We are an Austin, TX based band specializing in Cuban son, bolero, and other styles of Latin music. We appreciate your interest and hope that you enjoy our website and music.
We perform regularly around Austin at venues such as The Belmont, Central Market, Ruta Maya, Manuel's, and others.
We hope to see you soon at one of our shows!
Bienvenidos
Austin Music Magazine
Cienfuegos is featured in the current issue of Austin Music Magazine, along with articles on Alejandro Escovedo and Charanga Cakewalk.
CIENFUEGOS
"UNITED BY THE GROOVE"
By Carson Barker
Daniel Nelson knows the secret to salsa music’s spellbinding effect that compels people to dance, and it has nothing to do with salsa. It’s not the pure sound of the blaring brass horns, Nelson’s smooth voice hovering over the rhythms, or the clanky piano keys smacking out Latin jives and Cuban tones though the guitars and double bass. It also has nothing to do with Cuba, Mexico, South America or any other region that one might assume that
salsa stems from. The secret, according to Nelson, originates on the other side of the planet.
“The Africanized rhythm, no question about it,” he says. “There is a rhythmic structure called clave, it has this tension and release that everyone can feel, and it makes you move.”
Nelson handles guitar and vocals, and cooperates the brains of the Latin music machine
Cienfuegos with George Shalda. The band itself is composed of rotating musicians that seldom share the same nationality, “but we are all sort of united by the groove.”
Cienfuegos (Spanish for one hundred fires) has gained considerable notoriety in the four years they’ve been together. In August 2007, Univision’s Premios de Texas music awards named Cienfuegos Best New Artist in 2006, and the band followed up with the Best Salsa/Merengue Award the following year.
Though Cienfuegos started out as a part-time gig, the awards, the steamy regular gigs at Ruta Maya and the dancing crowd of Austin have helped change that. “So far we’ve just been
trying to have fun playing the music and make a living,” Nelson says. “ I haven’t had a day job for about the last two years. We’re making our CD on our own…we’re lucky that things are going that direction.”
Aside from the awards, the rotating musicians and the widespread nationalities, Nelson claims it’s the beat that owns his soul. “I liked going salsa dancing with my wife…I learned the songs and then I was sold.” am+e
CIENFUEGOS
"UNITED BY THE GROOVE"
By Carson Barker
Daniel Nelson knows the secret to salsa music’s spellbinding effect that compels people to dance, and it has nothing to do with salsa. It’s not the pure sound of the blaring brass horns, Nelson’s smooth voice hovering over the rhythms, or the clanky piano keys smacking out Latin jives and Cuban tones though the guitars and double bass. It also has nothing to do with Cuba, Mexico, South America or any other region that one might assume that
salsa stems from. The secret, according to Nelson, originates on the other side of the planet.
“The Africanized rhythm, no question about it,” he says. “There is a rhythmic structure called clave, it has this tension and release that everyone can feel, and it makes you move.”
Nelson handles guitar and vocals, and cooperates the brains of the Latin music machine
Cienfuegos with George Shalda. The band itself is composed of rotating musicians that seldom share the same nationality, “but we are all sort of united by the groove.”
Cienfuegos (Spanish for one hundred fires) has gained considerable notoriety in the four years they’ve been together. In August 2007, Univision’s Premios de Texas music awards named Cienfuegos Best New Artist in 2006, and the band followed up with the Best Salsa/Merengue Award the following year.
Though Cienfuegos started out as a part-time gig, the awards, the steamy regular gigs at Ruta Maya and the dancing crowd of Austin have helped change that. “So far we’ve just been
trying to have fun playing the music and make a living,” Nelson says. “ I haven’t had a day job for about the last two years. We’re making our CD on our own…we’re lucky that things are going that direction.”
Aside from the awards, the rotating musicians and the widespread nationalities, Nelson claims it’s the beat that owns his soul. “I liked going salsa dancing with my wife…I learned the songs and then I was sold.” am+e
In The Press
Recently, Daniel was interviewed by the web-based, hispanic marketing bloggers, Mercury Mambo, for a series spotlighting Austin's latin music scene.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
About Grupo Mambo on the Cup O' Mambo series...
"We are here to introduce you to Cup O’ Mambo and to the local Latino music scene in the lovely Austin, Texas.
We understand the importance of embracing and learning about the Latino music culture and its diverse sounds found in the local music scene and want to share it with the world.
It is officially Latino Music Month, and we are here to show you the different flavors of la musica latina. Our goal is to attend as many Latino music concerts in the month of May and blog about them. Ultimately, we will post video footage, pictures and exclusive backstage interviews with the bands."
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Ruta Maya may just be another Austin coffee house during the day, but every Wednesday evening, it becomes a popular dance spot for salsa as it lends its stage to the local band, Cienfuegos.
Their specialty in Cuban son, bolero, and other styles of Latin music has become a local favorite, as one could tell from the large crowd at Ruta Maya this past Wednesday.
The vibrant live music brings out dancers ranging from beginners to experts onto the large dance floor. There were also those that go to just enjoy the music as they sit inside on a couch or on the patio while they enjoyed a Cuban cigar or a beer. This type of music is no longer popular solely among those of Latin descent, but people of all backgrounds.
Last year Cienfuegos took home the Best Salsa/Merengue award at Univision’s Premios de Texas Music Awards show. They have two records available, in which on its first recording includes the playing of Shango Dely, who is percussionist of Santana and Carlos Vives.
In communication with Daniel Nelson, the lead vocalist and guitarist, he was able to provide me with interesting information about the band.
Q: How did your group come together?
A: We have been performing as Cienfuegos for about 4 years. The band started as a trio consisting of me (Daniel Nelson, gtr/vcl), George Shalda (trumpet/vcl/multiinstrumentalist) and Joe Espinosa (gtr/vcl). We had all become interested in traditional Cuban son independently. As far as starting the group, I had wanted to do something like this for a few years. My mother is from Mexico of Spanish decent and I had always loved the songs she would sing to us in Spanish.
My wife Michele got me into salsa dancing after moving to Austin in the 90’s. After we took a trip to Cuba (just before 9/11/01), I decided to try to start a band. Joe responded to an ad I had placed in the musician’s referral section of the Austin Chronicle. In the mean time, George and I had met at the eastside elementary school where we both taught and I mentioned the idea to him and invited him over to play some tunes I had learned in Cuba. That first jam session was so much fun that we knew we wanted to keep it going.
Joe stopped playing with us about a year later as our gig schedule started to interfere with his independent business. George and I continued playing gigs around Austin and have been fortunate to play with many of the fine musicians in this town. We both quit our teaching jobs to devote full time to Cienfuegos, which we co-manage. We still play in various configurations, but our full band is a 6 pc with: Joshua Lowe (bass), Samuel Lopez (perc/vcl), Art Meza (perc). Piano duties are shared by Evan Jacobs (leader of Tacks, the Boy Disaster) and Angelo Lambesis. These are the guys with whom we play most regularly. However, there are some veteran Austin musicians with whom we have played over the years and who still join us on occasion, such as Tito Cuba (Perc/vcl), George Walker (bass), and Richard Lopez (perc/vcl).
Q: What message are you trying to get across to your fans/listeners?
A: Basically, we just hope that the crowd at any of our shows will have as much fun listening and dancing as we are having playing this music. Fun is our main motivation.
Q: How would you describe your sound and where do you go/see/do to get inspiration for new material?
A: Our sound is evolving somewhat, but started as that of an acoustic Cuban conjunto from the first half of the 1900’s. We play many traditional Cuban tunes and styles from that period, with an emphasis on Cuban Son, which is the predecessor to what people refer to as “salsa”. Some of the other styles we play are bolero, cha cha, merengue, cumbia, etc. Recently, we have been adding original songs that are heavily influenced by these traditional styles as well as some more contemporary sounds. We are currently working on a CD of original material that we hope to finish by the end of the summer.
Q: Why do you think salsa has become so popular, specifically in Austin?
A: I think “salsa” has been increasing in popularity for the same reason that all of us in the band love these styles; because of the groove. Specifically, the Africanized rhythms that are the backbone of these styles are so infectious that once they get to you, you’re hooked forever.
In addition to Ruta Maya, the band performs at The Belmont, Central Market, Manuel’s, Baby Acapulco, and others. Throughout this summer they are scheduled to perform at The Monarch Event Center where free salsa lessons will also be offered. Learn more about the band at www.musicacienfuegos.com.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
About Grupo Mambo on the Cup O' Mambo series...
"We are here to introduce you to Cup O’ Mambo and to the local Latino music scene in the lovely Austin, Texas.
We understand the importance of embracing and learning about the Latino music culture and its diverse sounds found in the local music scene and want to share it with the world.
It is officially Latino Music Month, and we are here to show you the different flavors of la musica latina. Our goal is to attend as many Latino music concerts in the month of May and blog about them. Ultimately, we will post video footage, pictures and exclusive backstage interviews with the bands."
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Ruta Maya may just be another Austin coffee house during the day, but every Wednesday evening, it becomes a popular dance spot for salsa as it lends its stage to the local band, Cienfuegos.
Their specialty in Cuban son, bolero, and other styles of Latin music has become a local favorite, as one could tell from the large crowd at Ruta Maya this past Wednesday.
The vibrant live music brings out dancers ranging from beginners to experts onto the large dance floor. There were also those that go to just enjoy the music as they sit inside on a couch or on the patio while they enjoyed a Cuban cigar or a beer. This type of music is no longer popular solely among those of Latin descent, but people of all backgrounds.
Last year Cienfuegos took home the Best Salsa/Merengue award at Univision’s Premios de Texas Music Awards show. They have two records available, in which on its first recording includes the playing of Shango Dely, who is percussionist of Santana and Carlos Vives.
In communication with Daniel Nelson, the lead vocalist and guitarist, he was able to provide me with interesting information about the band.
Q: How did your group come together?
A: We have been performing as Cienfuegos for about 4 years. The band started as a trio consisting of me (Daniel Nelson, gtr/vcl), George Shalda (trumpet/vcl/multiinstrumentalist) and Joe Espinosa (gtr/vcl). We had all become interested in traditional Cuban son independently. As far as starting the group, I had wanted to do something like this for a few years. My mother is from Mexico of Spanish decent and I had always loved the songs she would sing to us in Spanish.
My wife Michele got me into salsa dancing after moving to Austin in the 90’s. After we took a trip to Cuba (just before 9/11/01), I decided to try to start a band. Joe responded to an ad I had placed in the musician’s referral section of the Austin Chronicle. In the mean time, George and I had met at the eastside elementary school where we both taught and I mentioned the idea to him and invited him over to play some tunes I had learned in Cuba. That first jam session was so much fun that we knew we wanted to keep it going.
Joe stopped playing with us about a year later as our gig schedule started to interfere with his independent business. George and I continued playing gigs around Austin and have been fortunate to play with many of the fine musicians in this town. We both quit our teaching jobs to devote full time to Cienfuegos, which we co-manage. We still play in various configurations, but our full band is a 6 pc with: Joshua Lowe (bass), Samuel Lopez (perc/vcl), Art Meza (perc). Piano duties are shared by Evan Jacobs (leader of Tacks, the Boy Disaster) and Angelo Lambesis. These are the guys with whom we play most regularly. However, there are some veteran Austin musicians with whom we have played over the years and who still join us on occasion, such as Tito Cuba (Perc/vcl), George Walker (bass), and Richard Lopez (perc/vcl).
Q: What message are you trying to get across to your fans/listeners?
A: Basically, we just hope that the crowd at any of our shows will have as much fun listening and dancing as we are having playing this music. Fun is our main motivation.
Q: How would you describe your sound and where do you go/see/do to get inspiration for new material?
A: Our sound is evolving somewhat, but started as that of an acoustic Cuban conjunto from the first half of the 1900’s. We play many traditional Cuban tunes and styles from that period, with an emphasis on Cuban Son, which is the predecessor to what people refer to as “salsa”. Some of the other styles we play are bolero, cha cha, merengue, cumbia, etc. Recently, we have been adding original songs that are heavily influenced by these traditional styles as well as some more contemporary sounds. We are currently working on a CD of original material that we hope to finish by the end of the summer.
Q: Why do you think salsa has become so popular, specifically in Austin?
A: I think “salsa” has been increasing in popularity for the same reason that all of us in the band love these styles; because of the groove. Specifically, the Africanized rhythms that are the backbone of these styles are so infectious that once they get to you, you’re hooked forever.
In addition to Ruta Maya, the band performs at The Belmont, Central Market, Manuel’s, Baby Acapulco, and others. Throughout this summer they are scheduled to perform at The Monarch Event Center where free salsa lessons will also be offered. Learn more about the band at www.musicacienfuegos.com.
