The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Latin rock group La Santa Cecilia to perform at Hancher

Contributed
Contributed

La Santa Cecilia plays a hybrid of music that surpasses the many parts.

By Salma Rios

[email protected]

La Santa Cecilia, named after the patron saint of music, is a musical group composed of four people: Jose “Pepe” Carlos, Alex Bedaña, Miguel “Oso” Ramirez, and La Marisoul.

Carlos plays the accordion and requinto, Bendaña plays bass, Ramirez plays percussion, and La Marisoul is the group’s vocalist. La Santa Cecilia will perform at Hancher at 7:30 p.m. today.

Saint Cecilia has been described as a woman who wore sackcloth, fasted, and invoked saints, angels, and virgins often. She is the patron of music, due to hearing heavenly music when she was married.

La Santa Cecilia’s style of music is unlike any other style. Their music is a hybrid of many Latin and Pan-American styles, such as cumbia, bossa-nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz, and klezmer.

Their songs are about love, loss, and everyday struggles in both English and Spanish. La Santa Cecilia won a Grammy in 2014 for Best Latin Rock album for the album Trienta Dias (Thirty Days) and were again nominated in the same category for its new album, Buenaventura.

There is a lot of excitement in the Hispanic community about the performance. La Santa Cecilia’s music draws from Latin American influences and Mexican heritage. The band is based in Los Angeles, whose Hispanic population is around 4.9 million. The music gives a new generation of Hispanics a voice in the world and a way for them to express their feelings, as well as a way to bring communities together through music.

Eloy Barragán, a University of Iowa associate professor of dance, agrees that the Hispanic community can learn a lot from La Santa Cecilia’s performance.

“It’s important for us [as Latinos] to go and see them bring different Latino artistry and culture and learn from that,” he said.

It is also important to go and enjoy the music the group performs. Jason Daniel-Ulloa, a clinical assistant professor of community and behavorial health, had a positive outlook about the performance.

“I think it’s going to be a good time, being able to listen to good music from a diverse group of people.” he said.

La Santa Cecilia

When: 7:30 p.m. today

Where: Hancher

Cost: $10-$20

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