“Nosotros’ music is not to be explained, it is to be felt in the pit of our souls.” — Hyperactive Music Magazine

Unexplainable. Undefinable. Unmistakable.

Nosotros.

Nosotros, the award-winning Latin band known for its socially conscious music, has been drawing music lovers to their distinctive Latin groove for nearly 3 decades. What began as a guitar trio in 1994, quickly took on a life of its own, becoming something that no one could have predicted, including becoming one of the most recognizable and original Latin bands in the Southwest United States.

The band’s remarkable evolution over the years – taking on new members and leadership along the way – has resulted in the 10-piece Latin music powerhouse it is today. The group seamlessly combines a myriad of rhythms – cumbia, bolero, salsa, chica – with elements of rock, jazz and beyond, a creating an innovative and imaginative Latin sound that is, unique, undefinable and unmistakably Nosotros.

The early years of Nosotros began in their hometown of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The original guitar trio of Randy Sanchez, Gene Watkins, Juan Cisneros soon gave way to additional members, over time adding percussion, horns, and vocals and, after releasing two albums (Paloma, 1994; Pico, 1996), Nosotros left Las Cruces and relocated to the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area. The band continued to blossom, making a name for themselves with a near non-stop performance schedule and dynamic stage show.

2003 would mark a pivotal turning point for Nosotros. They teamed up with producer Chris Trujillo (Tom Petty, The Black Crowes, Rod Stewart, Toto) to release their third, eponymous album Nosotros. The album swept the 2004 New Mexico Music Awards, garnering recognition for the highly coveted Album of the Year and Producer of the Year awards as well as Best Latin Song for !Cinco Sentidos”. In addition, the Hispano Music Awards bestow Best Salsa/Tropical Song on them for !El Perseguido”.

With new regional success, national recognition soon followed. Nosotros was invited to perform on bills with some of the biggest acts in music and appeared at the legendary San Jose Jazz and Telluride Jazz Festivals. NPR’s veritable Alt-Latino program began playing Nosotros’ music and twice featured the band. Along with a plethora of New Mexico Music Awards (see awards and recognitions below), they won the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Competition – twice.

Nosotros had found their groove, but they did not stand still or even slow down. In fact, they continue to this day to astound audiences wherever they perform. They have become festival favorites and have shared stages with the likes of Etta James, Gypsy Kings, Los Lobos, The Wailers, Roy Hargrove, Los Lonely Boys, Robert Mirabal, Joan Osborne, Ozomatli, Las Cafeteras, Flor de Toloache, Grupo Fantasma, Victor Wooten, Dave Mason, Making Movies and many more. And, importantly, their new music continues to be relevant, reflecting our ever-changing world. It also continues to be vibrant, fun and, yes, undefinable. Undeniably “felt in the pit our souls”.

Nosotros released two new tracks in April and May 2024 — the topical and timely “Mentiras” (featuring Las Cafeteras’ Daniel French) and the soulful “Esperanza”, both produced by Ozomatli’s Raul Pacheco.

“It really says a lot about a band when they play on the same day as Victor Wooten and Roy Hargrove and the crowd can’t stop talking about Nosotros’ set.” — Telluride Jazz Festival

Widely recognized for his stirring leadership and energetic presence, conductor Thomas Heuser serves as Music Director of both the Idaho Falls Symphony and the San Juan Symphony, leading the artistic vision for two distinguished regional orchestras that serve the Intermountain West and the distinct Four Corners Region. Renowned as an educator and frequent guest conductor, Maestro Heuser continually inspires musicians and audiences while pushing the boundaries of thrilling interpretations in live performance.

Working closely with Concert Theatre Works, recent collaborations include The Chevalier with the Winston-Salem Symphony and the world premiere of the groundbreaking new concert experience called What Music Is with composer and creator Bill Barclay. Maestro Heuser has appeared as a Guest Conductor with the Grand Teton Music Festival and Durango’s Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra. Other concert credits include the Lexington Philharmonic, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, as well as the Illinois, Wyoming, Bozeman, Missoula, Vallejo, and Grand Junction Symphony Orchestras, among others.
Dr. Heuser was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for Orchestral Conducting in Germany while serving as a Conducting Fellow with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. His Fulbright residency at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München included orchestral performances in Munich and Berlin and his European operatic debut with Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland. After moving from Munich to San Francisco, he enjoyed three seasons as the Principal Guest Conductor of the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, working alongside members of the San Francisco Symphony.

The son of two molecular biologists at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Heuser began violin at an early age and studied piano at the St. Louis Symphony Music School. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College as a piano performance major and earned his Masters in Instrumental Conducting (MM) from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. He received his Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting (DMA) from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. His conducting mentors include Paavo Järvi, Bruno Weil, David Effron, Mark Gibson, Marin Alsop, David Robertson, Gustav Meier, and Larry Rachleff.

Percussionist Jesse Joaquin Parker is a vital part of The Santa Fe Symphony Family. He coaches jazz ensembles in our Youth Education Department, helping students in our ensembles learn the appropriate styles and techniques associated with Jazz, Latin, and Afro-Cuban music.