Celebrating Latin Music in Charleston
with Caja De Cuerdas

Caja De Cuerdas (Box of Strings) ensemble brings together musicians of diverse backgrounds in Classical, Jazz, Latin, rock, and popular music to share their unique interpretation of music from around the world as well as original pieces. Featured musicians and founders are classical guitarist Gregory Guay, known for his classical & Latin guitar performances, and Venezuelan-American producer, percussionist, and singer, Hector Salazar.  Bassist Paul Erin’s, and percussion Omar Hidalgo.   

PRESS
City of Charleston Cultural Affairs National Hispanic Heritage Month
City Paper
El Informador
 

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)