The Californer - L.A. Profundo: 30 Years of Redefining Chicano Rock

Trending...

California: Governor Newsom announces new tax credits that will generate $2.1 billion investment in world's 4th largest economy
New PSA Campaign to Address Black Maternal and Infant Mortality in Los Angeles County
EY US unveils Lance Watkins of Tenant Inc. as an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 Pacific Southwest Award finalist

The 30th anniversary of East LA's iconic Grammy Award winning & socially conscious Chicano rock group Quetzal

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of East LA Chicano rock group Quetzal with a free concert August 19, 2023 at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

Led by Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzalez, Quetzal is an ensemble of highly talented musicians which first joined forces thirty years ago for the goal of creating good music that tells the tale of their community; the social, cultural, political, and musical struggles of their community.

Born from the aftermath of 1990's Los Angeles, Quetzal has persistently challenged the music industry over the commerce of music. A Grammy-award winning artist in their own right, their collective discography reflects the legacy of music from which they are born while honoring the stories, ideologies and value systems of change-making. Deeper still, Quetzal has been collecting, honoring, and documenting peoples' struggles and triumphs with their songs and albums. Their lyric, their music, their engagement in Los Angeles is reflected in their energy and the sonic experiences we receive as audience members.

30th Anniversary Concert
Celebrate this uniquely Los Angeles band with a collaborative evening of musical performances and visuals that take the audience on a musical journey spanning 30 years and multiple genres. Quetzal's 30th anniversary at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes also includes art installations grounded in legacy. 'Altar Maestras' Ofelia Esparza & Rosana Esparza-Aherns will create an altar installation to further activate the holistic approach of the celebration and compliment Quetzal's musical catalogue as a whole.

More on The Californer

Community activism being at the root of Quetzal, the local arts community gives its love and appreciation back to Quetzal with special guest performances. The show will also engage the audience with video of the band across the years including time in Japan, Chiapas, Veracruz, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Most significantly' Quetzal remembers and honors their deep collaboration with renowned LA based artist Jose Ramirez on over 12 album covers.

About Quetzal: A relentlessly innovative Grammy award-winning ensemble that narrates the social, cultural and political stories of humanity. Describing the Quetzal's influences, Dr. Alex Chavez states, "You hear students of Chicano rock, rhythm and blues, JB funk, Cuban batá, punk, and Motown soul. You hear a band that has cut its teeth organizing, that has worked to fight forms of oppression in the communities they are connected to. And in pursuit of forging these creative and political bridges, you hear artists who are at the epicenter of the transnational world of son jarocho."

Quetzal's live shows are filled with moments of tenderness, fervor and vivid storytelling that transport the audience into a world of affirmation and belonging. They have graced stages across the US, Canada, Asia and Mexico for three decades. Recognized by notable institutions such as the Library of Congress and The Kennedy Center, the traveling exhibit "American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music" sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, featured Quetzal as leaders and innovators of Chicano music. This feat coupled with their Grammy Award winning album on Smithsonian Folkways label "Imaginaries" (2013) marks the importance of their past and ongoing work. The relevance of Quetzal's music and lyrics has been noted in a range of publications, from dissertations to scholarly books. As a testament to the body of music and community work Quetzal has accomplished on and off the stage, in the summer of 2017 Gonzalez's tarima (stomp box) and zapateado dance shoes were acquired by the National Museum of American History and are now on permanent display.

More on The Californer

Editors, please note:
Who: Quetzal 30th Anniversary Celebration
When: August 19, 2023
Where: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes - 501 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Cost: Free
Information: https://lapca.org/event/l-a-profundo-30-years-of-redefining-chicano-rock/?event_date=2023-08-19
Parking: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes