Los Mocochetes are cowinners for Outstanding Stage Presence – Colorado Sound Music Awards

Congrats to Los Mocochetes, who share a win this year for Outstanding Stage Presence, based on your votes

By Adam Perry

Vocalist and percussionist Jozer Guerrero of Los Mocochetes isn’t shy about why the pioneering Denver roots-music group, made up of musician-activists and musician-teachers, is known for its “chicano funk.”

“I’m pretty sure we chose that [description] because we were trying to win a funk award,” he says with a laugh. “Like, one time they were just kind of like, ‘Well, what do we nominate you as?’ and so we suggested ‘chicano funk.’

“The term ‘chicano’ is a part of the reason why – the term is meant to honor the past and then also to kind of say this is the present, this is what we are now, even though the term is old – and, in fact, it’s almost extinct in several places. We wanted to preserve that. And then, we thought the closest thing to at the time to our sound was funk, but we have outgrown that box for sure.”

Guerrero, a native of Juarez, says that Los Mocochetes has made it a point, for its almost 10-year history, to never get painted into a musical corner by sticking to a specific genre.

“Anytime things feel a little too comfortable,” he explains, “there has to be a curveball in there somewhere, because it feels too normal.”

Guerrero says the word “chicano” is important to him not just personally but musically, because it represents a melting pot rather than a group of outsiders, like ‘Latino’ might suggest for some people.

“We are American, and we are Mexican; we’re Mexican American,” Guerrero says. “We live in this duality. We have multiple options and multiple cultures that are clashing. I have this lyric that says ‘I have two conquering tongues that linger on my tongue.’ They both try to conquer each other.”

Los Mocochetes is the co-winner for this year’s Outstanding Stage Presence award, as voted by Colorado Sound listeners, and those who’ve witnessed a live Mocochetes show know that the group isn’t just trying to conquer audiences with protest-song angst and fierce energy, although it’s capable of both. Guerrero even says he’s greatly influenced by Lucha Libre wrestling culture, which has made a mark on the Mocochetes’ live show, and he has a background in theater.

The whole point of Los Mocochetes as a band, though, is delivering a message.

“We all came from protests and demonstrations,” Guerrero says of the band. “When we were kids, we were all there at all of these demonstrations, and one of the first things we wanted to do was write a chant song that folks can participate in. You feel like you’re part of the show. You commit more. So we tried to include different parts of our culture and our traditions on this, into our performance, from the start.”

Los Mocochetes begins its shows with honoring the four directions, and Guerrero sees that as not only culturally and spiritually meaningful but “from a theatrical lens, so cool when we’re all doing it together,” along with often dancing in unison and encouraging the audience to join in.

“A big thing for me [with performing] is code-switching back and forth from English to Spanish,” Guerrero says. “I thought that was really important, and I also thought, well, sometimes when folks heard the criticisms or the content, the things we’re talking about, oftentimes they be discouraged and they might have not continued to listen to the song. So what I saw is that sometimes when it was in Spanish, folks gave it a little bit longer. They also just kind of reacted to the music and how it made them feel without even realizing that they were just dancing to a pro-migrant song. It’s a great tool to have.”

When enjoying and, in our case this fall, celebrating the outstanding stage presence of Los Mocochetes, don’t forget the high-flying energy and enthusiasm of professional wrestling.

“The luchador thing is something that is also huge in Mexican culture,” Guerrero beams. “Those were our superheroes growing up. Of course, we knew about Superman and Spider-Man, but El Santo was the G.O.A.T., the real hero of Mexico. And for me, I come from a family of luchadores as well. I think all of those things are the natural drama of being chicano, of being who we are.”

Meet all of the 2024 Colorado Sound Music Award winners

On the Rise – the Trujillo Company

Colorado Spirit – Swallow Hill Music

Outstanding Stage Presence (tie) – Los Mocochetes

Outstanding Stage Presence (tie) – the Swashbuckling Doctors

Outstanding ‘Secret Ingredient’ – Fort Collins Musicians Association (FoCoMA)

Musician or Band You’d Drive 105.5. Miles to See – 2MX2

Meet all the winners and all our incredible 2024 Colorado Sound Music Award nominees

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