Don Palabraz

On Sunday night, three of the five nominees in this year’s Orange County Music Awards Best Latin category performed together sharing the stage with Commonwealth Lounge residency band The Good Cousins. Nancy Sanchez, who took home Best Jazz in the ceremony held earlier this month at the Grove of Anaheim, performed acoustically and was joined onstage by a guest musician from the Duck Soup Trio for a couple of upright bass and vocal jazz standards.

Next up were jarocho-rockers ¡Aparato! They turned in an innovative set that included newer songs like ‘Aurora’ as well as their original material. The band sure hoists a lot of different instruments, but who doesn’t love Mexican rockers that deploy a guitarrón for pulsating bass lines? Special musical guest Mary Alfaro joined them for a couple songs playing accordion and singing like on the set closer “Quiero Ver” featured above (keep her!) Signa, with things running a little behind schedule, closed the night out with their clean Latin Alternative rock sounds.

¡Aparato! currently has an IndieGoGo campaign to fund completion of their first full length album. More on the later. Until then, enjoy the music!