Born in the streets of Los Angeles, Las Cafeteras are children of immigrants who are remixing roots music and telling modern-day stories. They have taken the music scene by storm with their infectious live performances, fusing spoken word and folk music with traditional Son Jarocho and zapateado dancing.
The band started out as students of the Eastside Café, a Zapatista-inspired community cultural space in El Sereno, Los Angeles, where they were influenced by the culture, storytelling, and poetic music of Son Jarocho, a traditional music from Veracruz, Mexico. Los cafeteros means ‘the coffee makers’ in Spanish. However, to honor women and challenge masculine language, they feminized their group name, calling themselves Las Cafeteras.
Las Cafeteras’ music speaks to Chicanos and all people, referencing the Civil Rights Movement, United Farm Workers, DREAM Act, immigration and topics that affect people’s lives. Their song, “La Bamba Rebelde,” is a remake of the traditional Mexican song from the state of Veracruz “La Bamba.” They see their music as a tool for creating positive change and inspiring others to do so.
Las Cafeteras honors the past by using electrifying traditional instrumentation like the eight- string Jarana, four-string Requinto, Quijada (donkey jawbone) and Tarima (a wooden platform). Las Cafeteras sing in five distinct languages, English, Spanish, Spanglish, Love and Justice, and they believe everyone understands at least one of those languages! Their vibrant music fuses their unique East LA sound with a community-focused political message.Their Afro-Mexican rhythms, dance & inspiring lyrics tell stories of a community looking for love and fighting for justice in the colorful concrete jungle of Los Angeles. We are excited for Las Cafeteras’ debut at SNWMF.
Discography
Live at Mucho Wednesdays (2009)
It’s Time (2012)
Tastes Like L.A. (2017)
