La Cuneta Son Machín
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La Cuneta Son Machín (La Cuneta) is a Grammy-nominated musical group from Nicaragua. The original group consisted of Carlos Luis Mejía, Augusto Mejía (both sons of famous Nicaraguan singer Carlos Mejía Godoy), Carlos Guillén Mejía (Frijol), Fabio Buitrago, Omar Suazo, and Cesar Rodriguez.
The group's third album Mondongo[1] (2015) was nominated for Best Latin Rock Urban or Alternative Album in the 58th Annual Grammys.[2] They are the first Nicaraguan band to be nominated for a Grammy.[3]
The group formed in 2009 while the members (who are friends and cousins) spontaneously joined the Santo Domingo parade in Managua, Nicaragua. Their name comes from "La Cuneta" (the sidewalk) and "Son Machin", from the English phrase "sound machine."[4] Every year, they play a free concert to celebrate the beginnings of their group.[5]
The group has toured in Europe and the United States, including at the SXSW festival in 2018[6] and 2023.[7] The New York Times named their 2018 performance as an act that stood out, noting their "frisky cumbias and high-velocity polkas" and lyrics describing "food, love, drinking and dancing — especially food."[6]
The group incorporates Nicaraguan regional slang extensively in their music.[3] The group's music blends cumbia and rock with traditional Nicaraguan music.[5] The instruments also blend Nicaraguan tradition with the new: accordion and marimba with electric guitar.[8] The group has been noted as an important part of Nicaragua's cultural scene by both Nicaraguans[9] and visitors.[10]
For their album Mondogo, the group members are:
- Carlos Luis "La Bujilla" Mejía (marimba, timbales)
- Carlos "Frijol" Guillen (lead singer)
- Ernesto "Matute" López (drums, backup vocals)
- Omar "El Profesor" Suazo (guitars)
- César "El Puma" Rodriguez (keyboards)
- Augusto "El Negro" Mejía (bass, backup vocals)
- Christian Pepin (percussion)
- Camilo Landau (guitar)
- Fabio Buitrago
Discography[edit]
El Zafarrancho (2010)
Mondongo (2015)
Cañambuco (2017)
Amor Fritanguero (2019)
Singles[edit]
La Argolla (2021) ft. Deuce Eclipse
References[edit]
- ^ "Mondongo, by La Cuneta". La Cuneta. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ "La Cuneta Son Machín". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ a b Bennett, Sarah (2016-02-11). "La Cuneta Son Machín Are Proud to Be Nicaragua's First Grammy-Nominated Band - LA Weekly". www.laweekly.com. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ "La Cuneta Son Machín: Cumbia from Nicaragua | Santa Barbara Museum of Art". www.sbma.net. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ a b Sang, Lucia Suarez (2016-11-30). "Grammys: Nicaraguan band 'La Cuneta Son Machin' up for country's first award". Fox News. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
- ^ a b Pareles, Jon (18 March 2018). "South by Southwest Music Festival: 17 Acts That Stood Out". The New York Times.
- ^ "La Cuneta Son Machin". SXSW 2023 Schedule. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ McGoffin, Eric C (2016). Ghost Songs: The Effects Of An Urban Natural Disaster On National Identity In Nicaragua (Thesis). ProQuest 1844992592.[page needed]
- ^ Zamora, Alicia (2012). "Managua: la urbe semi-rural". Karebarro – via Revistas Nicaragua.
- ^ Maddicks, Russell; Smart!, Culture (2019). Nicaragua - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture. Kuperard. ISBN 978-1-78702-948-4.[page needed]