Levitt VIBE Chicago Music Series

About the Levitt Vibe Chicago Music Series (2025)

The Latino Cultural Center of Chicago is proud to present the most recent addition to its multidisciplinary Arts Calendar. This Free outdoor Latino music series will occupy 10 weeks during the summer season, the event called The Levitt VIBE Chicago Music Series will feature a variety of local, national, and international acts with genres of music from Latin America, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Panamá, Dominican Republic and Chicago. Free of charge for all. Please bring the family, your lawn chairs and sun shades for 10 weeks of consecutive Saturday afternoons. 

Yasser Tejeda • Dominican Republic 🇩🇴

Dominican guitarist and composer Yasser Tejeda blends Afro-Dominican roots music with jazz, rock, and Caribbean rhythms. His innovative sound has earned international acclaim, with performances at major festivals across the Americas and Europe. Tejeda’s latest album, “Kijombo,” was hailed by NPR as “a fresh take on Dominican heritage that honors tradition while pushing boundaries.”

Los Rakas • Panamá 🇵🇦

Grammy-nominated duo Los Rakas brings their electrifying blend of Panamanian hip hop, reggaeton, and dancehall to Chicago. Cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun are pioneers of the “PanaBay” sound, fusing Oakland street culture with their Panamanian roots. Known for their energetic performances and conscious lyrics in both Spanish and English, Los Rakas has collaborated with artists like Blondie and Diplo while maintaining a strong commitment to their cultural heritage.

Los MilyBros • Mexico 🇲🇽

MilyBros is a family group from Santa Cruz de Juventino Rosas, Guanajuato, Mexico. Juan José López Andrade and his children ages 6, 9, & 14 perform a variety of Mexican folkloric music on guitar, violin, harp, melodica, guitarrón, and vihuela. They have performed in a number of notable festivals and on television programs in Mexico and are making their debut tour of the U.S. with assistance from the State of Guanajuato.

A Flor De Piel • Chicago / Mexico 🇲🇽

A Flor de Piel is a multi-generational Latin music group formed in 2007 by Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Renato Ceron (Renatonatiuh) and versatile artist Marisol Ceron (Marisol La Brava), along with their young daughter Sage La Bravita. The band creates a distinctive sound by blending traditional Latin American music with global influences and electronic elements, crafting original compositions that reimagine timeless melodies. Beyond their musical performances, the members are dedicated educators who teach in Chicago Public Schools and conduct workshops on songwriting, traditional zapateado dancing, music production, and the connections between Jazz and Afro-Mexican musical traditions, making them equally committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians as they are to their own artistic expression.

La Muchacha y El Propio Junte (Colombia) 🇨🇴

Colombian artist La Muchacha merges traditional Colombian rhythms with contemporary social commentary. Accompanied by her band El Propio Junte, she creates a bold fusion of cumbia, bullerengue, and rural Colombian sounds with elements of rock and hip hop. Her powerful lyrics address social inequality, feminism, and environmental issues while celebrating Colombia’s rich musical traditions.

Jesús Enríquez and Jennzy (Salsa / Tropical Latino) 🇲🇽 🇵🇷

This dynamic duo combines traditional Mexican son jarocho with contemporary Latin pop sensibilities. Vocalist Jennzy’s crystalline voice complements Jesús Enríquez’s virtuosic guitar and jarana playing. Together, they create an enchanting musical dialogue that honors Mexican coastal traditions while exploring new sonic landscapes. Their recent collaboration album “Raíces y Alas” (Roots and Wings) has received critical acclaim for bridging generational musical styles.

Braided Janes (Chicago)🇺🇸

This Chicago-based trio delivers a fresh take on Post Punk / Latin rock like New Order amd Bomba Estereo. The Braided Janes create a unique sound characterized by tight harmonies, inventive arrangements, and bilingual lyrics that explore identity and empowerment. The band has built a devoted local following through their electrifying live performances and community activism.

LOS VICIOS DE PAPÁ

Los Vicios De Papá complement the evening with their energetic melting pot of ska, reggae, and Latin American genres, creating their own unique sound led by vocalist Rene Lemus. This Chicago Latin ska band fuses cumbia rhythms with ska energy, delivering upbeat performances with songs of hope and change for Latino communities and Chicago as a whole.

Banda Recuerdo (Dominican Republic) 🇩🇴

Masters of romantic bachata, Grupo Love Secreto brings the soulful sounds of the Dominican Republic to Chicago. Their velvety harmonies and intricate guitar work capture the essence of traditional bachata while incorporating modern production techniques. The group’s passionate performances have made them favorites in the Chicago Latin music scene.

Banda Recuerdo (Mexico) 🇲🇽

This traditional Mexican banda delivers authentic Sinaloan brass band music with remarkable precision and emotion. From festive rancheras to heartbreaking ballads, Banda El Recuerdo performs with the powerful, distinctive brass sound that characterizes the genre. Founded over a decade ago in Chicago, the ensemble preserves Mexican musical traditions while engaging new generations of listeners.

Las Karamba (Cuba, Spain, Venezuela, Argentina) 🇨🇺🇪🇸🇻🇪🇦🇷

This all-female ensemble from Barcelona brings together musicians from Venezuela, Cuba, Catalonia, Argentina, and Spain to create a vibrant fusion of Latin rhythms, flamenco, and jazz. Las Karamba’s music celebrates feminine strength and cultural diversity, with lyrics that address social issues while maintaining an irresistibly danceable groove. Their colorful performances radiate joy, empowerment, and musical excellence.

La Ley Del Norte (Mexico) 🇲🇽🇨🇴

Chicago’s own norteño sensation, La Ley del Norte performs high-energy Mexican regional music with contemporary flair. Their accordion-driven sound and powerful vocals have made them local favorites at festivals and cultural celebrations throughout the Midwest. The band excels at both traditional corridos and modern norteño arrangements that get audiences on their feet.

Yeison Landero (Colombia) 🇨🇴

Grandson of the legendary cumbia composer Andrés Landero, Yeison Landero carries forward Colombia’s rich musical legacy while forging his own innovative path. His contemporary take on cumbia incorporates electronic elements while maintaining the authentic accordion-driven essence of traditional Colombian coastal music. Landero’s performances celebrate the evolution of cumbia as a vibrant, living tradition.

Gaiteros de Pueblo Santo (Colombia) 🇨🇴

This ensemble specializes in the traditional gaita music of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, featuring indigenous flutes, percussion, and call-and-response vocals. Their hypnotic rhythms and ancestral melodies preserve one of Latin America’s oldest musical traditions. Beyond performance, the group conducts educational workshops sharing the cultural significance and techniques of gaita music with new audiences.

Los Crema Paraíso (Venezuela) 🇻🇪

This Venezuelan power trio reimagines traditional Caribbean and tropical music through a contemporary lens. Featuring members who have performed with David Byrne and Devendra Banhart, Los Crema Paraíso creates a sophisticated fusion of Venezuelan joropo, gaita, and calypso with psychedelic rock, electronica, and jazz. Their instrumental virtuosity and eclectic approach result in a truly unique sound that bridges cultural traditions.

Dos Santos

Chicago-based Dos Santos has established itself as one of the city’s most innovative Latin alternative bands. Their psychedelic approach to pan-Latin rhythms draws from cumbia, salsa, and rock while incorporating elements of Chicanx activism and social consciousness. The quintet’s genre-defying sound and politically charged performances have earned them critical acclaim and a devoted following across the country.