Team – Las Cafeteras

Leah Rose Gallegos

Vocals, Quijada, Hand Percussion, Zapateado, Melodica

Leah Rose Gallegos was born and raised in Highland Park, Northeast Los Angeles. She graduated from USC on a full soccer scholarship where she studied Chicana/o Studies. Upon an invitation to the US Women’s National Team, she tore her ACL, cutting her soccer career short. However, her next projects were to be just as fruitful. While rehabilitating her injury, she found remedy and healing in yoga. She quickly discovered the incredibly low access of yoga to communities of color. Leah and a good friend, Lauren Quan-Madrid co-founded People’s Yoga, the first and only yoga studio in East Los Angeles, dedicated to offering accessible and affordable yoga and holistic health practices while creating safe space for the people of communities where access is limited. People’s Yoga is women owned, thriving health and healing space. Leah found music by ceremony, learning song from curanderas. She later took Son Jarocho classes at Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural with her family in the San Fernando Valley. Leah is a proud vegan, lover of food and family and always carries a bottle of rosemary or lavender essential oil for quick limpias on-the-go.

Follow Leah @leahrosegallegos

Jose Guadalupe Cruz Cano

Drums, Cajon

The second born child of immigrant parents from Jalisco, Mex. Jose was born and raised in Oxnard, CA. He first started playing music in the middle school concert band. His first drum kit came in high school after watching some friends play at a family party and its been all about holding down the beat ever since. Afrobeat, reggae, funk, R&B are some of his main rhythm and drumming influences. Jose holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University Los Angeles. Soon after college he started several businesses and worked as a freelance design engineer before dedicating himself to music full time.

Sustainable living, the Dharma, biking, swimming in the ocean, running, boxing, community, art and culture are among some of his passions.

Follow Jose @canosonico

Denise Carlos, MSW

Vocals, Jarana Primera, Zapateado, Glockenspiel

Denise Carlos grew up in the Huntington Park neighborhood of South East L.A. with her older sister and parents. Her father is from Mexicali, Baja California and her mother from Amacueca, Jalisco and immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970’s to work and raise their family. One of Denise’s nicknames growing up was “Diantre”- meaning “little devil” in Spanish. Speaking mostly in double-entendres, she is known for her silly humor and comedic nature. Denise holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work with an emphasis on women and children from Loyola University, Chicago and works on the daily to help develop critical thought around community feminisms, sexuality, and self-love. She has been dancing folklorico for over half her life! When she is not with Las Cafeteras, you will find Denise zapateando with Ballet Folklórico de Los Angeles. Two of Denise’s favorite life teachings are “Que Viva La Vida” and “Dance as if nobody is watching.”

Follow Denise @niecey_cat

David Jesus Flores

Requinto

Born and raised in East LA and the San Gabriel Valley, David Flores is the second oldest of 6 brothers and sisters. He earned his Master’s Degree in Social and Cultural Analysis of Education from California State University, Long Beach. When not studying, playing futbol or music, David loves taking his Chicano culture to other parts of the country and world. It allows him to realize that life is much greater than himself. David is currently a Ph.D. candidate at UCLA.

Hector Paul Flores

Vocals, Jarana Tercera, Zapateado

Born in City Terrace, Hector Flores grew up in the Pan-Asian – Chicano neighborhoods of San Gabriel Valley and East LA. The oldest of 6 kids, his mom is from Morelia, Michoacán and his pops is from San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora. Growing up Hector listened to Al Green, Ana Gabriel, Sonora Dinamita, Tupac, The Cure, The Smiths, Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine. He graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a degree in Chicana/o Studies and worked as an organizer for 10 years in New Jersey, South LA, East Los Angeles. Hector loves playing anti-imperialist Soccer where the score is always 2-2, dancing Cumbia, watching documentaries, going to a Dodger Game, eating at new veggie-friendly restaurants, sneaking into movie theatres, and writing poetry.

Follow Hector @chuchumbe

Daniel Joel Jesus French

Vocals, Jarana Segunda, Keys

Hailing from the San Gabriel Valley (east of East LA) Daniel is the youngest of 3 siblings. He strums the jarana segunda, sings, MCs, & keys. In the summer of 2011 he drove across the continent documenting his family stories & is very proud of his Chicano, Mexican, Fronterizo, Mohawk, German, Italian, French, English & beyond backgrounds. He is passionate about oral histories, music, freestyling, & works as a full-time musician & storyteller. He most recently graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a B.A. in Sociology. He lives by this motto “Risk everything to live your dreams & know that mysterious forces will come to your aid.”

Follow Daniel @frenchismexican

Xocoyotzin Moraza

Requinto

Xocoyotzin Moraza (pronounced Sho-ko-yot-seen) is multi instrumental musician, born and raised in Southern California. He is a native of the city of Ventura, Ca. Xocoyotzin has been studying, researching, and performing a musical genre known as Son Jarocho for 32 years. He specializes in the performance of the Requinto Jarocho, the Veracruz harp, and the jarana jarocha, beginning at the age of 5 years old. Moraza comes from a family of musicians, including his father whom is a harpist, harp and string maker. Their ensemble is called Conjunto Alma Grande de la familia Moraza, and they have been performing regional Mexican music for nearly 45 years.

Xocoyotzin is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in ethnomusicology, and is regarded as a master of the son Jarocho musical genre, having studied and performed with some of the best in the world. He is currently a member of Conjunto Jarocho Zacamandú, under the direction of Master Tomas Herrera, and is also the harpist for his group Rey Fresco. Rey Fresco has shared the stage with such acts as Nas, Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, the Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, Toots and the Maytals, Jack Johnson, Incubus, Modest Mouse, Taj Mahal, Los Lobos, Sistema Bomb, Ozomatli, Lenny Castro and La Mata, and many others. Xocoyotzin Moraza has toured nationally and internationally, and will be graciously performing with Las Cafeteras, on the Requinto Jarocho.

Jorge Mijangos

Bass

Jorge Mijangos is a multi-instrumentalist, master Son Jarocho musician & luthier. Born in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico Jorge began playing music at the age of 5. He has since performed throughout the Americas at esteemed venues such as The Walt Disney Concert Hall, Santa Barbara Bowl as well as the NHCC. He currently lives in Ventura CA with his wife & newborn son where he teaches youth music & builds custom Son Jarocho musical instruments.