Son Monarcas
Son Monarcas is a Latin Folk Fusion ensemble led by Mercedes Inez Martinez and Irekani Ferreyra based in the Chicago neighborhoods of Garfield Park and Pilsen.
Watch Son Monarcas’ Performance
Son Monarcas is a Latin Folk Fusion ensemble led by Mercedes Inez Martinez and Irekani Ferreyra based in the Chicago neighborhoods of Garfield Park and Pilsen. Son Monarcas works within music, dance, and education and focuses on the immigrant experience of living within two worlds at the same time. Like the monarch butterfly, they take you on a musical migration from the USA to Latin America by fusing indie soul with traditional son & cumbia. Son Monarcas hopes to continue the tradition of keeping traditional Latin folk music and dance alive through education while creating new music that speaks to the bicultural experience. They are currently working on upcoming new singles, videos, and a vinyl album which was made possible in part by the City of Chicago DCASE. Upcoming collaborations are performances with the Chicago Children's Choir and a new play at Loyola University Chicago. Organizations they are associated with are Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance,Urban Gateways & Chicago Public Schools.
Come along with Son Monarcas as they take you on a musical migration, like that of the monarch butterfly. Led by Mercedes Inez and Irekani Ferreyra, Son Monarcas fuse their musical styles of traditional Mexican folk with indie soul and jazz to create a new sound that reflects the multiculturalism that is Chicago. They will be performing original music from their first album "La Sirena de la Frontera" and new songs from their upcoming album, as well as interpretations of traditional Latin folk music. Son Monarcas will be playing traditional Mexican folk instruments like the "requinto jarocho" and "jarana jarocha", as well as accordion, guitar, violin, and zapateado dance, in addition to electronic loopers for voice and instruments.
Above photo by Jennifer Lucero
