Lazo Cienfuegos was in Weehawken, New Jersey to Ernesto and Sarah Lazo; Cuban immigrants that fled Fidel Castro’s tyranny in the midst of 1970. Living mostly throughout North Hollywood, California Lazo became obsessed with becoming a singer at the tender age of 7 after listening to The Police’s, “Every Breath You Takeâ€. Lazo would soon find it difficult to pursue singing due to his families’ financial situation and gypsy style of living. The Lazo household would move from city to city, state to state in search for work, mainly construction and in factories in order to make mends meet. At the age of 17 he purchased his first electric guitar, a Yamaha and a Marshall 10†combo amp from a friend. By then he had focused more on being a guitarist than a singer, even though nothing would come from his playing. Lazo focused mainly on art and design all throughout high school and college but never leaving his dream of becoming a singer and songwriter one day.
After graduation, hard-hitting life disillusions, deceptions and problems with the law -due to his quick temper, he picked up the little belongings he had and moved to Puerto Rico in late 1999. Lazo lived a recluse life in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He focused his attention on writing music and poetry; at the same time falling in love with Spanish music. Puerto Rico had music, culture and inspiration that once again set his childhood dreams and priority in full –his singing and songwriting. He left Puerto Rico with his aspirations and determination back to his native California in 2001; a couple of days before the tragic September 11th New York City Twin Towers World Trade Center terrorist attack.
On September 11th of the year 2004 at Sound Arena Rehearsal Studios in Reseda, California Lazo met Raudel Orozco through a mutual friend and that same day began to make their own foot steps into history as YNEZ. Creating music that focuses on everyday life’s experience, desires and contradictions without adding a category or compromising their unique style of playing and writing. Later they would add Daniel Kauffman and Jason “Kiké†Hogen, Raudel’s long time friends, to the powerhouse known as YNEZ. Creating a band with bonds thicker than blood and personalities that are as explosive as dynamite.
Lazo, as all his friends call him, due to the uniqueness of his last name, decided to give himself a new last name. A last name that would distinguish his nationality, capture his true essence as a writer, as a performer, his controversial thinking and separating him from his troubling past. On February 6th 2006 the name Cienfuegos was born. Cienfuegos in English means, “One hundred firesâ€, from one of Cuba’s infamous rebel fighter Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán who fought right along Fidel Castro and Che Guevera during the Cuban revolution against Batista; adding more controversy to his persona, though, not sharing the same beliefs that forced his family’s exile from Cuba.
“I am too free-spirited to follow rules, idealisms, religion, politics and authority. Just ask any of my friends. I am positive they will agree and elaborate more in depth of my attitudeâ€
-Lazo Cienfuegos
