Los Angeles based band Las Cafeteras seamlessly fuses traditional Afro-Mexican music with modern rhythms and lyrically rich storytelling to create a new truly urban sound that can only come from the Chicano culture of east L.A.

The group’s sound is rooted in the son jarocho of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. A regional folk style that evolved on the West Coast of Mexico, it is a sound that represents a fusion between Spanish, African, and indigenous musical elements. Highly rhythmic, the primary harmonic instrument is called the jarana. From the same instrument family, the requinto, which looks similar to a ukulele, is plucked with a cow horn pick. Las Cafateras round out their son jarocho instrumentation with the percussive plucked-key box bass called the maimbol, and scraped donkey jaw-bone called a quijada, as well as percussive dance. While the root of the Las Cafateras sound is essentially deep folk music, their take on it is distinctly urban and American, with a showmanship and lyrical bent that is all their own.

Noted for their infectious live performances, they have already crossed many genre and musical borders, playing with bands such as Mexican icons Caifanes, Lila Downs, Colombian superstar Juanes, Los Angeles legends Ozomatli, folk/indie favorites Edward Sharpe, the Magnetic Zeros, and most recently, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

This show has limited seating. Dance floor is open!