Let's Write a Song about FOOD | Artist: Jim Rojas | Song: "Provecho (Comida Mexicana)"

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My guest today on the show is the extraordinary bassist and songwriter, Jim Rojas. 

Today’s show topic is FOOD! - everyone's favorite topic.

Jim's single, “Provecho” is a fun tune that highlights the marvelous cuisine of Mexico.  I’m sure you’re gonna find this one engaging, satirical and lighthearted.  In Mexican culture, before starting a meal, it's common to say "provecho". It conveys the heartfelt wish that the meal will be enjoyable and beneficial for the person partaking in it.  It's a way of saying, “I hope you enjoy your meal”.  Much like saying …“Bon Appetite!” 

Jimmy’s had some fun on this one, combining great music, with top-notch musicians; mixing it all with his love for the food he grew up eating with his love for crafting great songs.  You’ll find a blend of diverse Mexican elements woven into the production along with satirical lyrics and yes, folks... there are real mariachi strings used on this track - helping to bring the authenticity home.  

Listen to "Provecho" on  Spotify
Discover Jim's full album on Spotify 

Featuring: 

Jimmy Branley on drums; Ricky "Z" Zahariades on guitars; Justo Almario on soprano and tenor saxophones, clarinet and flute; Gabriel Gonzalez - Lead Vocals; 

Songwriters: Jim Rojas, Joey Arreguin, Karina Vargas

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Host: Lisa M. Arreguin @ LivingCrazybrave.com
Recorded @ LoveandLaughterMusicGroup.com

Podcast Music: Joey Arreguin
Engineering & Sound Design: Trevor King

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Host: Lisa M Arreguin @ LivingCrazybrave.com
Recorded @ LoveandLaughterMusicGroup.com
Podcast Music: Joey Arreguin

Episode Transcript

Lisa Arreguin (00:00):
You are listening to the Crazy Brave Songwriter
podcast.
This is a podcast about themagic of making music one song
at a time.
My name is Lisa M.
Arreguin.
I'm happy to be your host fortoday.
Today's show topic is food,everyone's and anyone's favorite
topic.
My guest today on the show isextraordinary bassist and

(00:23):
songwriter Jim Rojas.
Jimmy's newest single Provechois a fun tune that highlights
the marvelous cuisine of Mexico.
I'm sure you're going to findthis one engaging, satirical,
and lighthearted.
In Mexican culture, beforestarting a meal, it's common to
say provecho.
It conveys the heartfelt wishthat the The meal won't be not

(00:46):
only enjoyable, but alsobeneficial for the person
partaking in it.
It's a way ofsaying, " I hope you enjoy your meal" or "Bon Appiteite!"
Jimmy's had some fun on thisone, combining great music with
top-notch players, mixing it allwith his love for the food he
grew up eating and his love forcrafting great songs.

(01:07):
There are three writers on thissong, Jim Rojas, Joey Arreguin,
and Karina Vargas, eachbringing their best to the
project.
You'll find a blend of diverseMexican elements woven into the
production, along with satiricallyrics and yes, folks...
there are real mariachistrings used, helping to bring

(01:27):
the authenticity home.
Several great players gracetheir talent on this cut,
including Mr.
Jimmy Branley, Cuban drummerextraordinaire, who has played
for the likes of Celia Cruz,John Patitucci, Pancho Sanchez,
and others, and Ricky Z onguitars, who's played with Josh
Groban, Steven Tyler, JessicaSimpson, Don Grusin, Lauryn

(01:49):
Hill, and so many more.
One of my favorite lyrics inthe song, if you were to say it
in English, is, "Oh, if you onlyknow how to eat tacos, you've
missed the best" So if you areso inclined, listen to
Provencho, played in itsentirety after the interview.
Grab some great Mexican foodwherever you can.

(02:10):
And all I can say about thatis, "Buen Provencho.!" And don't
forget to visit Jimmy's Lyricsby checking out Jimmy's music in
the links below.

Testing (02:22):
Check one, two, check one, two.
Testing, testing.

Jim Rojas (02:29):
It's a humorous song.
I've heard many, many Cuban orPuerto Rican composers write
songs about their food.
And being a Mexican, I'mprejudiced because I think
Mexican food's the best foodthere is on the planet.

(02:51):
And so as a joke, I was kind ofpoking fun at the Cuban Puerto
Rican penchant for writing aboutfood and they make whole
compositions about food.
And I said, sorry guys, ourfood is better and here's a song
that's going to talk about it.
And we got Karina Vargas towrite the lyrics and her husband

(03:16):
is a Mexican food caterer.
So she had more than enoughmaterial to draw from and
listening to it, you get hungry.
But it's basically making funof or poking fun at some of our
Latin brothers and sisters andtheir cuisine and talking about
how their food is so good andI'm saying well you gotta try

(03:41):
this and that and that otherthing and see if you can compare
the flavor and so it's a jokeit's not serious because I've
had really good Cuban food andI've had really good Brazilian
food (I didn't make fun ofBrazil) but I thought Brazilian
food was incredibly good but Ialways revert back to my roots

(04:07):
and how i was raised and thefrijoles and the arroz and all
that sort of stuff and and ibuilt up a tolerance for hotter
and hotter chile salsa so that'sbasically the motivation behind
it and adding all of the otherelements the mariachi strings

(04:27):
and all that was was amazing.
That was really fun.
That was kind of unexpected,but that was incredible.

Lisa Arreguin (04:37):
This is Lisa again, and I want to take this
moment to applaud the team atloveandlaughtermusicgroup.com, a
safe and knowledgeable spot formusicians who wish to learn
more about writing songs andrecording great music.
This episode is a product oflivingcrazybrave.com, another
hub where musicians cancultivate new awareness about

(04:57):
what it takes to honor thesacred art of making honest
music.

Jim Rojas (05:02):
Well, it was amazing that, once again, we got a Cuban
drummer, Jimmy Brantley, aPuerto Rican percussionist.
Jimmy Brantley just, you know,out of his amazingly creative
mind, really captured whatneeded to be played on that

(05:23):
particular track.
And he brought his expertise.
And once again, created kind ofa hybrid rhythmic thing.
This is a Mexican huapango,which is a 6'8 meter.
The Latin musicians have noproblem with that at all,

(05:44):
because it's a very Africanthing, and you're talking about
Afro-Cuban roots.
Because as I listen to thatsong, there is such a driving
force behind it rhythmically,and it's a lot of fun to just
listen to.
And Ricky Z, who played, Ibelieve he played the cuatro,

(06:04):
did an amazing job bringing theauthenticity.

Lisa Arreguin (06:14):
And here is the song Provecho, played in its
entirety.

A few song lyrics (06:26):
Hoy cantamos un guapango a los platillos
mexicanos Hechos del maíz ychile, el frijol y el arroz Hoy
cantamos un guapango a losplatillos mexicanos Hechos del
maíz y chile, el frijol y elarroz con respeto a los latinos,
los vecinos nacionales, hoy lespido su atención.

(06:52):
Ay, qué delicia mexicana, sucocina y botana.
A sauce soaked with avocado.

Lisa Arreguin (10:27):
The great Dolly Parton said, "if you see someone
without a smile, give themyours".
So I know I get serious on thispodcast and music can be quite
a serious thing, but sometimesyou need just to have a little
fun and let it all ride.
Let go and let the song tellyou what it wants and have a
good time doing your craft.