Located in the center of Oaxaca de Juárez, Ignacio Carrillo and Lorena Vera live in a small townhouse filled with a mix of traditional African and Mexican instruments. They sing, dance, drum, play, teach – they are beyond musicians. Husband and wife, they are the leaders of Lorena y Los Alebrijes, one of the most famous musical groups that originate from Oaxaca; their award-winning music combines and transposes world, folk, jazz, and Chilena styles into the Oaxacan musical traditions they grew up with. Vera and Carrillo credit their talent to their strong musical background, where teachings were passed down from generation to generation.
Despite capturing an audience beyond the scope of Oaxaca, Lorena y Los Alebrijes remains a humble group. Carrillo emphasizes the fact that the group does not seek fame through performance; they want to showcase and pass down their art. A unique feature of Lorena y Los Alebrijes is that they work beyond the performance stage. They travel around local schools to help expose students to the rich musical landscape that Oaxaca has to offer. Combining history lessons with group musical instruction, Lorena y Los Alebrijes offers students the chance to explore topics such as the development of the Oaxacan coastal devil dance or the Oaxaca’s interpretation of the Chilena genre. To experience some of their work, visit https://myspace.com/losalebrijespercusion/music/songs
