Jenny and the Mexicats

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Jenny and the Mexicats came together via unusual circumstance. British singer and trumpet player Jenny Ball, a born performer, began playing music at age seven. At eighteen, she was touring Spain as part of an orchestra when she met bassist Luis “Icho” Díaz. Staying in touch, they had grand musical dreams but no plans. Two years later, Jenny decided to move to Spain on a whim, although she spoke not one word of Spanish and still didn’t have a plan. Hooking up with flamenco guitarist Alfonso “Pantera” Acosta who had been in a rockabilly band with Icho, the threesome recruited famous cajón player David Gonzalez, a friend of Icho’s, for percussion. Sensing Jenny’s urge for adventure, not to mention her talent, the Mexicats knew they had something very special on their hands. Rehearsing for two months, their first gig was at a small annual festival in the United Kingdom, which resulted in a big buzz on this “cool band that played a crazy hybrid of seriously danceable Latin pop.” Jenny and the Mexicats were on their way.

What they’ve done with those influences is create this really impressive mix of rockabilly, cumbia, jazz, flamenco, and they perform it in both English and in Spanish.

—NPR Music