The Villalobos Brothers, who grew up in Xalapa, Mexico and are now based in New York City, play their own distinctive version of contemporary Mexican music, drawing inspiration from jazz, rock, classical, and traditional Mexican folk to deliver a message of love, brotherhood, and social justice.

Ernesto, Alberto, and Luis Villalobos were all violin prodigies, playing at an early age with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and the national symphony orchestras of Cuba and Peru. Ernesto left Mexico in 2000 to study at the Manhattan School of Music on a Fullbright, Alberto left in 2002 to study at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and Luis left in 2003 to study at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in Germany. They reunited for a concert at Carnegie Hall in 2005, and since then they’ve played Shea Stadium and the Apollo Theater, performed at the Latin Grammy Awards and at the Kofi Annan Gala at the United Nations, and collaborated with such artists as Eduardo Magallanes, Arturo O'Farrill, Antonio Sanchez, Dan Zanes, and Dolly Parton.

The band features Ernesto, Alberto, and Luis on violin and lead vocals, artistic director Humberto Flores on guitar and back-up vocals, Leo Sherman on bass, and Rosa Avila on drums. Their latest album, Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, is a tour de force of virtuoso musicianship, and their high-energy live performances often feature poetry, masks, and other theatrical elements.

Originally from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Diana Gameros is a singer, composer, and music instructor. Gameros creates music that reflects the 21st century experiences of an indie artist at the borderlands between cultures, languages, and genres.

Now living in California, Gameros has played with many Bay Area favorites, including the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the Magik*Magik Orchestra and the Patrick Wolff Sextet, and has opened concerts for Bebel Gilberto, Latin Grammy winners La Santa Cecilia, latin Grammy nominee Ximena Sariñana and many other national and international artists. In 2013 Diana released her first album Eterno Retorno, a soulful retrospective of her journey as an immigrant. In October of 2014 Gameros received the Emerging Leader Award from the Chicana/Latina Foundation for her work in music and her support to social justice movements. Gameros music and story have been featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered, NPR’s Alt. Latino Podcast, Public Radio International - The World and PBS Newshour.

Gameros is currently composing new music for her next album which will be co-produced by Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade. Thomas Edler - upright bass, Patrick Wolff - clarinet and tenor saxophone. 

Listen to a track from Villalobos Brothers:

visit the Villalobos Brothers website

visit the Diana Gameros website