Los Nahuatlatos
San Antonio, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2010
Music
Press
CORPUS CHRISTI — Ditch the synthetic beats of electronic dance music and tap into some regional rhythms on Sunday at Dr. Rockit's Blues Bar.
Headlining band Rook brings the finest upbeat and up-tempo grooves Austin has to offer while San Antonio's Los Nahuatlatos bridge the gap between Latin roots and coastal rhythms.
Coining the term 'skajunto,'Los Nahuatlatos prides itself on mixing traditional elements of South Texas Latin music with hints of modern edge. The group's name refers to children from South Texas tribes who were taken by Spanish conquistadors, forced to learn Spanish and then returned to South Texas as translators. The moniker is fitting since band members define themselves as a hybrid of cultural music.
Mixing Conjunto beats with hip-hop attitude all under traditional instrumentation, Los Nahuatlatos began three years ago with band members hailing from Del Rio, Lubbock, Monterrey, and San Antonio. Having covered both sides of the border's regional bases, band members mix their musical upbringings in a renegade approach to traditional music.
"Each of the members comes from different musical backgrounds and a few of the guys are working on their music degrees," said Nicolas Valdez, the band's accordion player. "I started playing traditional accordion when I was nine and it was out of a sense of pride for my family. In multigenerational Latino communities, the kids are influenced not only by pop culture but by the music of their parents and grandparents."
Tapping into the collective experience of being Latino in Texas, Los Nahuatlatos hope to spread their sound through the state one city at a time.
"We're trying to build a larger relationship with audiences in Texas as we are all sharing a sense of pride in our struggle as Latinos in the South. Culture is based on our roots and sound is roots, and we're building off the experiences of our ancestors," Valdez said.
Pulling elements from traditional regional music, Valdez expands on the perks of being a crossover genre band.
"We connect to multiple generations through our sound and the types of shows we play are more diverse because of that," Valdez added. "Our sound is overall more palpable because we're trying to fuse so many things."Catch Los Nahuatlatos and Rook on Sunday and don't be afraid to boogie.
"We definitely started off as a dance band and if people start moving to the music, there's a reciprocation in the live performance," Valdez said. "The culture of Latinos in South Texas is always evolving and this is the next version of that."
If You Go
What: Rook and Los Nahuatlatos
Where: Dr. Rockit’s Blues Bar, 709 N. Chaparral St.
When: 10 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $7
Information: 884-7634 - By Julie Arredondo / Special to the caller times
CORPUS CHRISTI — Ditch the synthetic beats of electronic dance music and tap into some regional rhythms on Sunday at Dr. Rockit's Blues Bar.
Headlining band Rook brings the finest upbeat and up-tempo grooves Austin has to offer while San Antonio's Los Nahuatlatos bridge the gap between Latin roots and coastal rhythms.
Coining the term 'skajunto,'Los Nahuatlatos prides itself on mixing traditional elements of South Texas Latin music with hints of modern edge. The group's name refers to children from South Texas tribes who were taken by Spanish conquistadors, forced to learn Spanish and then returned to South Texas as translators. The moniker is fitting since band members define themselves as a hybrid of cultural music.
Mixing Conjunto beats with hip-hop attitude all under traditional instrumentation, Los Nahuatlatos began three years ago with band members hailing from Del Rio, Lubbock, Monterrey, and San Antonio. Having covered both sides of the border's regional bases, band members mix their musical upbringings in a renegade approach to traditional music.
"Each of the members comes from different musical backgrounds and a few of the guys are working on their music degrees," said Nicolas Valdez, the band's accordion player. "I started playing traditional accordion when I was nine and it was out of a sense of pride for my family. In multigenerational Latino communities, the kids are influenced not only by pop culture but by the music of their parents and grandparents."
Tapping into the collective experience of being Latino in Texas, Los Nahuatlatos hope to spread their sound through the state one city at a time.
"We're trying to build a larger relationship with audiences in Texas as we are all sharing a sense of pride in our struggle as Latinos in the South. Culture is based on our roots and sound is roots, and we're building off the experiences of our ancestors," Valdez said.
Pulling elements from traditional regional music, Valdez expands on the perks of being a crossover genre band.
"We connect to multiple generations through our sound and the types of shows we play are more diverse because of that," Valdez added. "Our sound is overall more palpable because we're trying to fuse so many things."Catch Los Nahuatlatos and Rook on Sunday and don't be afraid to boogie.
"We definitely started off as a dance band and if people start moving to the music, there's a reciprocation in the live performance," Valdez said. "The culture of Latinos in South Texas is always evolving and this is the next version of that."
If You Go
What: Rook and Los Nahuatlatos
Where: Dr. Rockit’s Blues Bar, 709 N. Chaparral St.
When: 10 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $7
Information: 884-7634 - By Julie Arredondo / Special to the caller times
Los Nahuatlatos sprang from an ancient seed.
Formerly known as Xemilla (a Nahuatl-ified spelling of the Spanish word for “seed”), the sharp-dressed young rock group last October shucked its repertoire, added an MC/rapper and honed its political “activist Latino dance band” ambitions.
They sing original songs such as “Empujame” (a salsa reworking of Salt-N-Pepa's “Push It”) and the call-to-arms Chicano anthem, “Bronze Armada.” Visually appealing, they made their debut last year at a Dia de Los Muertos show with faces painted like skull masks.
Los Nahuatlatos return to Saluté Friday night at 10.
Their Aztec influences aren't just for show or the byproduct of Mexica 101. Founders Joaquin Abrego and Cuauhutli Reyna were raised in Del Rio. Their mothers were Chicana activists heavily influenced by Aztec history and the traditional views of Mexica (pronounced me-shi-ca) lifestyle and religion.
Abrego was raised as a Danzante, a ceremonial Aztec dancer
“Everybody in the band is very close to their indigenous side,” said Abrego, singer, drummer and percussionist. “Some of our songs we speak Nahuatl Aztec.”
Rounding out the group are American Indian guitarist Pablo Mancia, MC Itzli and standup bassist Carlos de La Garza. Reyna sings and plays guitar.
Los Nahuatlatos translates roughly to “the interpreters.” But they're hardly stuffy about it.
“We want to make 'em dance,” said Abrego. “We take that indigenous side and put fun, danceable good-time music to it.”
The band didn't really tour much in its first year of existence. But the members did make their own fun: The Taco Tour. They had the novel idea of playing taquerias around town as a trio with guitar, maracas and congas.
“We would just sort of pass the hat around when we were done,” Abrego said. “And that was pretty fun.”
Los Nahuatlatos have a four-track demo but hope to have a full-fledged album by early next year. Fans have coined the term “Texi-cumbia” to describe the hip-hop infused rock and norteño sound.
“People seem to really like what we do because it's energetic,” Abrego added.
“I wouldn't say it's so eclectic. We're trying to combine traditional rhythms with Chicanismo. We're, like, the musical Chicanos, fusing (modern) stuff but at the same time keeping it close to our roots.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/Latin-Notes-Los-Nahuatlatos-keep-musical-695221.php#ixzz28BBIZO1g - By Hector Saldaña - San Antonio Express News
Los Nahuatlatos sprang from an ancient seed.
Formerly known as Xemilla (a Nahuatl-ified spelling of the Spanish word for “seed”), the sharp-dressed young rock group last October shucked its repertoire, added an MC/rapper and honed its political “activist Latino dance band” ambitions.
They sing original songs such as “Empujame” (a salsa reworking of Salt-N-Pepa's “Push It”) and the call-to-arms Chicano anthem, “Bronze Armada.” Visually appealing, they made their debut last year at a Dia de Los Muertos show with faces painted like skull masks.
Los Nahuatlatos return to Saluté Friday night at 10.
Their Aztec influences aren't just for show or the byproduct of Mexica 101. Founders Joaquin Abrego and Cuauhutli Reyna were raised in Del Rio. Their mothers were Chicana activists heavily influenced by Aztec history and the traditional views of Mexica (pronounced me-shi-ca) lifestyle and religion.
Abrego was raised as a Danzante, a ceremonial Aztec dancer
“Everybody in the band is very close to their indigenous side,” said Abrego, singer, drummer and percussionist. “Some of our songs we speak Nahuatl Aztec.”
Rounding out the group are American Indian guitarist Pablo Mancia, MC Itzli and standup bassist Carlos de La Garza. Reyna sings and plays guitar.
Los Nahuatlatos translates roughly to “the interpreters.” But they're hardly stuffy about it.
“We want to make 'em dance,” said Abrego. “We take that indigenous side and put fun, danceable good-time music to it.”
The band didn't really tour much in its first year of existence. But the members did make their own fun: The Taco Tour. They had the novel idea of playing taquerias around town as a trio with guitar, maracas and congas.
“We would just sort of pass the hat around when we were done,” Abrego said. “And that was pretty fun.”
Los Nahuatlatos have a four-track demo but hope to have a full-fledged album by early next year. Fans have coined the term “Texi-cumbia” to describe the hip-hop infused rock and norteño sound.
“People seem to really like what we do because it's energetic,” Abrego added.
“I wouldn't say it's so eclectic. We're trying to combine traditional rhythms with Chicanismo. We're, like, the musical Chicanos, fusing (modern) stuff but at the same time keeping it close to our roots.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/Latin-Notes-Los-Nahuatlatos-keep-musical-695221.php#ixzz28BBIZO1g - By Hector Saldaña - San Antonio Express News
Discography
Recordings from Public Hi Fi (Demo)
Live at seaworld (demo)
Coming Soon :
Tierra Sin Fin (Full Album)
Photos
Bio
La Biografia de Los Nahuatlatos
Formed of the sacred tierra on both sides of the South Texas/Mexico border, Los Nahuatlatos are composed of musicians with traditional, yet modern sensibilities. While some band members are trained in classical folkloric music and dance, others are self-taught and immersed in contemporary expressionism. As individuals with distinct musical backgrounds, theyve come together to create a sound reflective of frontersmo music that reflects both the conflict and harmony of the ni de aqu, n de alla experience. Thriving on the contradictions of the borderlands, los Nahuatlatos are at once rural and urban, rascuache and urbane.
Los Nahuatlatos loosely translates to the interpreters, as it was a term used incorrectly by Spanish Conquistadores to refer to various speakers of indigenous languages. Socially and historically conscious, the group invokes past and current struggles while striving to advance their cultura and promote discourse. The bands sound straddles many musical genres, incorporating elements of cumbia, salsa, conjunto, jazz, ska, surfer rock and hip hop, while maintaining the cultural integrity of their influences.
The result of this mix is a live show that brings both the young and young at heart to their feet. As a matter of fact, one of the goals of the band is to inspire the audience to movethey love nothing more than tapping into peoples primal need to dance, together, to the music. Many of bands members have theater and dance backgrounds that only add to the performative aspect of their live shows. In addition, it deserves to be mentioned that Los Nahuatlatos have a distinctively sexy visual appeal that is reminiscent of old-school pachucsmo.
While their cultural and musical landscapes are the soul of Los Nahuatlatos, it is the unity of the band members, with bonds going back to early childhood in some cases, that is the heart of the band. When it is all said and done, true friendship and love for each other serve as the catalyst that stokes their musics fire and when they light up the stage they burn bright and fierce. Tloque Nahuaque!
Band Members
Links