Arboles Libres

Arboles Libres frontman Juan "Nacho" Londono describes what happened on a recent Saturday night at Fort Lauderdale's Green Room as "mind reading." Midway through the experimental folk-rock band's set, Londono's guitar pedal broke. The rocker stopped strumming, but his bandmates, drummer Anthony Genovese and guitarist Eddie Moreno, played on. Moreno covered for Nacho by laying down an improvised guitar riff while Genovese banged the drums more furiously, setting off a wave of noise. Londono plugged his Gibson into the guitar amp.

"We had no effects, no delay, no tube screamer, and it's like they know, instinctively, to start jamming. Full recovery," the 29-year-old singer says. "Our music is just in complete disarray most of the time, so we don't think too many people noticed. We're like a family unit up there having some chill moments."

Expect the band's camaraderie and – if you believe it – clairvoyance, to appear fully intact when Arboles Libres plays Miami's Bardot nightclub Friday night, supporting its first album, "Father," released in July. The title is a nod to Arboles' first EP, "Mother," named to honor the compassion of Moreno's mom, who let Londono reside with the family in 2008 shortly after he relocated from Colombia to South Florida.

"It was me living in Kendall, going for success all alone, but I didn't have many friends there," recalls Londono, who formed Arboles Libres in early 2009 with Moreno. "His mom was really nice, really sweet and caring, who made me home cooking and was somebody I could talk to. We would jam in the house, playing guitar superloud, drinking beer, and she would get real excited instead of angry."

Londono says the band developed its raw fuzz-rock and high-flying folk-psychedelia from Moreno's catalog of hundreds of songs, which he says strikes a fine balance between "melody and mayhem." "When you go into me and Eddie's car, you hear some Paul Simon on the stereo. But when you go into Anthony's car, you hear some hardcore Mastodon," he says of the band's influences.

Londono penned many of the tracks on "Father" with Moreno, including "Yellow Man," a song about overcoming fears about success, and "Dry Your Tears," about moving on from chaotic relationships. The cuts allude to the band's solidarity in the wake of personal strife: When a bandmate would break up with his girlfriend, for example, the band would commiserate. When they caught their talent manager stealing gig money from the group, Arboles Libres united and booked venues by themselves.

"We are telling our story, the band's history," Londono says of the album. "When it comes to Arboles Libres, we bring the song really raw, straight acoustic. Everything we write is in acoustic first. We never rehearse that much, and then Anthony jumps in to start experimenting with effects and timing. We become like this gang, drinking, playing music, partying together like really good brothers."

- Sun Sentinal

"Try to put them in one category, and you can't. Arboles Libres are just what their name implies, free. Free from the boundaries of genrefication, free from the pressures of a band that began with visions of grandeur and free from the self-confining, self-defeating nature of musicians determined to be artists of a certain type. That freedom comes from the very honest nature of the band's beginnings, and the resignation to create a naturally flowing experimental sound."

- Christopher Lopez

"According to Arboles Libres' good buddy and label boss, Forward Motion Records exec Fernando Perdomo, this three-man crew of folksy Spanglish psychedelicists "can read each other's minds." And no doubt, there is proof of telepathy in the band's recorded output, especially sonic trips such as "The Spirit Of" and "Yellow Man." The songwriting is hyperintuitive, totally effortless, and superevolved. But live, that's when you can really hear (and sometimes see) the psychic energy pinging back and forth among frontman Juan "Nacho" Londono, guitar guy Eddie Moreno, and drummer Anthony Genovese. Somehow, even in moments of complete disarray, Los Arboles makes it all seem perfectly seamless. Case in point: A midnight set at Tobacco Road on Friday, November 11, 2010. One cut ends and the next, "Comienzos," begins with a silent countdown — one, two, three, four — as Nacho and Eddie ramble into the opening guitar riff and Anthony starts banging away. Nacho leans over the mike, smiling behind long hair. A cigarette dangles from Eddie's bottom lip while he eats a plate of French fries between drags and chord changes. And Anthony is so excited that he can't sit down. But then Nacho's guitar self-destructs, four strings suddenly snapping. And just when lesser outfits might stop, stall, or step offstage, Los Arboles roll with the chaos. Eddie runs off to do repairs, Anthony rips into a drum solo, and Nacho leads a spontaneous sing-along as "Comienzos" corkscrews into completely unforeseen territory. It's a song set free by disaster. And it's being rewritten on the fly by a band blessed with collective consciousness, total fearlessness, and a strange sonic connection to the flow of the universe." - Miami New Times

WFK: What music did you grow up with?

Nacho: First bands I started listening to: Black Sabbath, The Doors.

How did you get introduced to that?

My neighbor, he was a metal player.

How has that influenced your music?

In everything! It was the first (kind of) music I listened to. I feel that no matter what happens those are the bands you’ll always remember. That’s the sound I’ve always created, it goes back to that era the 60s, 70s….

Favorite Bands: Old time Lioness, and Black Sabbath

Last vinyl? Last album I bought, The Allman Brothers.

The album you’d like someone to give you for a special occasion? The Allman Brothers

What do you find in music you can’t find any place else? It’s just something I can really identify (with), it makes me feel normal, and it’s something I can relate to. It’s being part of something that influences my life.

- Fordistas

"Bands like Arboles Libres, Locos Por Juana and Hello Seashorse! are just a few making their mark in the US through festivals like SXSW and Coachella or by winning music awards.

Miami-based band Arboles Libres which means 'Free Trees' in Spanish is one of the newest groups in the industry, but already the three-year-old band has performed at SWSX and were invited to perform for Marc Anthony in an exclusive addition for the show 'Q'Viva'.

Comprised of singer Juan Ignacio (Nacho) Londono, guitarist Eddie Moreno, and drummer Anthony Genovese, Arboles Libres just released their first album this summer called 'Father' and are slated to start touring at the end of this year.

"We love what we do and we want to travel the world on tour," says Londoro."

- MSN Latino

"Arboles Libres, is a band we should all be proud of. If Friday at The Vagabond was your first encounter with the bilingual trio, your infatuation for them might’ve been the same as love at first sight. If you already know them, you are a fan head over heels for band." - Pamela Wasabi

"Then Arboles Libres took the stage. Lead singer Nacho looked like an extra from a telenovela. And on the opposite side of the stage, lead guitarist Eddie Spaghetti was hunched over a hollow body electric guitar.

And they tore it up. They tore it up like their parents were in the audience. In fact, Arboles Libres may have been the best part of the evening, imploring onlookers to get out of their seats to provide standing ovations or spontaneously start three-person mosh pits." - Ric Delgado - Miami New Times

Arboles Libres celebrate the release of their debut CD “Father” at The Vagabond in Miami on Friday July 27, 2012. - Dig Under Rock Photos by Teajay

Ignited with a quick flare of feedback, “Andar” bursts into the band’s signature transitional rhythmic rock. Like on the 2010 EP, “Andar” is a folk-rock jam that, while entirely cohesive, jumps tempos and boasts stellar individual contributions. - Beached Miami

There's no telling why this band chose to call itself Arboles Libres ("Free Trees"), but it does convey a sense that they're freely breaking down barriers on this five song set. - Crossfade

With a hint of blues added as garnish, this rock duo — sometimes trio, sometimes quartet — has such a unique sound that one easily loses his sorrow and becomes enraptured by the music reverberating against the walls of the venue. - Kevin P. Nelson

Many a decadent Magic City bash has been declared a success despite the fact that sloshed attendees can’t even remember what went down. But Miami-based arts therapy project Local Impact takes the opposite approach. For three months, beginning in January, the nonprofit staged a weekly jam session for Alzheimer’s patients at the Easter Seals South Florida Memory Gym and documented every minute. - Brian Griffiths

?Fans of anything Neil Young should plan on going to the Neil Young Tribute Show tomorrow at The Gibson Showroom. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Neil's Charity, The Bridge School. You can expect performances and covers done by The Westar, Rachel Goodrich, Jacob Jeffries, Jim Camacho, Juke, Arboles Libres, King Bee, Dreams in Stereo, Ex-Norwegian, Bridget Davis, Sam Friend, Derric Bonnot, Derek Cintron and Nil Lara. - Christine Borges

It's inevitable ... Sometime this Saturday-night-slash-Sunday-morning your half-drunk ass will find itself wandering, like a partied-out zombie, through the near-abandoned labyrinth of weird, winding roads that buffer Transit and those temporary Miami Music Festival tents from the banker-bustle of Brickell. But wait, before you pass out and puke on that lonely patch of median grass, there's one last, totally essential showcase -- the SESAC. And lucky for zombified you, the band you're most amped (or semi-conscious) for, Arboles Libres, doesn't start banging around onstage till the latest possible hour. - S. Pajot

This past February, as a trifle, two buddies got together to jam through free-form guitar exercises while smoking a bowl for the good of mankind. It should have been a one-time thing, but it took root, grew wildly, and flowered excessively. Now, almost a year later, that early impermanent duo has become a fully focused (though blissfully baked) trio called Arboles Libres. - S. Pajot

It's inevitable ... Sometime this Saturday-night-slash-Sunday-morning your half-drunk ass will find itself wandering, like a partied-out zombie, through the near-abandoned labyrinth of weird, winding roads that buffer Transit and those temporary Miami Music Festival tents from the banker-bustle of Brickell. - S. Pajot

It's inevitable ... Sometime this Saturday-night-slash-Sunday-morning your half-drunk ass will find itself wandering, like a partied-out zombie, through the near-abandoned labyrinth of weird, winding roads that buffer Transit and those temporary Miami Music Festival tents from the banker-bustle of Brickell. - S. Pajot

The Jean Marie, Arboles Libres, Pretty Please, and Static Moon
Churchill's Pub, Miami
Friday, September 4, 2009

Better Than: Paying 20 bucks to loiter at your favorite lackluster South Beach club and end up holding your best friend's hair back in the WC

The Review:

Despite a pretty stellar local lineup, this past Friday night Churchill's was devoid of anyone besides the usual patrons. "They think the rain's acid," opined doorman Chris Hubbard, glancing at the faithful few. The previous evening, he said, only six people had come to the scheduled show. (Well, technically five -- there was a refund to consider.) And though at 8:30 on Friday, things looked bleak, within two hours the pub's empty dance floor filled up with spastic dancing and head bobs.

The evening began with a set by John Paul Sindoni, who performs as Static Moon. While a talented multi-instrumentalist, Sindoni seems to fancy himself the next Trent Reznor, with lyrics evoking the typical LiveJournal post on loneliness and the decay of human existence. This was mostly set to a unimpressive use of four strings on a massively down-tuned guitar.

But the music took an upswing with the next set, by Arboles Libres. The local trio -- comprised of Juan Londono, Eddie Moreno, and Anthony Genovese -- got the crowd off its feet, effortlessly weaving through a barrage of chords and blues licks that would make Eric Clapton blush.


They were followed by Pretty Please, who a local quartet who plays a funky mashup of wobbly basslines and riot grrl-inspired choruses. Think Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls and the B-52's playing together in a Tarantino film.

And finally, the Jean Marie, whose set began after bassist Jeff James made his way from the control booth to take his place onstage. Always local favorites, they fed off of Pretty Please's residual amped-up energy, and got the already excited crowd whipped into a frantic dance. Percussionist Geneva Harrison anchored the funky rhythm section with an array of experimental techniques, complimenting vocalist Jordan Davidson's desperately pleading voice.

And although the attendance overall was relatively sparse, those who braved the roads of Little Haiti on Friday got something better than a show. It was an early chance to listen to acts poised to storm the sacred space on your radio dial.
- MNT

The Jean Marie, Arboles Libres, Pretty Please, and Static Moon
Churchill's Pub, Miami
Friday, September 4, 2009

Better Than: Paying 20 bucks to loiter at your favorite lackluster South Beach club and end up holding your best friend's hair back in the WC

The Review:

Despite a pretty stellar local lineup, this past Friday night Churchill's was devoid of anyone besides the usual patrons. "They think the rain's acid," opined doorman Chris Hubbard, glancing at the faithful few. The previous evening, he said, only six people had come to the scheduled show. (Well, technically five -- there was a refund to consider.) And though at 8:30 on Friday, things looked bleak, within two hours the pub's empty dance floor filled up with spastic dancing and head bobs.

The evening began with a set by John Paul Sindoni, who performs as Static Moon. While a talented multi-instrumentalist, Sindoni seems to fancy himself the next Trent Reznor, with lyrics evoking the typical LiveJournal post on loneliness and the decay of human existence. This was mostly set to a unimpressive use of four strings on a massively down-tuned guitar.

But the music took an upswing with the next set, by Arboles Libres. The local trio -- comprised of Juan Londono, Eddie Moreno, and Anthony Genovese -- got the crowd off its feet, effortlessly weaving through a barrage of chords and blues licks that would make Eric Clapton blush.


They were followed by Pretty Please, who a local quartet who plays a funky mashup of wobbly basslines and riot grrl-inspired choruses. Think Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls and the B-52's playing together in a Tarantino film.

And finally, the Jean Marie, whose set began after bassist Jeff James made his way from the control booth to take his place onstage. Always local favorites, they fed off of Pretty Please's residual amped-up energy, and got the already excited crowd whipped into a frantic dance. Percussionist Geneva Harrison anchored the funky rhythm section with an array of experimental techniques, complimenting vocalist Jordan Davidson's desperately pleading voice.

And although the attendance overall was relatively sparse, those who braved the roads of Little Haiti on Friday got something better than a show. It was an early chance to listen to acts poised to storm the sacred space on your radio dial.
- Miami New Times

I headed to PS-14 with a hopeless attitude towards the state of Miami's art; I had just come from the monthly Wynwood Art Walk. But as I stepped into the tiny venue and heard the familiar folk rock sounds coming from a band known as Arboles Libres, I was soon reminded that maybe art wasn’t so monotonously created. Within a span of seven or eight songs, Arboles Libres gave me everything I had been looking for all night.

Arboles Libres is a band that is free from the confines of a genre. What they bring to the stage is a dynamic fusion of folk rock delivered on a plate of mixed English and Spanish. With a hint of blues added as garnish, this rock duo — sometimes trio, sometimes quartet — has such a unique sound that one easily loses his sorrow and becomes enraptured by the music reverberating against the walls of the venue.

The trio started out light, with a heartfelt "Dry Your Tears." But soon they began getting into songs such as "Estoy" and "Father." These are the tracks that allow the group to truly break off and jam. The band was most amazing when Nacho and Eddie stroked a match to their energy levels by strumming and picking at their respected guitars so that it seemed as if only one person was providing the unified twangs being belted into the crowd. Then, the song’s tempo dropped, and the band began a hypnotic breakdown of harmonica blows and guitar tweaks that you wish would never end.

This was the first time I caught them with a drummer, who only made each track that much funkier. There isn’t an aspect of the band that doesn’t work, and they produce rhythms that stay with you beyond the morning after. The slower songs are so beautiful that they make you want to pull over the closest dancing member of your preferred sex for a big fat kiss. Then when both pairs of eyes are opened again, you two smile as you stand atop a golden grass summit of rolling hills that overlooks a valley consuming the sunset — instead of the cramped, muggy space in the center of Miami.

Sure, I exaggerate, but this is where the strength of the band’s music can be found. Arboles Libres has the strength to effortlessly lift you up by the corners of your clothes, and they have the good will to drop you off in a more beautiful state of mind than you came with. The funny thing is, they thank you for showing up to hear them play, yet by the time you leave — you’ll want to thank them. - Outloud magazine