Saturday, June 17, 2023 | Doors open at 7:00 PM
Riverside Municipal Auditorium, 3485 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA 92501
Celebrating the first anniversary of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum, two Grammy® Award-winning East Los Angeles groups La Santa Cecilia and Quetzal combine efforts to present Music From Below: Quetzal together with La Santa Cecilia.
As two of the most important groups to emerge from the Chicanx community, Quetzal and La Santa Cecilia are uniquely positioned to present this night of songs and multimedia history highlighting important, yet under-recognized, contributions of Chicanx musicians and songwriters in the landscape of popular music and social justice movements.
This historic concert and collaboration promises to offer stories and songs past and present that originated along and across imaginary and physical borders. The diverse repertoire represents and spans the history of US/Mexico relations, featuring important compositions from artists such as Don Tosti, Lalo Guerrero, Lydia Mendoza, Los Lobos, Alice Bag, and Las Hermanas Herrera, to name a few. Sponsors include Altura Credit Union, Bank of America and US Bank.
Concert tickets start at $32 and proceeds benefit The Cheech.
QUETZAL is a relentlessly innovative Grammy® Award-winning ensemble that narrates the social, cultural and political stories of humanity. The band’s influences have been described as Chicano rock, rhythm and blues, JB funk, Cuban batá, punk, and Motown soul. Dr. Alex Chavez states that the band “has worked to fight forms of oppression in the communities“ to which they are connected, “and in pursuit of forging these creative and political bridges, you hear artists who are at the epicenter of the transnational world of Son Jarocho.” Quetzal’s live shows are filled with moments of tenderness, fervor and vivid storytelling that transport the audience into a world of affirmation and belonging. For 30 years, they have graced stages across the US, Canada, Asia and Mexico. Recognized by notable institutions such as the Library of Congress and The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit “American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music” featured Quetzal as leaders and innovators of Chicano music. Founded by Quetzal Flores, current members also include Martha Gonzalez, Tylana Enomoto, Juan Perez, Quincy McCrary, and Alberto Lopez. Listen to Quetzal’s music on Spotify.
LA SANTA CECILIA exemplifies the modern-day creative hybrid in an era and city in which Latin culture has given birth to many musical fusions. A recipient of a Latin GRAMMY and a Grammy® Award, La Santa Cecilia draws inspiration from all over the world, utilizing Pan-American rhythms including cumbia, bossa nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz and klezmer music. Their unique sounds and the experience of their colorful, passionate performances captivates both loyal fans and new listeners. Named after the patron saint of music, La Santa Cecilia is composed of accordionist and requinto player Jose “Pepe” Carlos, bassist Alex Bendaña, percussionist Miguel “Oso” Ramirez, and vocalist La Marisoul whose haunting voice accentuates the band’s sound, delivering messages of love, loss, and everyday struggles. Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, the band has become the voice of a new bicultural generation in the United States, fully immersed in modern music, but always close to their Latin American influences and Mexican heritage. Their eighth album titled Cuatro Copas, Bohemia en la Finca Altozano (Four Drinks, Bohemia at the Altozano Estate) was released in 2023. Listen to La Santa Cecilia on Spotify.
Thank you to our benefit concert sponsors:
