Your 'True Community Radio' station continues to celebrate the diversity and creativity of our city and our region with a new show in Spanish. “Musica con Ganas,” hosted by KZSM veteran “El Tío,” airs Sundays 8-9 p.m., immediately after the bilingual broadcast “Raices.” The show addresses a need for more Spanish-language programming here in our community where 40% of the population identifies as Hispanic.

“Musica con Ganas” features music from Mexico and beyond, celebrating the richness and variety of the culture. “The music speaks volumes about the culture,” El Tío explains.

“There’s such a variety because of all the different influences–the Cuban culture on the bolero, for example and Tex-Mex culture on the Tejano music and instruments that have been introduced like the German accordion–the foundation of Tejano music.”

El Tío’s playlist encompasses older and newer music as well as reflecting different influences. “A lot of the music that I’ll be playing is stuff my mother used to listen to, like Rondalla Tapatio.”

Rondallas traditionally are men’s choral groups accompanied only by stringed instruments. “I’m kind of enjoying the fact that I’m introducing people, even people my age, to music they’ve never heard.”

Newer music might also surprise listeners with artists like Linda Ronstadt who aren’t always identified as Spanish-speaking.

“Musica con Ganas” also features very contemporary groups like Ozo Matlí from Los Angeles. “They are also social activists; their music is a conglomeration of a lot of things–a little hip-hop, little funk , lots of soul, lots of Latin music, and even a rendition of one of the old bolero songs–all really new and energetic.”

Each show begins with a poem. “I’m not sure why,” El Tío admits, “but that’s something that a lot of people aren’t aware of.

This is part of our culture– not just the music, but the poetry, the literature.” He usually chooses poems from the rich tradition of literature in Spanish, but on a recent show local poet Carmen Rumbaut read from her original work.

“Música con Ganas” roughly translates to “music with feeling,” and many of El Tío’s songs express the emotional intensity of Mexican music. “You have to understand the culture,” he says. It sounds violent, like ‘signing my name in the blood of my heart.’ You don’t get that kind of passion and fire anywhere else, I don’t think.”