Cuchata - past festival performer
Falling somewhere between the traditional and the experimental, Cuchata's music is the very definition of Latin Alternative music, and arguably the only band of it's
kind in Seattle. Their entirely original compositions join afro-latin traditions with elements of rock, hip-hop, drum and bass, avante-garde jazz, dub reggae, afrobeat, and more. Certainly not a latin-jazz band, by no means salsa, rock en espanol, or cumbia, Cuchata borrows from all these genres and blends them with a rare fluency.

Cuchata was born out of guitarist/singer/songwriter Marcelo E. Quinonez's 1999 pilgrimage to his ancestral Nicaragua. There he discovered and fell under the spell of the country's rich musical heritage. Upon returning to the USA, he combined his new-found knowledge with his love of other Afro-Latin traditions to fashion a musical expression of his own. Joined by bassist Cody Rahn and percussionist Bryan Cook, Quinonez formed Cuchata in 2000. Their first release was a fascinating amalgam of influences from Nicaragua, Peru, Cuba and Columbia, with Caribbean-side Central American vocal flavors and Pampas rhythms from Paraguay and Argentina.
Since that time, Cuchata has grown musically, as has their intense desire to constantly update and hybridize their sound. Cuchata consistently strives to craft music that defies genres on one hand, yet fits neatly into many on the other. Their forthcoming release shows the diversity of their style, and their ability to integrate ancient and modern influences into a cohesive blend of original compositions.

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