The Villalobos Brothers return Bend

Published 12:30 pm Wednesday, January 8, 2025

A couple of years ago, The Villalobos Brothers performed in Bend, bringing with them their unique (and very fun) blend of traditional Mexican folk music, classical music and Latin jazz. At the time, one of the brothers, Ernesto told The Bulletin about how that sound came to be.

The brothers’ background story — which begins around a kitchen table in their home region of Veracruz, Mexico, where they listened to their grandmother play music — is as interesting as their music.

“(We) started off as contemporary classical, after many years of conservatories and learning the European tradition of counterpoint and harmony and style. But after a while, we decided we also wanted to sing and have fun and relax on stage and recreate the traditional group jams that one encounters in Veracruz,” Ernesto said. “So our stage music adapted and we started writing our own songs, borrowing elements from Mexican folklore and adding the rhythms and groove of Son Jarocho, the indigenous music of our state.”

Since then, The Villalobos Brothers have won awards, collaborated with dance companies and jazz giants, and performed at esteemed venues and events across the globe, such as Carnegie Hall and the Montreal Jazz Festival. And after their return performance at Bend’s Tower Theatre on Sunday, they’ll present a special educational matinee for 400 Central Oregon students on Monday. That’s pretty cool!

The Villalobos Brothers: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, doors open 6:30 p.m., $24-$54, Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall Street, Bend, towertheatre.org.