Various Artists / Waila!
Album: Waila!   Collection:World
Artist:Various Artists   Added:Apr 2008
Label:Canyon Records Production  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2008-04-27 Pull Date: 2008-06-29 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Jun 15 Jun 1 May 25 May 18 May 11 May 4
Airplays: 4 2 1 2 1 3

Recent Airplay
1. Jun 11, 2008: Brownian Motion
Pisinimo Chote - Chote
4. May 28, 2008: Brownian Motion
Agnes Polka
2. Jun 10, 2008: At the Cafe Bohemian
To-Hono Polka - "Far Away"
5. May 26, 2008: Emphysema For Emphasis
Pisinimo Chote - Chote
3. Jun 09, 2008: Emphysema For Emphasis
La Zapateada - Redova, Chen Wen Wen Chona - Polka, Hochude Waila - "Lizard Dance" Polka, Winston Polka - Polka, Pisinimo Chote - Chote, Buttermilk - Polka, Mesquite Polka, Cholla Polka, Soy Norteño, Agnes Polka, Lucila, Y Cantatumbas - "Tumblings"
6. May 20, 2008: At the Cafe Bohemian
Pisinimo Chote - Chote

Album Review
Your Imaginary Friend
Reviewed 2008-04-04
“Chicken Scratch”, or Waila music played by the native Americans inhabiting the borderlands southwest of Tucson, Arizona (formerly known as Papago, today as Tohono O’dom). Definitely not what you might envision, this sounds more like bent, slightly offtune upbeat polkas or waltzes. Borrowing from Mexican Norteno, Conjunto musics, as the Canyon press release points out below, it demonstrates well the heavy influence of German immigrants to Mexico in the 1800’s, bringing with them accordions and skillful beer crafting. This is party/dance music, the type of bands that play in the local dancehalls or weddings or other celebrations that go well into the night until the sun rises over Baboquivari Peak to the east.

(from Canyon Records)
Originally released in 1972, these are the legendary first two recordings of waila, the energetic social dance music of the Native American peoples of the southern Arizona desert. Also referred to as "chicken scratch", the vibrant melodies of saxophone, accordion, and electric guitar glide across the solid backbeat of bass and drums performing polkas, schottisches, and mazurkas. This newly remastered collection brings together classic recordings of this musical hybrid rooted in the contacts between European immigrants and the Tohono O'odham peoples.

Tracks: the first 4 tracks are heavier, slower with more backbeat. The middle ones are your more typical great chicken scratch. The last six have a more 50’s, traditional feel. Track names are often descriptive, e.g. “polka”. They are apt (2-step). A chote or mazurka is heavy twisted waltz (that I am very partial to). Try these, in order of my preference: 15, 3, 14, 6, 18

Track Listing
 ArtistTrack Name
1. El Conjunto Murrietta La Sanja - "The Ditch"
2. El Conjunto Murrietta El Caballito Bronco - "Little Wild Pony"
3. El Conjunto Murrietta Y Cantatumbas - "Tumblings"
4. El Conjunto Murrietta Lucila
5. Mike Enis And Company Agnes Polka
6. Mike Enis And Company Soy Norteño
7. Mike Enis And Company Cholla Polka
8. Mike Enis And Company Mesquite Polka
9. Mike Enis And Company Enis Special
10. Mike Enis And Company O'dam-Cho - Two-Step
11. Mike Enis And Company To-Hono Polka - "Far Away"
12. Los Papagos Molinas Engo Mieto - Polka
13. Los Papagos Molinas Tohono Chote - Chote
14. Los Papagos Molinas Buttermilk - Polka
15. Los Papagos Molinas Pisinimo Chote - Chote
16. Los Papagos Molinas Winston Polka - Polka
17. Los Papagos Molinas Hochude Waila - "Lizard Dance" Polka
18. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes Chen Wen Wen Chona - Polka
19. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes La Zapateada - Redova
20. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes Ester - Polka
21. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes La Pipla - Chote
22. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes El Gallo - Guaracha
23. Elvin Kelly Y Los Reyes Ojos Peludo - Polka