Internationally renowned conjunto Los Cenzontles (the Mockingbirds) dig deep into the rich vein of Latino music, presenting polished gems both traditional and original while promoting pride and cultural understanding.

The group has pioneered revivals of Mexican roots music in California, bringing its traditions to new generations and creating a powerful new hybrid sound. Tonight's show celebrates the endless variety and imagination of Mexican music, spotlighting numbers from the recent Cenzontles CD, Songs of Wood and Steel, which fuses classic fare like banda Sinaloense and mariachi ranchera with rock and blues.

With the dynamic vocals of Fabiola Trujillo, Lucina Rodriguez, and Hugo Arroyo fronting the group, Los Cenzontles mix electric bass and drums with traditional Mexican instruments—jarana, vihuela, and requinto (guitars), pandero (drum), and quijada (jawbone)—creating a powerful contemporary sound infused with the gutsy soul of Mexico's rural roots music.

The group's parent organization, Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, in nearby San Pablo, has a two-decades-old history of teaching traditional arts as a means of strengthening youth, their families, and the local community.