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On Thursday, the lights are dim and the dance floor comes alive in the Sacramento State University Ballroom as Peligro Brass, a Latin band based in Sacramento, wraps up their jazzy Spanish brass cover of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) “by Eurythmics.
The group performed covers, originals and musical ensembles in an acoustic Latin brass format. The group performed songs in Spanish and English while adding their rhythms and Latin flair to their performance.
“I’ve never heard of anything like it before,†said Yuseli Campuzano, a social work student. “It’s really nice to see these songs become something different. It was a really interesting concept that I really liked.
Peligro Brass’s musical styles created an atmosphere that made the audience move their feet and take to the dance floor.
Michael Lapilusa takes center stage for a saxophone solo during the band’s performance at the University Union Ballroom on October 28, 2021. The song went into his solo smoothly without interrupting the beat.
“I think what’s really good about this band is the way they make people dance. I didn’t expect it, â€said Alana Mills, major in forensic chemistry.
Peligro Brass frontman Sam Miranda said he never really set out to make a statement or message with his music because it was just for fun.
“We didn’t know people were going to be really receptive to what we’re doing in terms of style, making these copper versions of some Latin stuff,†said Miranda.
The influence of Latin brass was not the only genre noticed Thursday night in the ballroom as jazz influences could also be found in the music.
“I really liked the way they incorporated some of those Latin music elements into their sound,†said Fatima Donato, nursing major. “I’m a new fan of jazz, and hearing this has been such a unique and personal experience for me.”
The band gained popularity for their cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Nina Simone. The group’s cover would earn them a vinyl release deal under Capital City Records in March.
Miranda added that whenever he writes original music he always incorporates his Latin roots, making it easier for him to create the Latin rhythms of Peligro Brass. He started Peligro Brass last year in August during the pandemic out of boredom and because of Sol Peligro’s hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Miranda was in the studio with their music video director and noticed an instrument that he didn’t know a friend of his could play before.
“We were in the process of reviewing this [music] video for Sol Peligro, and I look in the studio and I see this sousaphone and I ask, ‘Who is playing this?’ They said ‘Oh yeah, Jared [Collins], ‘â€Said Miranda. “I knew him, but I didn’t know how well he could play sousaphone. Long story short, I reached out and said, “Hey, maybe we should get together and play because I’m so bored to lose my mind.”
Miranda then asked some of the Sol Peligro horn players to join Peligro Brass, and they agreed because he said they were bored too.
Miranda said he was inspired by bands such as Argentina-based Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Los Angeles band Mariachi El Bronx.
“It’s easy because with me personally, when I write original tunes, I always think of the Latin style,†said Miranda. “It’s funny because, growing up, I was never into Latin music, I was a rocker when I was a kid. My writing style is always derivative, and I always draw from Latin roots. Nobody really does too much Latin beat and then gets English vocals on it. We [also] have songs that have Spanish voices on Latin rhythms.
The group incorporates the Latin style not only in their music, but also in the aesthetics of their clips and covers.
Chris Tadina, saxophonist and artist Peligro Brass, joined us last year when he was called by Miranda as he is also a member of Sol Peligro.
Tadina not only worked with Miranda musically on Peligro Brass, but also did the face painting and the skeleton cover inspired by “Dia de los Muertosâ€.
“We both had an idea,†Tadina said. “He just mentioned he wanted skeletons and then we had a bit of a chat about what that would look like. It’s pretty democratic, and Sam trusted my vision and my abilities.
Tadina’s face paint was shown in the group Musical clip for “Don’t let me be misunderstood”.
Aside from the in-house crafted art and aesthetic as Miranda described it, all audio and music video production is done by a band very close to the band called Cider Sessions.
Cider Sessions was started by Peligro Brass band members Jared Collins, Rob Keedy and Marco Guerrero.
Cider Sessions is described by Guerrero as his portrayal of the National Public Radio Tiny Desk, but for the company Two Rivers Cider.
Guerrero explained that he asked Miranda to record a Video of the cider sessions after seeing Sol Peligro perform at Holy Diver Bar in 2019.
” We have started with friends of friends, so we had a lot of folk and bluegrass musicians and a little bit of blues, because they were like word of mouth â€, Guerrero said. “From there we went from a strictly folk, grassy start to reggae, Latin bands, R & B, jazz and hip hop.”
Guerrero said they are slowly getting back to creating more videos of cider sessions on their Youtube channel after being forced to stop due to COVID-19 restrictions and the bbusy schedules between members.
Miranda said he hopes to create more inventive covers soon and perform around street corners or even in a taco truck to continue riding the band’s wave of popularity.
“There are no amps, nothing electric at all here, which is another crazy thing because we go from guitar amps and all that and big old drums to timpani, congas, horns and me, â€Miranda said. “I just hope that [listeners] take out is just a good time, fun, excitement [and] let go.
Miranda said the group will “shut down” during the winter to record and release new music.
