Grammy award-winning contemporary Latin band La Santa Cecilia presents a high-octane show featuring tunes from all their albums at Meow Wolf on May 10.
Based in Los Angeles, La Santa Cecilia burst into the scene in 2011 with the release of their debut album “Noche y Citas.” They’ve been earning accolades for their work ever since.
“The band formed when Marisoul (lead singer) and I talked about starting a band together,” explains La Santa Cecilia’s percussionist Miguel ‘Oso’ Ramirez.
“She knew Jose ‘Pepe’ Carlos (accordionist and requinto player), and I brought in Alex Bendana (bassist). All of us had been playing around Los Angeles in different bands for a while.”
Influenced by many different genres of music, including cumbia, reggae, soul, tango and klezmer, La Santa Cecilia has found its own way to shine by sharing songs about love, loss and everyday struggles with their audiences.
“We all had Mexican upbringings, but we’re also all-American,” says Ramirez. “Blending different musical styles is natural for us. We grew up listening to all kinds of music on the radio.”
La Santa Cecilia’s 2014 Grammy-winning album “Treinta Dias,” which won an award for the Best Latin Rock Album, Alternative or Urban, represented a turning point in the band’s career. Following the award, the group presented a video of their song “Someday New” at a LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) luncheon in New York attended by First Lady Michelle Obama.
The band’s music hit the big screen when their song “Tu Vida Es Un Escenario” was recorded for the award-winning film “Cantinflas.” The musicians also collaborated with two-time Grammy winner Gustavo Santaolalla on “The Apology Song” for the animated film “The Book of Life” by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.
One of the highlights of 2015 was an appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, where they played their single “I Wont’ Cry For You.”
In January 2017 La Santa Cecilia produced a visual album of traditional Mexican and Latin American music titled “Amar y Vivir.” The 12-song set was recorded live in five days in the streets, bars and parks of Mexico City.
“Our music is really energetic,” says Ramirez. “Audience members are going to jump, scream, cry and laugh during the concert.”
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