The Monday Morning Brew #109

Listen to our latest Monday Morning Brew playlist ft Mexico’s César y su Jardín. Plus, our latest Off the Shelf guest is Mark Fry known for the psych-folk classic, Dreaming with Alice (1972)

Amsterdam (1979) - Credit: Fortepan / Vészi Ágnes

By total chance, I recently stumbled across Mexico’s César y su Jardín, and while their debut album, Corre y suelta a los perros (released in May), may be finding favour with listeners in Mexico, it’s probably, judging by how very little I’ve read, been flying under the radar elsewhere. The band are from the vibrant, musically rich city of Xalapa, Veracruz, and this debut offering is far more than a typical first effort; it's incredibly ambitious, delivering a fusion of sounds from regional folk music, such as Son Jarocho, blended with the more familiar elements of Brazilian bossa nova and samba-jazz. César Croda's distinctive vocals and theatrical presence, along with the colourful instrumentation and great performances from guest vocalists like Cocotito de Melón, all make this one pretty unforgettable.

This debut not only showcases César y su Jardín's remarkable talent for reinterpreting Veracruz's rich folklore but also demonstrates their daring experimental spirit. It’s a true gem, worthy of far greater recognition. For that reason, a track from the album opens and closes this week’s Monday Morning Brew Playlist. In between, you can hear all the music we’ve been waxing lyrical about over the past week - 25 tracks in total, clocking in at 1 hour and 50 minutes. All of last week’s articles are listed at the end of this post.

Below, alongside the playlist listen links, you can also read our recent Mark Fry feature. Best known for his loosely conceptual 1972 psychedelic folk classic Dreaming with Alice, Normandy-based English singer-songwriter and painter Mark Fry is our latest ‘Off the Shelf’ guest. His new album, ‘Not on the Radar’, is out now on Second Language.

Enjoy