NEW MUSIC GENRE MIXING SOMBREROS WITH SYNTHS

NEW MUSIC GENRE MIXING SOMBREROS WITH SYNTHS

TIJUANA, Mex. (Wireless Flash) -- Talk about "living la vida loca": the first new music genre of the new millennium is a combination of sombreros and synthesizers. It's called "Nor-Tec" and it mixes Mexican "norteno" music with synthesizers into what Nor-Tec pioneer Pepe Mogt claims is a "rebirth" of Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. Mogt and fellow musician Jorge Ruiz stumbled onto the new sound after visiting several Tijuana bars last May to sample mariachi-style accordions, snare drums and tubas on their keyboards. The duo added a dance beat and the resulting "Baja blend" has been quickly catching on with trendoids on both sides of the border. There are now at least seven "Nor-Tec" bands performing and recording in spots from Los Angeles to Mexico City, where the style is becoming popular in dance clubs. The very first Nor-Tec sampler is scheduled to be in March.