Internationally renowned conjunto Los Cenzontles (the Mockingbirds) dig deep into the rich vein of Mexican vernacular music, presenting polished gems both traditional and original.

A celebration of the endless variety and imagination of Mexican music, tonight's show weaves together a wide range of brightly colored threads, from tropical sones jarochos of Veracruz to contemporary ballads, from traditional mariachi with foot-stomping zapateado dancing to heart-wrenching rancheras from the Mexican countryside.

One of the special features of a Los Cenzontles show is the musicians' depth of knowledge of the traditional rural music and dance forms that lie at the roots of mariachi. One of the few groups currently exploring this unique branch of music, their performance features violins, guitarron (large bass guitar), vihuela (small guitar), and male and female vocal duets accompanying dancers, as heard on their recent album, Pasajero, A Journey of Time and Memory.

The group's parent organization, Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, in nearby San Pablo, has a two-decades-old history of teaching traditional arts as a means of strengthening youth, their families, and the local community.