Gabe Nieto: country mixed with jazz and mariachi

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Gabe Nieto & the Jalapeno Express hosted a CD release party in Austin's Oasis Club, Sunday, Nov. 9.

Our former South Carolina/now-SA resident correspondent Wayne Zamora (Latin Connection Magazine) checked it out in this report:

Living in South Carolina I hear a lot of country music, beach music (beach music is not the Beach Boys), hip-hop, and Latin music.

I'm sorry to say that Tejano music isn't in the Latin play in South Carolina. But getting back to Gabe Nieto and his new CD "A Better Life," I have never had the opportunity to hear country music performed with a mixture of jazz and the mariachi sound. Hence the term country-achi. 

(Photos courtesy of Wayne Zamora)

Country blended with jazz and mariachi sound is something you got to hear. The trumpet horn makes a big difference. Wow! What a sound definitely different and good. Latinos have come a long way. A Tejano artist like Gabe Nieto can definitely mix the genres extremely well. The last time I heard a Latino playing country was back in the '70's. It was Freddy Fender and Johnny Rodriguez. I don't think there's been anyone since but I could be wrong.

Now we have Gabe Nieto and just recently Gabe Garcia one of the top contestants in the Nashville Star show and also Shawn Mayer who is part Latina. 

Let me say that country music with Latin flavor could make a big change in the country music industry especially since the Latinos will represent about a ¼ of the U.S. population very soon.

Gabe Nieto, the country-achi and the Jalapeno Express is a group you definitely need to hear. The Jalapeno Express consists mostly of Hispanic musicians who produce the country-achi sound with the mixture of country with New Mexico sounds & traditions.

Gabe Nieto's new CD is available on iTunes & www.gabenieto.com

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