Brisk guitar rhythms and colorful chord progressions stand alone in pop today. Renee Muzquiz' voice harbors a confident edge and a subtle natural vibrato that breathes a captivating theatrical life into her songs.

9 MP3 Songs
POP: Folky Pop, ROCK: Folk Rock



Details:
"Music that strays from the rest," is the slogan, and "Refreshing" is the word on the street. When Chica y Los Gatos hit the scene in Denton, pleasantly surprised listeners flocked to Renee Muzquiz to gush about their overwhelming feelings towards her music.

"I haven't heard anything like that since I was in college in the 90's," one woman claimed.

She went on to add, "This is what Denton used to be about... The talented music majors taking a moment to step outside of their church gigs and into the local bars for a creative outlet. We just don't see that anymore."

There is definitely a part of Renee that misses the early 90's. Her early influences are groups like the Gin Blossoms, Oasis, Ben Fold's Five, Joan Osborne, Tori Amos, and Alanis Morisette.

"Chica," is what they call Renee, and "Los Gatos" refers to the jazz "cats" from the University of North Texas that enrich the sound at live shows, as well as on the album.

The group's stage sound is something 1970's folk-jazz, but also uniquely indie rock. At some of it's most glorious moments, "Perfect Weather," their debut album, evokes Carole King's songwriting and Joni Mitchell's spirit.

Whether performing solo or with her band, Chica's command of the stage can arrest an audience's attention even in a crowded bar. Her songs are monologues of her life, and they achieve an intimacy that many songwriters fearfully bury in vague metaphors.

Since December 2004, Renee and her band performed at nearly every venue in Denton, TX, and they are quickly spreading across North Texas. Chica y Los Gatos' recognizably distinct sound and inimitable talent reaches a wide range of audiences, and has already fostered a devoted fanbase.