Nosotros has earned a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in the region. This is best evidenced during the summer season, a time when the band has been known to perform as many as seven shows a week (sometimes two shows a day). Since relocating from Las Cruces to Albuquerque in 2000, the band has steadily maintained its position as one of New Mexico's most consistently popular live music draws. Along with Sanchez, a talented guitarist and
tresero (the name given to a player of the Cuban
tres, a guitar-like instrument with three sets of double strings), Nosotros is made up of a rich talent base that includes Dennis Jasso (drums/percussion/vocals), Shane Derk (guitar), Carlos Fontana (lead vocals/percussion), Gil Uribe (bass), Manuel Ramirez-Ruiz (saxophone/vocals) and Russell Scharf (trumpet, percussion). Nosotros has been instrumental in introducing the state's vibrant Latin music scene to new and wider audiences. This effort has been bolstered by a significant number of masters of the
montuno genre of Cuban music, including
Son Como Son, Ivon Ulibarri Y Cafe Mocha, Felipe Ruibal's Quemozo and
Calle 66, as well as a number of popular local nightclub DJs.
After chatting with Sanchez at length, it became clear to this writer that the measured focus of Nosotros is to make music that electrifies Albuquerque's transitory music scene. This, along with the band's aggressive performance schedule, has recently been furthered with the establishment of
Latin Underground, a regularly scheduled celebration of Latin dance and music held in the basement of the
Albuquerque Hilton. The biweekly event features a diverse mix of live bands and DJs performing a wide range of music styles based in the Latin realm, both contemporary and traditional.
The December 19 installment of Latin Underground includes scheduled sets by
DJ Soulcialite, cumbia rock group
Agua Bendita and Latin fusion band
Cinco Cero Cino, the latter of which is a side project made up of members from Nosotros and
Quemozo.
It is the hope of Sanchez that this unique live music event will grow to be a boon to the local Latin music scene. Luckily, when it comes to music, often what is best for the audience is best for the musician.
Despite his busy schedule, Sanchez recently sat down with
Local iQ to discuss the state of the local Latin music scene, how the recession has affected his working relationship with some local night clubs and the potential impact that can result from an event such as Latin Underground.
Local iQ: How has the response been to Latin Underground so far?
Randy Sanchez: It’s been really great. We've had more than 150 people show up and a packed dance floor all night. I’m really looking forward to where Latin Underground is headed. I can see, in the future, bringing in all types of crazy acts from different countries and different parts of the U.S.
iQ: What spurred the idea to start the event?
RS: [Nosotros] is just trying to give people what we’ve heard them asking for: a consistent night where people can dance to Latin salsa. These [events feature] a mixture of live bands and DJs, so it's the best of both worlds for fans of the music because it’s a non-stop party. We’re also trying to mix in some new progressive stuff into the night and introduce people to some new styles.
Photo by Wes Naman
I think what we’re doing with Latin Underground is a pretty accurate reflection of what's going on right now in Latin music as a whole. There's more of a mix now than ever. It's not just cumbia, bachata, salsa or more traditional styles; there’s hip-hop, reggaeton and electronic music all rolled up into one. These [songs] aren't the traditional '70s and '80s salsa songs.
iQ: And the thread that ties it all together?
RS: Latin music. It’s been the same approach we’ve used with Nosotros since we started in 1994.
iQ: Tell me more about Cinco Cero Cinco.
RS: When we decided to form Latin Underground, we thought we’d develop a new band around the event. Let’s take it into some new areas. We merged some members of Nosotros and Quemoso. Cinco Cero Cinco is even 'bigger,' with congas, timbales ... two vocalists. It’s a little more on the salsa tip.
iQ: Nosotros has been playing fewer gigs than usual. What’s the deal?
RS: Well, this is a slower season in general, but we've had our ups and downs with venues and with some people who we’ve done a lot of work for. We don't need pats on the back, but maybe just a little more respect for our hard work.
iQ: What do you mean? Is the economic slump affecting your business?
RS: For sure. In the bar scene, we generally get paid consistently and we play at venues on a weekly basis, but more bars and restaurants started to have a hard time with dinner crowds and started to cut costs. Entertainment is usually the first thing to go. In my opinion, that's the wrong way to go. Being a big band, we may charge a little more [compensation] than the average band, but we do heavy promoting for our shows and take a lot of care in getting people to [attend] the shows.
iQ: Are you seeing this same economic impact affect fellow local bands, and how is it affecting the strength of the Latin music scene in New Mexico?
RS: Bands have a harder time forming or staying together because professional musicians are trying to hustle, they start playing in multiple bands and doing more gigs, all for less pay. This doesn’t lend itself to the quality of the bands. It gets hard for bands to create a really solid act when everyone is so thinly spread.
iQ: But when times are tough, you find a way to adapt, you find a way to continue doing what you love, no? On that note, are all the guys in Nosotros musicians by trade?
RS: Yes. We all work in music. If it’s not performing, we teach music lessons or work in side projects. Alma Productions is also working on more music compilations, things like that. I’ve been [working in the music industry] for the last five or six years — just straight up music.
iQ: You’ve made it clear that it’s important to you that your musicians get paid fairly for their services.
RS: A successful show and a vibrant music scene should also be beneficial to the performers. I want the bands to get paid well at these gigs. Sometimes these guys walk out of a night of hard work with 15, 20 bucks. I see that as unacceptable. I want the musicians to feel like they are taken care of, that they are valued. If the musicians feel like they are [performing] at their peak, they can give it back to the crowd. And that’s what the crowd wants to see; they feed into it. Everybody feeds off each other.
iQ: This mutually beneficial relationship is at the heart of every successful music scene.
RS: That’s what I’m really working on with Latin Underground — to develop and expand the Latin music scene in New Mexico. Latin music is hot; people love it. And when bands, DJs and music venues come together to put on a really great show, people will come out and everyone is happy.
iQ: Can you characterize your leadership style?
RS: Soft, behind the scenes, I guess. When you’re a leader of a band that’s been around for so long, I just go into that supportive mode. I don't like being very hardcore and aggressive with people. People have their own ideas about how things go and music doesn’t always click right away, so you’ve got to be patient. In the end, you can take a collective idea and come up with something that's good for everybody.
Todd Eric Lovato, M.B.A., is a music writer and a public and media relations specialist, as well as a producer and studio musician for Penguino Records, an independent record label housing Felonious Groove Foundation, SkinnyFat and Fantastic Planet (penguinorecords.com).
