Los Cenzontles ("The Mockingbirds") is an eight-member Mexican music ensemble that celebrates the innovation and imagination of Mexican music, weaving together centuries-old musical traditions with contemporary sounds of the world stage. The group, directed by Grammy-nominated producer Eugene Rodriguez, has performed and recorded alongside Los Lobos, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Grupo Mono Blanco, Los Tigres del Norte, Lalo Guerrero, Linda Ronstadt, Taj Mahal, Flaco Jiménez, and Santiago Jiménez Jr.
Los Cenzontles, which means “The Mockingbirds” in the ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl, is a group of artists that has pioneered the revival of Mexican roots music for almost two decades, promoting cultural expression in their neighborhood and beyond. Fronting the group is the dynamic vocal dueto of Fabiola Trujillo and Lucina Rodriguez and sonero Hugo Arroyo. The Mockingbirds effortlessly mix electric bass and drums with traditional Mexican instruments – jarana, vihuela, requinto, pandero and quijada (jawbone) – creating a powerful contemporary sound infused with the gutsy soul of Mexico’s rural roots music.
Based at the Los Cenzontles Mexican Cultural Center in San Pablo, California, the musicians have toured nationally nationally – from North Carolina to the Midwest to Oregon and Washington State. In 2004, the troupe was the subject of a PBS documentary, “Pasajero, A Journey of Time and Memory,” the first of two documentaries funded by the James Irvine Foundation and broadcast on PBS. Los Cenzontles is currently producing its third documentary, “Vivir,” with major support from the Ford Foundation.
Los Cenzontles features four distinct styles of regional Mexican music, each with its unique instrumentation: Traditional Mariachi, Son Jarocho of Veracruz, Tex-Mex Conjunto, and Pirecuas and Sones of Michoacan. In addition, a program 
by Los Cenzontles will include original songs from their recent CD, “los senn-sont-less,” an album that that fuses elements of traditional music with rock ‘n’ roll, country, reggae, rock en espaņol and R&B.
“Los Cenzontles didn't need much more than a tuba, a trumpet, a thudding bass drum and a pair of clarinets to turn the club into a raucous cantina.” - The New York Times
"An astute contemporary interpretation of folk songs and dances that confirms the maturation of one of the San Francisco Bay area's leading voices. Lovely vocal harmonies, understated traditional instrumentation, a repertoire stretching from Aztlan to Veracruz to Cuba to Colombia, sharp percussion blended with some sharply-executed zapateado footwork, and outstanding turns on reeds and violin, make this their finest outing yet." - Folk Roots Magazine
In addition to the eight-member touring group, Los Cenzontles is also available as a smaller ensemble of 5-6 singers and musicians.
VIDEOS: Documentary Video Music Videos
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