By ANGEL ROMERO

The most popular Mexican music in the United States is mariachi, norteño and pop. However, Mexico has many other rich traditions, including son. Sones de México,  based in Chicago, specializes in the venerable son tradition. Within Mexican son there are several regional styles and the band performs several of these variations.

Sones de México uses primarily stringed instruments, such as vihuela, guitar, fiddle, guitarrón and harp. In total, the band uses up to 50 acoustic instruments that are common in Mexican regional music.

Although the majority of the dynamic and melodic pieces are sones, one of the songs that has attracted more attention is a cheerful norteño version of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is your Land," sung in Spanish and English, with new lyrics added in the Spanish version. "We have also lived through an going national debate over immigration in the United States that has affected many of our friends, family and fans. This project is dedicated to them," says the band.

Another satisfying surprise in the album is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, played with a combination of classical and Mexican instruments.