About Me
“The music of zocalozüe could only be created in a city such as Los Angeles. This is music with a foundation in Afro-Caribbean sounds, with strong references to Veracruz and Cuba, a confluence of tradition and innovation.â€
Betto Arcos
KPFK-90.7 FM
Los Angeles
Cesar Castro
(Lead Vocal, Jarana, Cavaquinho y Pandeiro)
began to study in Veracruz, Mexico with renowned harpist, Andres Alfonso through a music program my then middle school offered. When the program culminated, I kept studying with him because I loved the music, the instruments and the celebration of the Son Jarocho music ( the fandango). It was then, that I met different members of already formed Son Jarocho groups, like Mono Blanco and Zacamandu. I continued my studies with Gilberto Gutieterrez, Ramon Gutierrez, Andres Vega and others who were and still are deeply committed to passing on this tradition of music, song, dance, poetry and culture. While the tradition of becoming a good musician in the Son Jarocho genre requires one to learn not only to play one instrument, but to play almost all of them, to play jarana and learn zapateado (dance) , I focused on specializing on the Singing and playing all the traditional guitars, and have taught classes in all of these instruments including harp and percussion.
Along with playing the guitars of the Son Jarocho tradition, Cesar is also a LAUDERO, or craftsman of these specific guitars.
LINK: www.jarochelo.comRamon Yslas
( Percussion/drums. Exclusively plays: Meinl percussion, Sela cajons, Sabian cymbals, Promark drumsticks, Evans drumheads, DW drums, and we all drink Tu Taza cafe.)
aug.2007: finished the "Back to Basics" world tour with Christina Aguilera( 2 dvd's and grammy award winning recordings as well with christina).. He has also performed and recorded with Joan Sebastian, Stevie Wonder, Chris Isaak, Willie Nelson and Juan Gabriel, to name a few.
He is currently teaching music business and percussion at Pasadena City College.
LINK: www.yslas.comJuan Perez
(Upright Bass)
has performed with one of the most prestigious jarocho bands from Veracruz "Son de Madera" for 5 years, Quetzal and countless recording sessions throughout Southern California and Mexico.
Alexandro Hernandez
(Requinto Jarocho, Cuatro Puertorriqueño, Electric Guitar & Vocal)
a fronterizo from Del RÃo, Tejas. He is a graduate student of ethnomusicology at UCLA and performs in musical projects in both Los Angeles and Tejas.
LINK: Alex's myspace
