Forget your preconceived Mariachi notions from afternoons spent at El Torito: Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano is the real deal. Natividad (Nati) Cano, an accomplished musician and arranger who has led his band of nine of the best musicians from Mexico and the US for more than 40 years, will bring his professionalism and classical take on mariachi to the South Sound tonight at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, and to the Pantages Theater on Friday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m., in celebration of Mexican Independence Day.



Cano’s history echoes that of mariachi. Originally a mixture of musical styles combining European and indigenous elements, mariachi became the musical embodiment of the spirit of Mexican culture, seen in Mexico with a bit more reverence than in most of our Mexican restaurants.



Cano, a musician since his early years to help supplement his family’s income, began by strolling through café’s and cantinas in Mexico, then going on to formally train in music and travel. He mixed up his Mexican heritage by moving on to Mexicali and later, Los Angeles, where he founded Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano in 1961, going on to earn Grammy nominations and fame, gaining national recognition with work with Linda Ronstadt. The latter is even credited as gaining the group international touring work.



But the enduring strength of the work of Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano is the combination of European classical elements, like harp and classically stylistic violin and horns combined with the indigenous elements that originally marked the unique musical style, like the high-pitched, round-backed guitar called the vihuela and the guitarro n, which serves up the bass beat of the ensemble.



By combining energetic, culturally true elements with a smooth classical styling, Cano’s band reflects the “mestizo” (mixed) origins of Mariachi, in itself a mixed style of music.

After the Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano show happening Friday at Pantages, the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce will co-host a reception reaching out to the Hispanic community, keeping the Mexican-flavored energy, vitality and flavor going into the night.



[Washington Center, Thursday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., $14.75-$29.50, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia, 360.753.8585]

[Pantages Theater, Friday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m., $23-$45, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]