Las Cafeteras’ Night of Living Memory

Episode SummaryHector Flores of Las Cafeteras joins Steve to talk about Hasta La Muerte, the group’s Day of the Dead production arriving at SFJAZZ. He traces the band’s East L.A. activist roots, how son jarocho meets hip-hop and spoken word, and why participation—dancing, singing, dressing up—turns a concert into a communal ritual. Hector shares how Cocosparked a new wave of writing, why La Catrina becomes “La Santa de los Muertos,” and how a reimagined La Llorona story reframes grief as love.Hector Flores — vocalist, writer/poet, co-founder of Las Cafeteras (East L.A.). Community organizer turned bandleader; bridges traditional son jarocho with hip-hop cadence, dance, and poetry.Activist beginnings in East L.A. and how a collective became a bandThe sonic palette: jarana, requinto, leona, Afro-Colombian percussion, Indigenous drums, and tasteful electronicsWriting from lived experience: poems that become songs and stage narrativesHasta La Muerte onstage: five dancers, four musicians, vivid visuals, and storytelling through music and movementReimagining icons: La Catrina as La Santa de los Muertos; a compassionate retelling of La LloronaWhy audience participation matters: “come in costume,” sing, and dance—treat the hall like a plazaLimited-run vinyl at the merch table (cast and crew-signed)What’s next for the production beyond the West CoastHasta La Muerte — Las CafeterasDate: Friday, October 31Venue: Miner Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center, 201 Franklin St., San FranciscoShowtime: 7:30 PM PT • Tickets via SFJAZZ. sfjazz.orgLas Cafeteras (official): https://lascafeteras.comHasta La Muerte (about): https://lascafeteras.com/hasta-la-muerteLas Cafeteras on Instagram: https://instagram.com/lascafeterasTickets (SFJAZZ): https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/las-cafeteras-hasta-la-muerte/ sfjazz.orgBackstage Bay Area: https://www.backstagebayarea.com“Hasta la Muerte” (official performance clip) — embed or link from Las Cafeteras’ channel“Esta Noche” — sample the group’s energy and instrumentationHost & Producer: Steve Roby — Backstage Bay AreaGuest: Hector Flores (Las Cafeteras)Editing/Mix: Backstage Bay AreaMusic used with permission of the artist.If you enjoyed this episode, follow and rate Backstage Bay Area on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Share the episode and tag @lascafeteras and @sfjazz to spread the word.#LasCafeteras #HastaLaMuerte #DiaDeLosMuertos #SFJAZZ #BackstageBayArea #BayAreaMusic #SonJarocho #EastLA