Los Mocosos

Los Mocosos is Pero El Malo (vocals), Happy Sanchez (bass), Roberto Quintana (percussion), Sebastian Ponti (drums), Gordon Ramos (saxophone), Joe Kaline (saxophone), and Steve Carter (keyboards).

The band's name says a lot about them. "We like to translate it as 'The Little Latin Rascals,' " Happy explains. "Like a bunch of mischievous kids, creating havoc. I was actually producing a compilation and there was enough room left on the disc for me to sneak in a track. So I wrote a song in the studio that day and got some of my friends from the neighborhood to put it together. We needed a spontaneous, absurd name for this band that didn't really exist." When Happy began getting calls asking about the band from their local radio play, that's when Los Mocosos solidified.

Shades of Brownis the band's debut album. Elements of Latin, funk, Jamaican ska, all blend together to create Los Mocosos' unique style.

"We used to tell people Los Mocosos was like Tower of Power meets Tito Puente," Happy says.

The effortless transitional motion between styles really represents the mix of influences defining Los Mocosos. In this way, the music of Shades of Brown depicts life in the barrio. "We wanted to say that we're all in the same boat. That's what a barrio is all about. It's not about being Latino. Our barrio includes Irish, Asian immigrants, dotcom kids..."

— Courtesy Calabash Music