JahZooNē Blogs

“You might think it’s crazy. To pick up and leave a budding career in Central Texas for cold showers and chicken buses in Central America. To live out of a suitcase in El Salvador, where volcanoes and poverty are too big to miss. All just to teach kids who don’t speak your language and live with nuns for nine months? Maybe you’re right. It is crazy. Then again, maybe you wish you could come, too…” – gina

That was the story last year when acoustic Latin rock artist Gina Chavez left the Live Music Capital for a gang-dominated suburb of San Salvador. Since her return, she has established Austin 4 El Salvador, a college scholarship fund for girls who live in the school where she taught English. She has also united with producer and Charanga Cakewalk frontman, Michael Ramos (John Mellencamp, BoDeans, Rembrandts, Patty Griffin). The collaboration produced her latest single, Miles de Millas (2000 miles), a haunting bilingual Cumbia featuring slide guitar, accordion and charango.

Gina’s sound has been described as a cross between Sheryl Crow and Selena. Her percussive Ani-like guitar playing pounds the backbeat for soaring, Joni-like vocals that are set to rootsy, Latin rhythms to forge an energetic, thought-provoking yet playful live performance.

Since the 2007 release of her debut album, Hanging Spoons, Gina has toured with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, shared the stage with Grupo Fantasma and Charanga Cakewalk, and represented the City of Austin on The Sound is Brown 2008 compilation, as well as at international competitions and national conferences in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Las Vegas. She is accompanied by Austin musicians Roel Martinez (Second Day Red) on lead guitar, Kenneth Null (Bocastria) on electric and double bass, Sammy Foster on drums, keys and glockenspiel, and Jerry Ronquillo on percussion.

Gina Chavez Official Web Site