PHOTO BY JOSH HARRISON
The New Golden Age of Latin Music is being created right here in the United States. The Mexican-American communities of Arizona and California have emerged as hotbeds of musical creativity, merging styles that reflect the changing borders and shared cultural identities between Mexico and the United States. Orkesta Mendoza and Las Cafeteras are two of today’s most exciting bands, forging inspired new paths for the fabled Latin sound.
The infectious indie-mambo band Orkesta Mendoza mixes a multitude of Latin styles like cumbia, merengue, and ranchera through a psychedelic mambo and post-punk prism, creating a truly one-of-a-kind sound. Alternative Chicano band Las Cafeteras recreates traditional Afro-Caribbean Son Jarocho music in a wildly vibrant style, accompanied by jarana and requinto guitars, a donkey jawbone, and a tarima—a wooden platform for dancing!
