Falling somewhere between the traditional and the experimental, Cuchata's music is the very definition of Latin Alternative music, and arguably the only band of its kind in Seattle. Their entirely original compositions join afro-latin traditions with elements of rock, hip-hop, drum and bass, avant-garde jazz, dub reggae, afrobeat, and more. Certainly not a latin-jazz band, by no means salsa, rock en espanol, or cumbia, Cuchata borrows from all these genres and blends them with a rare fluency.
Cuchata was born out of guitarist/singer/songwriter Marcelo E. Quinonez’s 1999 pilgrimage to his ancestral Nicaragua. There he discovered and fell under the spell of the country’s rich musical heritage. Upon returning to the USA, he combined his new-found knowledge with his love of other Afro-Latin traditions to fashion a musical expression of his own. Joined by percussionist/keyboardist Bryan Cook, Quinonez formed Cuchata in 2000. The band, which now includes bassist Cody Rahn and a horn section, released their debut album on Eleggua Records in 2003. It was a fascinating amalgam of influences from Nicaragua, Peru, Cuba and Colombia, with Caribbean-side Central American vocal flavors and Pampas rhythms from Paraguay and Argentina.
Since that time, Cuchata has grown musically, as has their intense desire to constantly update and hybridize their sound. Cuchata now performs as a five piece with Sam Wambach on saxophones and Josh Stewart on trumpet. They are consistently striving to craft music that defies genres on one hand, yet fits neatly into many on the other. Their newest release “Sangre Mixto” shows the diversity of their style, and their ability to integrate ancient and modern influences into a cohesive blend of original compositions. Cuchata performs regularly in and around Seattle and L.A. where they have a very loyal following and have played to capacity crowds. They have shared the stage with such artists as Susana Baca at The Crocodile in Seattle, legendary Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella, (The Temple Bar, L.A.) and east L.A. alternativo band Quetzal (The Conga Room, L.A.) and opened numerous sold-out shows for world music sensations such as Lhasa De Sela at The Triple Door (Seattle), The Refugee All Stars and Los Amigos Invisibles at Neumos (Seattle).
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