Scroll and click through our interactive timeline to view highlights and most pivotal moments of our trajectory. From neighborhood fundraisers to performing around the world, our story centers first-voice storytelling, cross-cultural connections and community centered programming.
Los Cenzontles begins as a youth group, led by Eugene Rodriguez and Bernice Zuñiga.
Los Cenzontles students record their first cassette at Dolby Labs in San Francisco as a learning and fundraising tool. The cassette tapes were later turned into CD’s! Available for purchase in our Tienda.
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Eugene initiates The Fandango Project to establish the traditional community celebration of Fandangos in California. With music and dance workshops organized with Son Jarocho master Gilberto Gutierrez, Eugene’s goal is to reinvigorate Mexican music in Chicano communities.
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Los Cenzontles meet Linda Ronstadt while busking for change to travel to Mexico. Linda supports the group and begins a long-standing relationship with them.
Los Cenzontles appears on their first CD on Arhoolie Records, Con Su Permiso, Señores, a youthful production that includes a range of styles from son jarocho to modern banda.
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Los Cenzontles performs at the Arhoolie Records 35th Anniversary concert series alongside Flaco Jimenez, Lalo Guerrero, and others.
The legendary Los Lobos and Lalo Guerrero release their children’s album Papa’s Dream, which features Los Cenzontles’s musicians and singers. Produced by Eugene Rodriguez, the album is nominated for a Grammy.
Los Cenzontles performs at Bimbo’s in San Francisco to celebrate the nomination of Papa’s Dream.
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Los Cenzontles release You’ll Come Flying, a collection of traditional and original music in an array of styles.
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Los Cenzontles students take their third student trip to Veracruz to study, play and dance at fandangos in Santiago Tuxtla.
Los Cenzontles youth, family and friends renovate a former liquor store in Dias Plaza into their first permanent home with support from the City of San Pablo and the Dias family. Dance, music, and arts and crafts classes will continue here for the next decades.
Los Cenzontles release Volando en los Cafetales, an album of son Jarocho, traditional music from Southern Veracruz, Mexico.
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Los Cenzontles release Hypnotizada, an album of brass-band music produced by Los Cenzontles students Hugo Arroyo and Hector Espinoza.
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Los Cenzontles release Amor Paz y Sinceridad, an album of acapella alabanzas, songs of praise to the virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico. Features Gisela Farías Luna.
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Los Cenzontles release Cancionero, an album of popular romantic boleros and rancheras.
The young people of Los Cenzontles assume administrative positions, expanding the organization’s “Grow Your Own” methodology of cultivating administrative leadership from within our community.
Arhoolie Records releases De Una Bonita, a compilation album by Los Cenzontles playing various music styles.
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Los Cenzontles meet master artist Atilano López from Jarácuaro, Michoacán and begin to learn pirekuas and sones abajeños, traditional to the indigenous P’urhépecha communities.
Los Cenzontles meet traditional mariachi practitioner Julian Gonzalez and begin weekly workshops to revive the lost music and dance style of son abajeño.
Los Cenzontles produce the Cuatro Maestros tour of California representing four regional traditions. The group performs at Sacramento State University; Arte Americas, Fresno; City of San Fernando; CSU Monterey; Julia Morgan Theater, Berkeley; California Plaza, Los Angeles. Los Cenzontles release the Cuatro Maestros CD that includes collaborations with master artists representing four regional styles: Santiago Jiménez Jr. from San Antonio, Texas; Julian Gonzalez from Jalisco, Mexico; Atilano Lopez from Michoacan; and Andres Vega from Veracruz.
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Los Cenzontles release Media Vida, a collection of rancheras, sones jarochos, pirekuas and more.
Los Cenzontles receive the Coming Up Taller Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Los Cenzontles presents an annual event that is reflective and celebratory in honor of our loved ones who have passed on. We invite the community to place offerings on the altar that is created by our artesania teacher Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez each year with a different theme and design.
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Los Cenzontles opens for Los Lobos at the California State Fair.
Los Cenzontles release Plan de la Villa, the first of four albums of traditional sones abajenos of the traditional mariachi with Julián González.
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Los Cenzontles release Pocas Palabras, an album that connects musical traditions with contemporary sounds.
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Los Cenzontles travel to Jalisco, México, with master of traditional mariachi Julián González, to reintroduce the traditional mariachi in its homeland. Los Cenzontles release El Pasajero, its second album of traditional sones abajeños and rancheras of the traditional mariachi with Julián González.
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Our academy is awarded the East Bay Express’ “Best After-School Program”
Los Cenzontles appears in the Contra Costa Times.
Los Cenzontles release El Chivo, Traditional Mariachi Volume III, its third album of sones abajeños and rancheras of the traditional mariachi with Julián González.
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Los Cenzontles travel to Veracruz, Mexico, to film Fandango, Searching for the White Monkey.
Anthropologist Dr. Maribel Alvarez publishes “Pedagogy of Intangible Heritage” for the Community Arts Network. The article is based on her in-depth study of Los Cenzontles and its operations.
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Los Cenzontles is featured in the West County Times
Los Cenzontles presents its annual Dia de los Muertos event. Altar by Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez.
Los Cenzontles release El Toro Viejo Traditional Mariachi Volume IV, its fourth album of sones abajeños and rancheras of the traditional mariachi with Julian Gonzalez.
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Los Cenzontles release Los senn-sont-less, an album of original music featuring guest artists David Hidalgo, Bobby Black, and Bill Evans.
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Los Cenzontles presents its annual Dia de los Muertos event. Each year, Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez creates an altar using different art mediums.
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Los Cenzontles release the documentary Vivir (To Live, a portrait of Los Cenzontles’ cultural work with immigrant families. Vivir (To Live) is broadcast on Public Television later that year.
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Los Cenzontles initiates a partnership with California Migrant Education to provide cultural arts workshops statewide.
Los Cenzontles release Songs of Wood & Steel, an album of music blending traditional, popular and original music. It is Los Cenzontles’s first full album collaborating with David Hidalgo.
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Los Cenzontles performs at the Hollywood bowl event Bienvenido Gustavo to welcome Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Los Cenzontles release American Horizon, an album of original Mexican and African American music in collaboration with David Hidalgo and Taj Mahal and funded by the Creative Work Fund.
Los Cenzontles is invited to appear on the San Patricio CD by The Chieftains and Ry Cooder, an album that merges Mexican and Irish music with fellow guest artists Linda Ronstadt, Chavela Vargas, Los Tigres del Norte, and many others.
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Los Cenzontles tour the UK and Ireland with The Chieftains and Ry Cooder.
Los Cenzontles initiates the Roots of Resilience video short series.
Los Cenzontles and Maribel Alvarez, Ph.D. release the document “Los Cenzontles: This is How We Work. Reflections, Testimonies and Lessons on Artistic Practices and Teaching Strategies.”
Los Cenzontles perform with the Chieftains in various California cities.
Los Cenzontles release Raza de Oro, an album of traditional, popular and original music.
Eugene pens “Estado de Verguenza”, a song meant to decry the discrimination of Arizona’s anti-immigration legislation. The single is soon recorded and released.
Los Cenzontles releases singles La Pelota and Valor Latino, as part of the VALOR LATINO project to promote Latino cultural pride, educational engagement, consumer awareness, and civic action. Los Cenzontles initiates a program of cultural consultation to encourage other communities to engage the Latino immigrant community.
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Los Cenzontles tours the Dominican Republic sponsored by the US State Department. We performed three concerts in three cities: Santo Domingo, San Pedro de Macoris and Santiago. Plus we did three outreach events. The concerts were in celebration of the Fourth of July with dignitaries including Ambassador Raul Yasguirre and his wife.
Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy launches its first two-week summer camp. All students participate in dance, arts & crafts, and music classes each day, ending the camp with a performance for the families.
Los Cenzontles presents its annual Dia de los Muertos event. Altar by Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez.
Los Cenzontles release their first LP, Puro Jam, with David Hidalgo.
Los Cenzontles release Regeneration, an album bringing together Latino roots music and sounds from the late 60’s and early 70’s in celebration of the Latinization of The United States.
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Los Cenzontles completes Phase 1 of its facility expansion and “Supporting Roots Campaign.” Los Cenzontles takes over the adjacent storefront and builds a new kitchen, office, and art room.
Eugene Rodriguez is awarded a United States Artists Oliver Fellowship. With Tim Robbins (left) and David Hidalgo (right)
Los Cenzontles Teen Jarocho Ensemble performs at the Oakland Museum Dia de los Muertos.
Los Cenzontles release Covers, an album of classic rock songs with Latin American instruments and rhythms on CD and Vinyl. Features compositions by Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, ELO, Jimi Hendrix, The Killers, Robert Palmer, The Pogues & Sixto Rodríguez. Buy your CD here!/button]
Los Cenzontles release Carta Jugada, a collaborative album of classic songs with San Antonio-based Los Texmaniacs and accordion legend Flaco Jiménez.
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Los Cenzontles release a new album of cover songs – Covers 2 – Infusing Latin sounds into classic American rock songs.
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Los Cenzontles Juvenil release their album Con Mucho Sentimiento, recorded and produced at Los Cenzontles Studio, and perform their album release show.
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Los Cenzontles release A La Mar, an album reconnecting early European and Mexican Roots, created in collaboration with Shira Kammen.
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Release of musical album Alma P’urhépecha with maestro Atilano López Patricio. Features pirekuas and sones abajeños of Indigenous Michoacán.
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For one week in December, 2018, Los Cenzontles was hosted by the famous New Orleans institution, Preservation Hall, as their artist-in-residence. Documenting the week-long collaboration with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, as well as other local arts and culture organizations, was filmmaker James Hall. James edited the wonderful photomontage video below.
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Los Cenzontles performs on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento at California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Inauguration.
Los Cenzontles performed on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and at the Library of Congress with support from the American Folklife Center. It was a wonderful recognition of our 30 years of promoting Mexican traditions.
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The Los Cenzontles Touring Band and 17 academy students traveled with Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and a documentary film crew, to the Rio Sonora Valley in Sonora, Mexico, to perform a variety of traditional Mexican music in the pueblos of Banamichi and Arizpe. The Sunday edition of the L.A. Times included a cover article by Randy Lewis on the trip and many Los Cenzontles voices were represented–students, teachers, and band members.
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Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez and two of her advanced jewelry and art students, Joeceline Garcia and Isabel Reyes, travel to various Mayan villages in Yucatan to learn traditional weaving practices. They each take a camera to document their journey, later edited by James Hall into award-winning documentary, Puntos de Vida.
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Linda and the Mockingbirds airs on HBO!
In place of our annual in-person event, Los Cenzontles produces Living Altars, a short film in which artists Marie-Astrid Do-Rodriguez and Eli Reyes present altars that they wear on their body. They describe how their altars connect to their grieving and healing process.
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Los Cenzontles produce Joy in Music, a short music documentary that shows the transference of arts practice across generations. The film celebrates resilience and growth among young people.
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Los Cenzontles partners with the Watsonville Film Festival and the McEvoy Foundation for the Arts to produce a 3-part hybrid event including a virtual film festival of 8 Los Cenzontles productions, a panel discussion with the filmmakers, and a live music event at the Watsonville City Plaza.
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Los Cenzontles launch their first photostory-blog in which academy student Joeceline Garcia shares how she interacts with fashion to express her cultural pride. Check out the our Fashion & Cultura blog post!
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Juntos a la Distancia is a collection of songs recorded during the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a symbol of how music brings connection, consolation, and comfort.
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Los Cenzontles release P’urhépecha Uékani, a short documentary depicting two young singers visiting their elder maestro in his Indigenous Mexican pueblo. Fabiola Trujillo and Lucina Rodriguez, of Mexican American roots group Los Cenzontles, began studying traditional P’urhépecha music with Atilano López Patricio at their cultural arts academy in San Pablo, Ca in 1999. This 2004 visit was their first to his pueblo of Jarácuaro, Michoacán. The film was screened in intimate presentations in Pátzcuaro, Morelia, y Zamora, Michoacán, and en Xalapa, Veracruz before its public release. Learn more about our trajectory in preserving the P’urhépecha music traditions on our P’urhépecha Uékani page. Watch the English version by clicking here: P’urhépecha Uékani (Beloved P’urhépecha) Watch the Spanish version by clicking here: P’urhépecha Uékani (P’urhépecha Querida)
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Returning from a pause in public performances, Los Cenzontles performs an acoustic-filled set in the SF Jazz Center, sharing a range of folk songs of various traditions.
In the summer of 2001, Los Cenzontles produced the Cuatro Maestros tour, and companion CD, that celebrated four elder master musicians. This is a remastered production of the concert that features Los Cenzontles with Andres Vega y Mono Blanco; accordion master Santiago Jiménez Jr. and his conjunto Tejano from San Antonio, Texas; Atilano López Patricio and his sons interpreting P’urhépecha pirekuas and sones abajeños from Indigenous Michoacan; and Julián González bringing the mariachi tradicional to life from Jalisco.
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Los Cenzontles presents a documentary film of archival footage that captures the 2007 studio collaboration between Los Cenzontles and Los Lobos front man, David Hidalgo, that ultimately became the Los Cenzontles album Songs of Wood and Steel, a collection of traditional Mexican and crossover songs at the Los Cenzontles Studio. The documentary is an engaging dive into creative convivencia and music making.
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Los Cenzontles release Caminos del Son, an intimate exploration of son jarocho in Veracruz, Mexico, shot in 2004 while creating the documentary Fandango, Searching for the White Monkey. It features musicians and dancers from various communities and families in Southern Veracruz. Artists include Gilberto Gutierrez and Grupo Mono Blanco, Antonio Garcia de Leon, Esteban Utrera and family, Andres Vega Delfin and family, Juana Utrera Salas, Grupo Estanzuela, the Campechano family, Grupo Unidad, Indigena de Santa Rosa Loma Larga and many more!
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Los Cenzontles are invited to perform two shows at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, as part of their Sounds of LA Stage. And they invite long-time collaborators, Los Originarios del Plan, to share the stage!
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Los Cenzontles are joined by longtime collaborators, Mono Blanco, masters of son Jarocho of Veracruz, Mexico, and new collaborator, Kiki Valera, master of the Cuban cuatro for a concert of Son con Son fusion. Together they blend the sounds of traditional son Jarocho and son Cubano to present a project of cross-cultural connection.
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The Cenzontles release Covers 3, a third covers album project celebrating cross-cultural connections. Covers 3 features compositions by Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, John Prine, The Rolling Stones, The Pogues, Cornelio Reyna and many more. Each single is illustrated by Chicano artist David Flury.
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