Celebrating Latin Music in Charleston
with Caja De Cuerdas

Rather than trying to identify what genre of music they're playing, it might just be best to sit back and enjoy what Caja de Cuerdas are laying down. Anchored by classical guitarist Gregory Guay and Venezuelan-American producer, percussionist, and singer Hector Salazar, the band, whose name translates to "Box of Strings," slides between jazz, folk, and rock so fluidly that one can be fooled by how easy the transitions sound. Guay's delicate but lightning-fast playing is downright seductive when set against Salazar and Baldwin Bonilla's polyrhythmic percussion and Paul Ahren's gently pulsing upright bass. But the real secret weapon of Caja de Cuerdas might be flautist Treg Monty. It's difficult sometimes to work a flute into a rhythmic ensemble simply because it sounds too smooth or laid-back, but Monty is an exquisite soloist who can make his instrument sound almost like a vocalist. These guys are stealthy as hell. The music is so pleasant that it can seem like they're not breaking a sweat; but there's some serious musicianship going on here. —Vincent Harris (Charleston City Paper)