Roy Quintero and Mariachi Los Caporales

San Antonio’s legendary Mariachi Los Caporales makes its return to this year’s Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza, this time accompanying headliner vocalist Azucena “La de Jalisco.” Founded in 1993 by local mariachi luminary Roy Quintero, Los Caporales has performed around the country and abroad, accompanied many famous singers, and released two compact discs.

From 1994 to 2008, Los Caporales performed five days a week at Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park, where they were seen by millions of visitors. Many world-class mariachi musicians have belonged to this group over the years, including members of mariachis Vargas de Tecalitlán, Los Camperos, Sol de México, Nuevo Tecalitlán, and Cobre.

 

In addition to the group’s performances in other parts of the United States, Los Caporales has been the opening act for the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza six times over the past 20 years. Between the years 2008-2014, they played for World Cup soccer tournaments in Brazil, South Africa, and Morocco. Besides putting on their own shows, they have accompanied many important artists, including Nydia Rojas and Mazz, the latter with whom they recorded the award winning album Mazz Mariachi y Tradición. The group has two CDs of its own, and a third is soon to be released.

 

Mariachi Los Caporales is unusual, or perhaps unique, in terms of the group’s emphasis on education. The majority of its members are either college students or graduates. As indicated in the timeline below, the group took an educational hiatus from 2008 to 2013, in which they cut back their activities significantly so that the majority of members could concentrate on school and complete their degrees. For that reason, Los Caporales had minimal visibility during those years. Now that most of its members have graduated or are soon to do so, the group is back in full swing, rehearsing intensely and working on a new CD. Expect to hear more about this legendary mariachi in the near future!

 

Mariachi Los Caporales will be present to help present the Mariachi Music Hall of Fame award to Rigoberto Mercado on Wednesday, November 18 at the Instituto Cultural de México. The group’s members will also teach master classes at the Henry B. González Convention Center on Friday, November 20. Tickets to see Los Caporales in concert with Mariachi Vargas on Saturday, November 21 are available at ticketmaster.com. Call 210-225-3353 for more information.

 

 

Mariachi Los Caporales timeline

1993                  Los Caporales formed in San Antonio

1994-2008        Contract at Fiesta Texas

1996                  First CD released: Jamás, Jamás (MKL Records)

1998                  Major reorganization of group

1998-2007        Glory years

2003                  Second CD released: Corazón de Papel (Warner Bros.)

2008-2013        Educational hiatus; most members enroll in school

2014                  Members graduate, group makes comeback

2015                  Group returns to Extravaganza and works on new CD

 

 

Current Los Caporales personnel

 

Name	Instrument	Member Since
Roy Quintero	violin	1993
Rhonda García	violin	1998
Heriberto Vargas	violin	2000
Alejandro Basulto	violin	2003
Cirilo Campos	guitar	2003
Mario Muñoz	vihuela	2003
César Jáuregui	trumpet	2003
Javier Rubio	trumpet	2003
Alejandro Ávila	violin	2004
Adrián Frausto	guitarrrón	2004
Adrián Pérez	harp	guest