“We cannot say enough for the musical talent of this group –their instrumental diversity and vocal flavor, rhythm and harmonics.” – eSoundz
“This is one of the best new things I’ve heard. My kids won’t stop playing it!”
– President of San Diego Sociedad Flamenco Cultural
“Even if you think you have no interest in this show, I urge you to check it out.” – Steven Segiel, Tucson Weekly
“Cerro Negro sold more CDs at a show than my headliners! They are a huge favorite and I’ll have them back again and again.” – Sandy Shore, Sandy Shore Productions smoothjazz.com
Cerro Negro classifies itself as “Global Flamenco Fusion”. Their style is created by their unique coupling of traditional elements of Flamenco guitar – like using hand-techniques instead of a pick – with an exotic Caribbean percussion blend of Congas, Cajon, Djembe, Clave, Palmas and passionate vocals.
Cerro Negro customizes their performances to reflect the atmosphere of the event. From concert stages to elementary classrooms, corporate events to cultural centers, Cerro Negro pulls from their unique musical palette for each individual show evoking a spectrum of sounds and styles that resonates with numerous demographics.
The trio opened for many well-known national acts, from Eddie Palmieri, Arturo Sandoval, Poncho Sanchez, Strunz & Farah and Jesse Cook, to Smooth Jazz greats Craig Chaquico, Michael Franks, Marc Antoine and Spyro Gyra. Cerro Negro often times earning a standing ovation of their own.
The biggest ingredient in the group’s fusion sound is based on the sounds of Flamenco. The roots of Flamenco have many sources from across the gypsy migration from India to Africa and Europe. Andalucia, the southern most region of Spain, is the birthplace of Flamenco. In the Fifteenth Century, the rural mountainous areas of this region served as the crucible for a cultural fusion, now known as Flamenco. These small gypsy communities were, and still are the centers of this world such as Alcalá, Utrera, Jerez, Cádiz and Triana the barrio of Sevilla. This flexible trio, while staying true to these ancient rhythmic traditions explores new musical frontiers with a rhythmic authenticity rarely seen in a group from the west.
In the past 20 years, Cerro Negro has performed throughout the United States from Boston to Hawaii, and in a myriad of different venues ranging from cultural centers and Universities, to regional festivals and concert halls. Cerro Negro’s passionate sound transcends generations and appeals to a wide variety of musical tastes because of its coupling of unique guitar techniques, exotic percussion and emotional vocals.