Banda El Recodo

Banda Sinaloense el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizárraga, often referred to as Banda el Recodo is one of the best-known Mexican banda groups. Since its founding in 1938, it has been under the direction of the Lizárraga family. Banda el Recodo has performed with such popular artists as Juan Gabriel and Vicente Fernández. The ensemble consists of four clarinets, three trumpets, a tambora, a tarola, a tuba (Sousaphone style), three trombones, and three singers. Banda el Recodo was founded by Don Cruz Lizárraga from Sinaloa, Mexico. Although he had to drop out of high school to work, Lizárraga was an excellent bandleader and musician. Self-taught on the clarinet, he was forced to sell one of his hogs to pay for his new musical instrument. Once he moved to Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Lizarraga signed a deal with RCA Victor and soon formed Banda el Recodo. Since his death in 1995, Lizarraga's son has taken over the group and undertaken extensive international tours. Today, Banda el Recodo continues to be one of the most famous and most popular Mexican folk music bands of all time