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Sueno
is a dynamic group of Mexican-American musicians who
play traditional conjunto music, the energetic
accordion-dominated sound so important to the Tejano
and Chicano communities throughout the United States.
Sueno
was born out of the desire of Cruz Rangel, the lead
accordion and bajo sexto player, to pass his
knowledge of the conjunto tradition on to young members
of his community. As a master teacher under the Washington
State Arts Commission Master/Apprentice program, Rangel
tutored Ricky Rodriguez into a virtuoso on the keyboards,
accordion and bajo sexto (a 12-string bass-like
instrument).
Rodriguez's
dedication to these instruments and conjunto music attracted
the attention of his friends, Gabe Rocha, Saul Rocha
and Mari Perales (ages 14-17 at the time), and Manuel
Moreno Jr., who joined Rangel and Rodriguez to form
Sueno. They were later joined by Cynthia Rangel (Cruz's
daughter), Jose Rocha, and Lupe Saenz Jr.
Their
music includes traditional border ballads, lively polkas
and intricate instrumental dance tunes, mixed with some
contemporary popular conjunto tunes, a number
of which were written by band members. The energy, enthusiasm
and talent of these young performers is inspiring to
audiences of any age and background. What makes the
music of Sueno truly unique is the blend of generations
and the blend of cultures.
The
group can play traditional styles rarely heard this
far north, drawing tremendous excitement from an older
generation of Latino listeners. They can also hold the
attention of younger American audiences by including
contemporary styles, at the same time exposing a new
generation of listeners to many important older styles
of music.
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