Album Notes

New York's tropi-pop quintet Grupo Fiesta is among a handful of U.S.-bred Latin bands that have fully embraced the marriage between catchy American pop with the hip-shaking irresistibility of Latin dance rhythms. Never mind the bleached out, non-threatening pop of Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, Grupo Fiesta is the kind of band that could help redefine what Latin pop means in this country. Led by Ecuadorian-expat guitarist/songwriter Cecilia Villar, Grupo Fiesta strikes a perfect balance between Afro-Latin dance-hybridized salsa, merengue and danzon-with a jam-oriented pop sense. Sueño ("Dream"), the group's debut album, highlights Fiesta's ease at writing accessible bilingual dance grooves that flow with sensual and soulful Latin balladry, where the clave or the cowbell keeps time. Cindy Padilla sings about idealistic dreams - romantic ("Digame") or universal ("Truenos Distantes") - with her soothing, sugary vocals. The last two tracks, "Distant Thunder" and "Look Away," are English translations of earlier songs found on the disc. Sometimes a word-for-word translation of a song doesn't have the same feel, but here Padilla's malleable vocals bend words just right, holding on to the song's original intent.
- Enrique Lavin: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 703 - Feb 26, 2001


Cecilia Villar, who was born in Ecuador but grew up in New York City with a Hispanic heritage, listening to both Latin and American music, conceived Grupo FIESTA in 1995. FIESTA, like Shakira, Los Amigos Invisibles and Maná, shares the vision for seeking a more accessible and modern sound for Latin music. Today, this genre of music is called "Rock En Español". Unlike other "Rock En Español" bands, however, Grupo FIESTA's music is more pop oriented so it appeals to a broader audience. Boom magazine describes FIESTA's sound as "tropi-pop".

Grupo FIESTA has toured successfully from the Northeast to Miami, from Latin clubs to college campuses and at live music venues throughout the United States. Led by the songwriter Cecilia Villar, FIESTA features Cecilia Villar on electric/acoustic guitars, Cindy Padilla on lead vocals, Ray Turull on percussion, Dan Roth on drums, Brian Moore on bass and Jim Connolly on keyboards.

Grupo Fiesta's most recent honor was at the Premios Globo Awards in New York City where they opened the show with an electrifying live performance and closed out the show by taking home the award for best Latin Rock Band of the tri-state area. FIESTA has garnered substantial commercial and public radio airplay, topping several magazine charts, as well as countless favorable radio interviews and television appearances.

Dan Grigsby, who engineered four platinum records, produced and engineered Grupo FIESTA's debut CD, "Sueño".

From "Sueño" to "Caliente", FIESTA demonstrates a global sound with cross-over appeal. FIESTA has the songs, the look and the live performance skills to successfully bring their Latin based music to the pop mainstream.