iZCALLi

Let’s put it bluntly here- Izcalli is the freshest thing to happen in Denver’s indie rock scene in the last two years. I’ve been working on my Spanish lately, and the group’s new record Izcalli III is now to going to be on repeat in my car while I memorize the lyrics and jam to the album’s Latin-tinged Alt-rock riffage.

Showcasing some of the scene’s strongest lead guitar work and hard hitting power chord-heavy chorus hooks, Izcalli has with this release stamped their style hard into Denver’s musical patchwork. I even pulled out some ska-punk influence on the track “esa forma de vivir,” which as all who know me know, is right up my alley. This album is one of Denver’s best in recent memory. - Colorado Music Buzz

Nearly nine years earlier, Denver-based Izcalli was focusing efforts on acoustically-centered ballads. However, with last month’s release of III, the band’s third full-length album, it is clear that Izcalli has found its stride in high energy, Spanish rock and roll. The fast-paced album draws clearly from a number of influences across the board, though the unique touch of the trio builds a sound of its own. Front man Miguel Avina creates his own musical persona through a dynamic, powerful charisma, leading the charge through waves of ska (“Esa Forma De Vivir”), frenzied alternative (“Me Dejas Mal”) and quick recollections of Zeppelin inspiration (the album title is no coincidence). Be on the watch for a newfound wave of Latin rock momentum, including Izcalli’s work with RETI (Rock En Tu Idioma), an organization directed towards “propagating Spanish music in the US.” - Scene Magazine

Luigi Ramirez’s dad rolls up in a van with flames painted on the hood, and two little kids — Luigi’s brother and sister — get out and start hauling drum stands to the tent. Luigi, skinny and dressed in black, lugs the kick. A pudgy dude in khaki shorts inspects a gilt-framed landscape across the street. It’s the first day of a summer arts fest, it’s still light out, and it looks like it might rain.


Miguel Avina shows up looking like some kind of party shaman in animal-print stretch pants, white pointy shoes, a denim vest and an electric mop of glossy curls. “It’s harder to write than it used to be,” Avina reflects, heaving a speaker cabinet over a sinew of cable. “It can be kind of good when you’re all sad over a breakup or something, because the writing just pours out of you. I’m happily married now, so it’s harder.”

That might be one reason that Izcalli hasn’t put out a record in six years. But the main reason, says Avina, is because Izcalli is “a working band.”

Avina has operated under a blue-collar ethos since forming Izcalli ten years ago with an acoustic guitar and two hand percussionists. In that early setup, he focused on what he wanted to do, which was, first of all, rock; he jettisoned one hand drummer, put the other on a kit, recruited little sister Brenda Avina on bass and traded in the acoustic for a Les Paul. He also wanted to rock in his native Spanish, drawing not just on Latin sounds, but on hard-driving rhythms and dirty blues, and he applied a catch-all marketing strategy: Play for anyone, anywhere, anytime.

“Our fans are pretty diverse,” he says. “We went down to Texas to play SXSW, and we played the Colorado Music Party — mainly musicians and industry people from Colorado. It was an 18-to-24 crowd, hipsters, art folks, white — and they loved it. That same day, we walked like three miles down the road with all our gear — we actually pushed our gear down there — and played another bar, all American people, white, middle-aged, affluent, people drinking wine and margaritas. And they loved it. Then we hit up a place in Dallas and played for a crowd of Mexicans, and they loved it. We’ve played little kids’ parties — they go crazy.”

The breakneck pace, too, is basic Izcalli: not even Spinal Tap-rivaling drummer turnover (Ramirez replaced Mario Gonzalez as the band’s fourth drummer this past winter; next up: Princess Toadstool?) can slow this band down. “A month after I joined, we started recording,” recalls Ramirez. Previous drummers have had even less time. Brenda had a couple of weeks, and she didn’t even play bass before she joined.

In fact, on this day, a month before its planned release, Izcalli’s third record, III (in tribute to the band’s beloved Zeppelin), is not even done. “We thought it would motivate us,” Brenda says. “It’s a little stressful.” The rain’s letting up outside the tent, and Brenda, dressed in a floral jumpsuit and white jacket, is tuning up. The arts fest has cleared out. An amp hums over dripping rain.

Miguel fingers out a minor chord. Sometimes-violinist Josh Lee, who’s sitting in tonight, fiddles a few plaintive notes, and the beat — a heart-rate-tweaking four on the floor — drops hard beneath a melody as lonely and longing as the near-empty tent. The thin crowd starts to clap. The rain starts up again. The show goes on. - The Westword

El campo de acción del rock nacional no se limita a los límites geográficos de la república mexicana. Aunque menos visibles, existen propuestas musicales que desde países como Estados Unidos buscan destacar y hacer resonancia pese a las limitantes del idioma y desenvolverse en una suerte de aislamiento cultural.

Desde del interregno musical de la ciudad de Denver, Colorado, la banda mexicana iZCALLi ha logrado llamar la atención de la comunidad latina gracias a la calidad de un sonido pulido a lo largo de 9 años de trabajo. Letras en español,coros en ingles y un rock poderoso con riffs poderosos de guitarra eléctrica son algunas características del trío integrado por los hermanos Miguel y Brenda Aviña y el baterista Víctor Jiménez.

La banda toma el nombre de la palabra náhuatl iZCALLi, que significa “renacimiento” o “casa de renacimiento”, y que también tiene referencias principales para Miguel (guitarra y voz) y su hermana y Brenda (bajo), ya que remite al suburbio metropolitano de Izcalli Pirámide, Estado de México, lugar donde los Aviña nacieron.

iZCALLi se formó en 2006 y cuenta ya con dos discos de producción independiente: “Pintas en pasteles” (2007) y “Despiértame” (2009), que se caracterizan por una combinación entre temas acústicos y eléctricos en el que destaca el talento y potencia de Miguel Aviña en la guitarra. Actualmente, la banda se encuentra en el proceso de grabación de un nuevo material titulado simplemente “3”.

Al respecto de este material, Miguel Aviña declaró al sitio Vivacolorado.com lo siguiente: “[En 3] tomamos elementos de los dos primeros discos y lo llevamos al siguiente nivel. Va a ser un disco un poco más potente, con una cumbia-rock que quedó fuera de “Pintas en pasteles” y solamente una balada, si es que decidimos incluirla”.

El talento y profesionalismo de iZCALLi dentro del circuito musical de Denver les ha llevado a ganar una buena cantidad de seguidores y la confianza de los promotores musicales para abrir los conciertos de figuras de primerísima línea. A la fecha, iZCALLi ha alternado con bandas del calibre de Molotov, Jaguares, Julieta Venegas y Lucybell por mencionar a algunos.

Desde su trinchera, iZCALLi pone muy en alto la vena cultural mexicana y la tradición musical del rock mexicano en Estados Unidos, que afortunadamente y gracias a los medios electrónicos, son cada vez más visibles. - Resonancia Magazine

Cuando iZCALLi abra el concierto de Elefante este viernes en Fusion Live, será la 22ª vez que este trío local de rock en español comparta escenario con una banda de primer nivel.

"Hemos tenido suerte, pero también el mérito de habernos creado las oportunidades", dijo Miguel Aviña, guitarra y voz de iZCALLi, el grupo bautizado con la palabra náhuatl que significa "renacimiento" o "casa de renacimiento", y que también indica el lugar donde nacieron Miguel (de 28 años) y su hermana y bajista del trío, Brenda (25): Izcalli Pirámide, una colonia en Tlanelpantla, en el estado de México. Además, el nombre tiene un significado especial para la banda.

"Definitivamente resultó ser una palabra que se alinea con nuestra misión, que es ser parte de una ola de 'renacimiento' en el ámbito del rock en español no sólo en EEUU sino en el mundo", dijo Aviña. "Suena algo ambicioso, pero a veces es lo que se necesita para lograr hacer tan siquiera un poco de ruido".

Esa ambición fue la que, en 2006 y con apenas tres meses de vida, iZCALLi consiguió su primera gran oportunidad. En ocasión de la visita de la cantautora española Bebe, Aviña se puso en contacto con los promotores para abrir el show - todo resultó más fácil de lo que esperaba.

"Fue de película", recordó Aviña. "Toqué la puerta de los promotores, nos pasaron a una sala y nos preguntaron si traíamos un demo. Una muchacha puso una canción por 10 segundos y dijo, 'OK, ustedes son perfectos. Lleguen a tal hora a cargar el equipo'".

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Lo que siguió fue una seguidilla de conciertos abriendo shows de Gloria Trevi, Molotov, Jaguares, Hombres G, Enanitos Verdes, Julieta Venegas y hasta el rockero clásico Leon Russell.

Estos conciertos aceitaron la maquinaria de iZCALLi y les permitió grabar dos discos: "Pintas en pasteles" (2007) y "Despiértame" (2009), una combinación de temas acústicos y eléctricos con sensibilidad pop pero lo suficientemente potentes como para agradar a los rockeros de hueso colorado. El nuevo disco, tentativamente llamado 3, está en etapa de mezcla y el trío quiere lanzarlo antes del invierno.

"[En 3] tomamos elementos de los dos primeros discos y lo llevamos al siguiente nivel", explicó Aviña. "Va a ser un disco un poco más potente, con una cumbia-rock que quedó fuera de "Pintas en pasteles" y solamente una balada, si es que decidimos incluirla".

Más allá del honor de abrir para bandas importantes, a veces se topan con artistas poco agradables.
"Hemos tenido bonitas experiencias y también de las otras", dijo Aviña. "Cada situación es distinta. A veces depende del músico que te toque abrir y a veces de su manager o del club".

Aviña destaca a la banda chilena Lucybell y a Bebe entre sus buenas experiencias.

"Claudio Valenzuela [cantante y guitarrista de Lucybell] siempre tuvo buenísima onda con nosotros", dijo Aviña. "Una vez le mostré 'Pintas en pasteles' y le pregunté si creía que alguna disquera podría interesarse, y me dijo: 'No te preocupes por eso; ahorita [en la era digital] tienes el poder de controlar la dirección de tu música. Nomás échale ganas'. Y tenía razón".

Cuando finalmente iZCALLi abrió para Lucybell, Valenzuela dejó su camerino para ir a saludar al trío de Denver.

Bebe, la autora de "Malo", también se portó muy bien con iZCALLi, algo aún más loable si consideramos que en 2006 la española estaba pasando por su mejor momento, y un año antes había sido la artista más nominada al Grammy Latino.

"Con Bebe fue una fiesta, hombre", recordó Aviña. "Ella tría una bola de gente, entre amigos, roadies y familiares, pero siempre tuvo buena vibra para nosotros y fue muy cordial. Nunca se comportó como una estrella".

El trio pop mexicano Reik fue otra cosa, pues ni los saludaron ni les dieron la oportunidad de agradecerles por abrir su concierto.

"Y eso es un ritual mío: cada vez que nos dan la oportunidad de abrir a una banda, yo hago el esfuerzo de dar las gracias, pero los de Reik tuvieron bien mala onda con nosotros" agregó.

Pero iZCALLi (integrado por los hermanos Miguel y Brenda Aviña (guitarra/voz y bajo) y Víctor Jiménez (batería y percusiones) está lejos de conformarse con el honor de abrir para nombres ilustres.

"Para nosotros esto ha sido una experiencia de aprendizaje, no el triunfo total", dijo Miguel. "Hasta que no toquemos en un lugar de 1.000 personas que vayan a ver a iZCALLi, no sentiré que estamos avanzando", sostuvo. - Viva Colorado

Miguel Aviña grew up in Mexico City with the music of Blink-182 and Jaguares. He didn’t speak English back then. “I had no idea what I was listening to,” he said. Music is its own language, he thought, so the language barrier was quickly broken. Since then, he’s turned the idea into something both tangible and creative, a thought now embodied in his band, Izcalli, which he founded in 2005 in Denver. He’s the lead singer and guitarist, usually flanked on stage by his younger sister and bassist Brenda Aviña and drummer Mario Gonzalez.

Six years after its founding, Izcalli is in the midst of pre-production for their third full-length album, which has yet to be named and may be released in the summer of 2013.

Brenda Aviña, 24, said the album is missing about three songs. “We have a total of seven songs that we know are set, but sometimes we tweak them a little or keep working on them,” she said. The musical composition falls on the shoulders of all three musicians, but the lyrics are Miguel Aviña’s trademark.

“We are really excited about it,” Miguel Aviña, 27, said. “The band has continued to evolve in its sound, and we have established a very particular kind of sound.”

Their production approach for their third album represents a shift from their previous two albums. Their first LP, titled “Pintas en Pasteles,” came out in 2007, and their follow up “Despiertame” was released two years later. Both albums were independently recorded in their father’s studio in Aurora, MAR Records. This time around, Miguel and Brenda Aviña’s guitar, vocals and bass will be recorded at their father’s and Miguel’s small personal studio, while the drums will be recorded in a professional studio.

“That’s the only thing that we saw as a concern,” Brenda Aviña said about the recordings, referring to the drums. “Other than that, it works at the home studio just fine.”

While the band’s music has always contained Spanish lyrics, the appeal for a typical Denver audience is that the band, like many of its listeners, is bilingual. They are just as comfortable playing for an English-speaking audience as they are for an all Spanish-speaking audience, although either of those scenarios are highly unlikely in Colorado. It’s usually a fluid mix of both.

“It’s pretty interesting that we play in Spanish in our American shows,” Miguel Aviña said. “I try to read the audience; if I see Americans, first or second generation, or Anglos, that’s who I try to talk to.” Of course this doesn’t discourage many people, just like listening to Blink-182 as a child didn’t discourage him. “I have people come up to me and literally say, ‘I really love your music, and I wish I could understand what you’re saying.’”

Performing alongside some of the pioneers of the rock en Español scene has kept them humble, and it’s given them opportunities to seek out feedback and the occasional conversation. Like the time Miguel Aviña spoke to Jaguares’ leader Saul Hernandez. “I have never been star-struck with them, I see them as peers, but at the same time, what makes it so special is that they don’t have to tell me everything,” Miguel Aviña said. Brenda Aviña remembers playing a set in Utah, opening up for Hombres G. As she played on stage she spotted the band members, watching them intently. Following their show, the band complimented them. “That was the most memorable for me,” she said. “To learn that from them, they are great musicians.”

The band will continue working on material through the end of the year. Their latest gig is on Saturday at the Tap N’ Handle in Fort Collins, with a $5 cover charge. - La Voz

"The band's tunes are so purely rock n roll..." - ucdadvocate.com

"As far as original Spanish rock in the Denver area goes, these guys are among the best." Don Bain (La Voz Denver)
- La Voz

"Izcalli is rock, funk and classic rock ala Rolling Stones with a bite..." Tom Walsh (interstatelive.com) - interstatelive.com

“Valgo Por Dos” emerges, the horn seems to play to an empty, dusty square before people emerge to send the song’s notes into a frenzy." -Kim Owens (Kaffeinebuzz.com) - kaffeinebuzz.com

"Izcalli now combines power pop, crunchy rock and an unabashed love of classic rock to form an aggressive-yet-graceful brand of rock-n-roll that is best blasted out of an American convertible as it races through the desert." -Eryc Eyl (Heyreverb.com) - Heyreverb.com

"(Miguel Aviña) A Mexican musician who plays rock a la Led Zeppelin and not Santana." -Rowena Alegria - Viva Colorado (The Denver Post)

"The sister and brother band from Denver generally open for larger Latin rock bands that come to town. (Julieta) Venegas played to a packed crowed of a few hundred people...and they (iZCALLi) helped to get it all started" -Manuel Martinez /Viva Colorado

- Viva Colorado (The Denver Post)

"Despiertame is driving rock and aggression" -Jeff Otte The Westword - Westword (Denver)

The new record is a clear diversion from Pintas. For one thing, it rocks a lot harder. Where Pintas is mostly ballads and lovelorn pining — a result of the songs having been written for acoustic guitar — Despiertame is driving rock and aggression -Jef Otte - Westword