The members of La Santa Cecilia met while busking on the streets of Los Angeles, and together the Grammy-winning group created a sound that spans cumbia, mariachi, jazz and bossa nova—a reflection of their many musical influences as the children of immigrants. Singing in Spanish about topics as varied as family tragedy, immigrant rights and queer love, lead vocalist Marisol Hernandez brings powerful storytelling to the band’s danceable, accordion-, guitar- and percussion-forward compositions.
La Santa Cecilia performs at the Ritz in San José on Sept. 17.