JESUS GUZMAN
Lead Artist Instructor

Widely recognized as arranger, director, instructor, and musician in the genre of Mexican mariachi music, Jesus "Chuy" Guzman is the musical director of Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano, and master of numerous traditional mariachi instruments: trumpet, vihuela, guitarron, guitar, and violin. For over nearly 20 years, Mr. Guzman has served as head instructor for numerous international mariachi festivals in the United States and Mexico and continues as the instructor for Ethnomusicology 91K, Music of Mexico, at the University of California, Los Angeles. Career highlights include collaboration on the orchestration and musical arrangements for the Symphony Orchestra of Jalisco and recording as a guest artist with the most prestigious mariachi in the world, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. Chuy also toured and recorded with Linda Ronstadt on her Grammy Award-winning album, "Canciones de mi Padre," and has appeared in several Hollywood motion pictures, including "Mi Familia," starring Jimmy Smitts and Edward James Olmos, "Jerry Maguire," starring Tom Cruise, and “Sex in the City” starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Mr. Guzman's production for Mariachi Los Camperos titled "Llegaron Los Camperos" was nominated in 2006 for a Grammy Award under the Mexican-American category and his arrangement, “Fiesta de Niños” for Los Camperos was awarded a Grammy in 2005 as part of the album, “cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins.” Most recently, his production for Mariachi Los Camperos, “Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas” was awarded a Grammy for 2008 Best Regional Mexican Album.
SERGIO ALONSO
Artist Instructor

A leading performer of the rarest of the mariachi instruments, Sergio "Checo" Alonso began his professional career with Mariachi Los Camperos as a trumpeter, and now is the ensemble's harpist. He has performed with and for many of the most recognized Latin American recording artists, including Caetano Veloso, Carlos Santana, Juan Gabriel, Aida Cuevas, Angeles Ochoa, Pedro Fernandez, and Lila Downs. In addition to performing with traditional Mexican artists, Checo has toured and/or recorded with various groups (Los Lobos, Ozomatli, Little Feat, and The Los Angeles Master Chorale) and has worked on several Hollywood films, including "Price of Glory," starring Jimmy Smits, "Man on Fire" and "Déjà Vu" starring Denzel Washington, and "Walkout," directed by Edward James Olmos. Checo's honors and awards include being a featured artist on the 2005 Grammy Award-winning album, "cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins," the 2006 Grammy Nominated album for "Best Mexican Album," "Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites of Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos," and the 2008 Grammy Award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” “Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas.” Mr. Alonso currently teaches multicultural music at San Fernando High School; is on the City of San Fernando Cultural Arts Commission; and serves on the National Association of Music Educators (MENC) Mariachi Advisory Committee. Mr. Alonso received his Bachelors degree in Ethnomusicology from UCLA's School of the Arts and Masters degree in Education. Most recently, Checo was awarded the Master Musician Fellowship by the Durfee Foundation.
JUAN HALCON
Artist Instructor

Master of the vihuela and guitar, Juan Halcon is recognized throughout Los Angeles as one of the most versatile armonia instrumentalists in the mariachi tradition. He studied classical and mariachi guitar at UCLA's Department of Music and quickly became a performer among the top mariachi musicians in the country. Mr. Halcon has performed, toured, and instructed armonia workshops with Mariachi Los Camperos. Juan's musical experience also includes an appearance on a Showtime Original movie, "The Princess and The Barrio Boy," starring Edward James Olmos with Maria Conchita Alonso and on the HBO movie, "Walkout", directed by Edward James Olmos. Juan is currently the musical Director for Mariachi Cuicatlan from the City of San Fernando.
Jimmy K. Cuellar
Artist Instructor

Composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, Jimmy Cuellar is a violin, guitarron, vihuela, guitar, and guitarra de golpe performer for Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. He has accompanied numerous Latin recording artists, including Yolanda del Rio, Mercedes Castro, Humberto Herrera, Lila Downs, Vikki Carr, Aida Cuevas, Eugenia Leon, and Jose Feliciano, and has recorded on various productions, including Mariachi Los Camperos’ latest, “Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas.” Jimmy has been recognized as a composer and arranger and in 2000, the Music Association of California Community Colleges awarded him first place for his original composition, “Rain Falls.” In 2002, he was awarded first place at the New Directions Student Composition Competition for his piece, “Pesadillas.” Jimmy’s honors and awards include being a featured artist on the 2005 Grammy Award-winning album, "cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins," the 2006 Grammy Nominated album for "Best Mexican Album," "Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites of Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos," the 2008 Grammy Award-winning album for “Best Mexican Album,” “Cien Por Ciento Mexicano” by Pepe Aguilar, and the 2008 Grammy Award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” “Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas.”
Juan Jimenez
Artist Instructor

Juan is widely considered one of today's finest guitarron players as a member of Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Over the last two decades, he has accompanied and/or recorded for numerous Mexican recording artists, including Linda Ronstadt, Vikki Carr, Pepe Aguilar, Pedro Fernandez, Lila Downs, and Eugenia Leon, and has appeared on various Hollywood motion pictures, including "A Walk in the Clouds," starring Keanu Reeves and "Sex in the City," starring Sarah Jessica Parker. He was also a featured artist on the PBS special, "Fiesta Mexicana," narrated by Vikki Carr. Juan's honors and awards include being a featured artist on the 2006 Grammy Nominated album for "Best Mexican Album," "Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites of Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos," the 2008 Grammy Award-winning album for "Best Mexican Album," "100% Mexicano" by Pepe Aguilar, and the 2009 Grammy Award-winning album for "Best Regional Mexican Album," "Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas" by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano.
Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano

Mariachi Los Camperos was formed 46 years ago under the direction of Mr. Natividad Cano. Los Camperos is noted for demanding musical arrangements highlighting both individual musical skills and voices. The ensemble has since grown in prominence and gained international recognition. Los Camperos de Nati Cano feature the finest musicians from Mexico and the United States. Mariachi Los Camperos was one of four mariachis that collaborated on Linda Ronstadt's album, Canciones de Mi Padre and Linda Ronstadt's Mas Canciones. The ensemble has recorded ten albums including: Puro Mariachi (Indigo Records, 1961); North of the Border (RCA/Carino Records, 1965); El Super Mariachi, Los Camperos (Latin International, 1968); Valses de Amor (La Fonda Records, 1973); Canciones de Siempre (PolyGram Latino, 1993); Sounds of Mariachi (Delfin Records, 1996); Fiesta Navidad (Delfin Records, 1997); Viva El Mariachi (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2002); Llegaron Los Camperos (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2005.); Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas (Smithsonian Folkways records, 2008). The ensemble participated in the National Council for the Traditional Arts, “Masters of Mexican Music” tour, together with some of Mexico’s most renowned traditional folk music artists. Los Camperos were featured on the 2005 Grammy Award-winning album, "cELLAbration: A Tribute to Ella Jenkins," and received a Grammy nomination in 2006 for "Best Mexican Album," "Llegaron Los Camperos: Concert Favorites of Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos." Los Camperos de Nati Cano received the 2008 Grammy Award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” “Amor, Dolor, y Lagrimas.”


San Fernando
Mariachi Movement
This Project is supported by:

City of San Fernando
117 Macneil Street
San Fernando, CA 91340
(818) 898 - 1200