Los Pinguos
They came to the US from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a mixture of Latin rhythms, performed with Spanish guitars, a Cuban Tres, Peruvian cajón (box-drum) and harmonizing vocals. The five-member music ensemble Los Pinguos plays "Noche Buena," an original holiday song written by the band.
The story of Los Pinguos began in 1999 when Adrián Buono, José Agote, Juan Manzur and Juan Manuel Leguizamón formed the band to play in clubs, bars, and private parties throughout Buenos Aires. Their exciting, passionate live shows garnered a devoted fan base, inspiring the talented ensemble to pursue global attention.
So they packed their bags and headed north to the Californian shores. Newly arrived to the City of Angels in early 2001, Los Pinguos began playing at local bars such as The Latin Lounge, The Knitting Factory, Key Club, Temple Bar & Little Temple. As their popularity grew, they were invited to perform at the end-of-season party for the Fox hit television show Dharma & Greg.
It was when they started to perform for the crowds at Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade that the band realized their potential to reach a wide and diverse audience.
While performing, they were spotted by a talent scout who urged them to audition for a new television show, The Next Big Star, hosted and produced by Ed McMahon of Star Search fame. In spite of fierce competition from more seasoned groups, and being the only Latin band to perform, Los Pinguos won the audience vote and rightly claimed the Grand Prize.
Soon after this, bassist Santiago Lee joined the group, giving Los Pinguos a strong backbone and groove to the music. The new bass adds to the complexity of sounds from the vocals, the Cuban Tres (a guitar-like, six-string instrument with three double strings) and the Peruvian cajón, which is often played in “creole waltzes” and flamenco music.
Los Pinguos’ music has appeared in TV shows such as The Shield, The L Word, and is featured in the Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson film Imagining Argentina. The quintet has played with such artists such as Ozomatli, Paul Anka, Suzanne Vega and Plácido Domingo among many others.
www.lospinguos.com
