Banda Nueva Tradición: A Perfect Blend of Tradition and Youth in Banda Sinaloense Music
By Oswell Reza
In a music industry as diverse as the Mexican one, Sinaloan banda music has maintained its prominent place over the years. Banda Nueva Tradición has positioned itself as one of the most promising and exciting groups within this genre. Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing some of its members, who traveled from South Sioux City to Omaha, NE, to share their most recent hits already playing on the radio.
Among the songs that have captured the public’s attention are ““Cuando Me Muera”, “Que Ya No Me Querías” and “Mis Hechos Ya Están Hablando”, all of them composed by the talented Rubén Esli Castellanos. This composer has left his mark on the music of Banda Nueva Tradición and other renowned groups of the genre, such as Banda el Recodo, Los Recoditos, and La Trakalosa de Monterrey. “We are very grateful to Rubén Esli for trusting us and being one of those who support our efforts. We have great esteem for him because he is very cool in addition to being talented, and we are lucky to be able to sing his compositions,” commented Emmanuel, one of the band vocalists.
The brain behind this successful group is Rolando Zermeño, who has worked tirelessly with the band for the last 10 years. With 26 years of experience in the musical field, Zermeño highlights that it all began with the intention of these young people to continue sharing the musical style of the Sinaloa band. “Working with young people is an enriching experience. Many of them started when they were children. Seeing them grow in different aspects of their lives fills me with pride since they are talented young people taking advantage of their time in something positive, in music, in enjoy it,” shared Sermeño. “We are completely dedicated to playing 100% Sinaloa music. We are 16 members, and what started as a hobby has become something more serious and professional,” he emphasized.
Although the Sinaloan band is the style that characterizes them, Emmanuel and Cornelio, who are the main vocalists of the group, say that, despite the great rise of other genres, such as corridos tumbados, they have tried to adapt without losing their essence. In many of their presentations, they are asked for different songs, and they must comply with songs that are not in their repertoire but that they know because they are prepared not to disappoint their followers.
“We all like the Sinaloan band but must adapt to the market. Yes, everything changes, but we try to maintain our tradition. We can be versatile, but the essence of what we play is what characterizes us,” expressed Emmanuel. For his part, Cornelio explained that pleasing the public is part of his job, and although they may not like some genres or they are not what they play, they do it with pleasure because they know how to adapt.
Among the members with whom I had the opportunity to talk are:
- Juan (Trumpet): 16 years old and four years of experience in the band. He likes playing within the band, and he wants everyone to reach a greater level.
-Beto Ortiz (Armonía, Charcheta): 16 years old, he likes music and enjoys seeing people singing his songs. In addition to his passion for music, he dedicates himself to studying and fighting as a sport.
- Brandon (Tubero and Trumpet): 17 years old, but with 10 years of experience in music. His parents were the ones who supported him to follow his dream of entering the world of music.
- Chris (Trombone): At 21 years old and almost 10 years in the band, Chris is one of the oldest members. He greatly enjoys being with his colleagues, whom he considers his second family.
- Bryan (Trombone): At 23 years old and with 10 years in the group, Bryan strives to be a good example for the rest of the boys who are younger than him.
- Mateo (Tarolero): At 7 years old, Mateo is the youngest in the band. Taught by his father, Mr. Rolando Sermeño, Mateo demonstrated great talent and passion for music from an early age.
- Emmanuel and Cornelio (Vocalists): Successful young people who not only enjoy, but feel each of the songs with great passion for art.
The band, which has members from Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guanajuato, has been characterized by its approach: a good mix of experience and youth. With members ranging from 20 to 30 years old, they have managed to adapt and support each other to make this path a successful career that promises to continue delighting their followers. 90% of Banda Nueva Tradición’s performances are by hire, so if you are interested in having good banda music at your party or celebration, you can contact them by calling the number: (712) 899-4156
