Episode Details

Dear Play Listers,

It was the late 1990s when mariachi Enrique Blanco first visited Indianapolis. Javier Amezcua, the owner of the famous Mexican restaurant El Sol de Tala, who died in 2015, used to bring Mariachi Sol Jalisciense from his hometown in Jalisco, Mexico, to create an authentic atmosphere at his eastside Indianapolis restaurant.

The mariachi group fell in love with Indy. They stayed. The rest is history. You’ve likely seen them playing your favorite Mexican songs during Day of the Dead celebrations. Perhaps you’ve seen them during halftime at a sporting event or at a mass honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and ahead of ArcFest on Oct. 3, where Mariachi Sol Jaliscience will perform as part of the Play List stage, we spoke with the founder of the group.

What instruments do you play?

I play the vihuela and the guitarrón, and ...

… and you sing, too?

A little bit, yes.

What is the most impressive thing you’ve seen over the years?

Well, the number of Hispanic people living here. I remember when we first arrived, there wasn't even a place to get a haircut. We had to go around looking for someone to cut our hair. Now, you can find someone to cut your hair just about anywhere.

What is your schedule like during Hispanic Heritage Month? What does a typical day look like for you?

Well, right now we usually start playing early; we have a contract with a hotel chain. We play for the housekeeping staff — we create a festive atmosphere for them.

What do you like most about living in Indianapolis?

The people. Plus, it’s a very quiet city, different from other cities. I lived in Seattle — that’s a faster-paced city. Indianapolis is very nice.

It’s hard working so many nights and staying out so late.

It’s difficult in every sense. It takes a toll on your body. You get tired. Sometimes you don’t sleep, or you have to get up very early, so physically, it’s exhausting. And regarding family, they don’t have you around the way they would with a standard job. In our line of work, in the music business, you can get a call at any moment, and you have to head out right then and there, no matter the time.

It’s like being a priest.

Exactly.

Read the full interview and hear Enrique sing a little here. 

Get more Indianapolis arts and culture coverage at MirrorIndy.org/Arts.

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