You know their voice when you hear them. They have been around for decades.
Now, Los Macorinos, consisting of guitarists Juan Carlos Allende and Miguel Peña, have released their first instrumental album called us.
As a guitar duo, Los Macorinos have a distinct style. Peña plays the rhythm base, some harmony and some flourishes. Allende plays the tune. Sometimes their sound is a fusion of South American musical traditions, as in the song shadows. Other times their sound is steeped in the Mexican style of ranchera guitar, as in classical The cross of oblivion.
“They lift our spirits with their music, always entertaining and always aware of the beauty in every note they play,” says singer Lila Downs.
Allende and Peña began playing as a duet when Chavela Vargas recruited them to accompany her on a legendary comeback tour in 2003. They suited her needs with a rare and intimate style. Peña says Vargas didn’t just sing, he broadcast it.
“Every word had a purpose. When she said ‘Drink this bottle with me!’ she would say it in a way that would transfer her intention to the audience,” he says. Their working relationship lasted 10 years, until her death in August 2012.
But long before they started dating Vargas, Allende and Peña had separate and remarkable careers. Allende was a cellist in a symphony orchestra in Argentina (he later switched to classical guitar). Peña had a full-time job as guitarist for Mexican pop singer José José.
Over the years, they have worked with several artists who admire their sound. In early 2017, Allende and Peña were invited to record two albums with pop singer Natalia Lafourcade. That year, Lafourcade’s first album with Allende and Peña, titled The Muses, Volume 2.won a Latin Grammy.
Singer Eugenia León, who is executive producer us Pena and Allende attribute their success to having a special stamp.
“Their work encapsulates an important period in the history of Mexican music, which culminates with their work as Los Macorinos,” says Leon. “And with this album, I’m sure many young musicians will follow their school.”
Violinist, guitarist and singer Ernesto Anaya agrees. He says Allende and Peña are the unsung heroes behind many projects, but at the end of the day, what matters is who they are as musicians.
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