Friday, November 12: High above Seattle in a little, dark LO_FI loft, a trio of musicians fills the space with rich sounds of Latin-American music. The band is Cuchata. Illuminated by red-orange light and appearing nearly as ghoulish as their skeleton-themed CD graphics, they stand before mirrors reflecting the night city skyline. Electric stars are projected onto the wall and ceiling above them. Listeners scattered on couches and sitting cross-legged on the floor are swayed by air heavy with passion - laced by a rocking flow of Latin beats and seductive Spanish snarls.
With songs ranging in subject from love to immigration, Cuchata provides an appealing variety within its genre, while also incorporating the freshness and intensity of youth. The music is both emotionally moving and technically impressive.
The group was formed after singer and guitarist Marcelo Quiñónez traveled to Nicaragua, revisiting and reconnecting with his Chorotega heritage. He is joined by drummer Bryan Cook, possessing a degree in Music Percussion from University of Maine and the experience of being with the first American percussion group to perform in Cuba. Philadelphia-born bassist, Jon Markel, completes the Cuchata trio and also contributes to several other local projects. With Quiñónez singing passionately in Spanish - Cook and Markel add layers to lyrics, weaving in and out with congas and pauses to accommodate intricate guitar licks - creating a complicated, yet fascinating sound.
Back inside LO_FI, a song crescendos with heavy bass drum and congas. It rises with a voice just short of angry, then cools to wooden crackling, gentle guitar strumming, and softly-snarling vocals. The pace drags and flows, pulling listeners with each beat, never breaking a sauntering swagger. The experience is mesmerizing - the sound is warm, full, and raw. Quiñónez's voice is precise, sultry, and pained - though with the control of experience and maturity.
A song "to push the speakers," Basta, is described as being for "low riders" and inspired by Quiñónez's cousin in Los Angeles. It opens with a sexy baseline, greeted with whistles from the crowd and couples on their feet, immediately dancing. A lofty chorus is followed by wooden rain from goat toes (an instrument with - yes, actual goat toes) before falling back to thumping bass and rasping whispered vocals. "Basta" means "enough".
Just when the thick atmosphere approaches weighty, Cuchata brightens things up and clears the air with appropriately named Dia Del Sol (Sunny Day). The piece is lighter, catchy, and quick. It brings claps and grins from the audience with a friendly beat reminiscent of sun, vacation-island waves, and an ocean-breeze heat. Darkness only temporarily dissipates with Cuchata however, it is around the corner in the next song.
Overall, this threesome is innovative, technically skillful, and entertaining. The sound is clean and impressively rich coming from a trio - albeit, a trio of true musicians educated and dedicated to the genre. The experience is either tranquilizing or invigorating - anything but mundane. Whether you're a world-music fan, or know very little, Cuchata is a guaranteed good-time bordering on guilty pleasure. Listen to relax, come to dance, or sit to be seduced. I prefer the latter.
