Chicago’s own Mexican folk music sextet, Sones de México Ensemble, will perform Saturday, July 16 at Bataan Park, 1220 N. 9th Ave, at 6pm as part of Comcast’s Viva Mexico! 2011 concert series. The event is free and open to the public (or very low cost in some instances) due to the sponsorship of Comcast. Additional funding is being provided by Volaris Airlines and the Illinois Arts Council, with support from the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago.

Sones de México Ensemble is a non-profit organization formed by a group of musicians and music educators in Chicago in 1994 to keep the tradi¬tion of Mexican “son” alive. “Son” is a large family of music and dance styles rooted in a blend of Indigenous Mexican, European and African influences. The group has toured 30 different U.S. states, released five albums, received two Grammy Nominations, represented the U.S. at the 2008 World Folksong Festival in Beijing, performed at Carnegie Hall, and taught educational programs to tens of thousands of children and adults everywhere it has traveled. For more information visit www.sonesdemexico.com. Or call 773-654-1537.