The Central American nation of Guatemala is a land of cultural convergences. The modern day descendents of the ancient Maya share the countryside with Ladinos (Guatemalans who associate themselves with the Spaniards who conquered and settled this land back in the 16th century). In addition, Guatemalans of African ancestry have settled the country's Caribbean coastal region. Accordingly, Guatemalan music is a unique intermixture of Mayan, Spanish, and African aesthetic sensibilities.
The ethnomusicologist Jacques Jangoux, who traveled to Guatemala in 1964 in order to record this and the first volume of Music of Guatemala for Folkways Records, found Guatemalans of various backgrounds side by side and making music in the rural hinterland. Among some of the many standout tracks on this record is the first, which captures a pito (flute), chirimia (double-reed instrument of Spanish origin), and drum trio cranking out syncopated and shrill processional music. The African-originated marimba, which is the national instrument of Guatemala, is prominently featured in both secular and sacred contexts on the album.
Though Jangoux managed to record some incredible music, he may have conducted unethical fieldwork practices by surreptitiously recording "Old Woman Praying in a Church" and "Drunk Woman Singing at a Bar." Though it is possible that Jangoux asked these two women for their permission, his neglect to credit any performers by name on the album leads one to believe that he failed to approach his subjects. Despite this dilemma, Music of Guatemala, Vol. 2 is an album that captures many amazing performances. ~ John Vallier
