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Have you ever put on a record and found yourself in a musical location, but you weren’t sure exactly how you got there? Mala Maña’s self-titled release made me feel that way several times by the time I finished listening to it. Mala Maña is an all-women’s voice and percussion ensemble from Albuquerque who “fuse folkloric and contemporary rhythms of Las Americas.” The music certainly contains elements of salsa, cumbia and reggaeton, but the sound is absolutely impossible to pin down into one specific genre or category. At times the vocals sound like jazz, rhythm and blues, folk or even pop. And for a group that only plays percussion instruments, they create a huge instrumental melody and a rhythm and dance beat that you can’t help but move to. You don’t just listen to Mala Maña, you get lost in the experience. Since their formation in 2009, the band has had a few personnel changes, but the current lineup includes music director Alyson Steinman (vocals, marimba, marimbula, melodica, hand percussion), Lydia Garcia (vocals, hand percussion, cajón, marimbula), Chava (vocals, congas, cajón), Yali (Colombian Cumbia-alegre drum, hand percussion, marimbula), Teresa Guevara (vocals, venezuela cuatro, hand percussion), Dianne DeLeon (dunduns, drum kit, cajón), Daniela Martinez (cajón, duns, marimbula, melódica, hand percussion) Majo Hurtado (vocals, hand percussion) and last but certainly not least, Lupe Mendoza (vocals, hand percussion) who is also our primary interviewee. Mala Maña means “bad habit” in English, but aside from being a bit addictive, the music has no negative side effects, and it’s definitely good for the soul.
Will you describe your sound for us?
Chava: Our first drum beat is our Mother’s heartbeat. Mala Maña is its own force of nature.
We started in a founding member’s living room as women who wanted to drum and learn the gorgeous music of Colombian cumbia [which was] born of Indigenous, African and European cultures. Then came Alyson Steinman (music director), who has a passion for the marimba, and we began learning the Afro-Colombian rhythms of the Pacific coast as well. Much knowledge of different hand percussion instruments goes into playing this music.
Soon the women drumming in the living room wanted to share our sound, and Mala Maña was born. Then the fusion of our sound got even bigger! We are an ensemble that encourages women to become musicians, singer-songwriters, recording artists and performers. “No Me Engañas,” which was co-written by Lupe Mendoza and Teresa Guevara, won the Best World Beat award at the New Mexico Music Awards. When women drum, we heal. I am one of those women who gathered in that living room 15 years ago, and I am also a woman who has been drumming for my entire life. Polyrhythms are community rhythms, and women make community. We are from all walks of life, and we are brilliant. We are from ALL of the Americas – South, Central, Mexico and North. More than once during different performances over time, women have come to the front of the audience with tears in their eyes. We dare to be bold.
Our education ranges from GEDs to PHd’s.
I am so honored and grateful to be part of the evolution of us. We are unique in New Mexico and have been supported by many of the very coolest organizations here: Encuentro, Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center and Cesar Chavez Organizing Committee in Honor of Dolores Huerta.
Mala Maña is an award-winning group and has also received nominations in the categories of World Beat, Folk and Latin at the New Mexico Music Awards.
What are your favorite venues to play and why?
Alyson Steinman: For me there are lots of memories here in town, but also we did a little tour in the Bay Area in San Francisco,. We played at La Peña in Berkeley and in Modesto theater for Dia de los Muertos. On another trip we took, we played at a women’s music festival in Utah. Those were trips that I remember because when you camp out with your band, you see a whole different side of your friends. And it created a sisterhood that we hopefully will have for the rest of our lives. And that is a beautiful thing about Mala Maña. We add more people, and people have gone and moved away and done other things, but it feels like a collective in that way. We have also been featured at TEDx ABQ Women and TED Albuquerque.
We have performed several years at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Festival, several years at Albuquerque Summerfest, opened twice for Grammy winners La Santa Cecilia. We have performed at music festivals in Utah and Colorado, the Bernalillo Wine Festival, the renowned music venue La Peña, Berkley California, many events for the National Hispanic Cultural Center and recently at the NHCC Foundation’s 25th anniversary.
What are your lyrics about?
Our folkloric music of the Americas represents a myriad of cultural aspects of everyday life, nature, work, love and relationships. We also identify with lyrics of social justice. What we love about the music we play is that even within its musical and cultural diversity, we’re reminded that there are more similarities than differences in humanity.
What bands or genres inspire your music?
We perform original compositions as well as songs influenced by (but not limited to) salsa, boleros, reggaeton, cumbias of Colombia and Mexico and Afro-Colombian rhythms of the Pacific coast. Our inspiration initially and primarily comes from Colombian icon Toto La Momposina [as well as] Mexican Artist Lila Downs and the Colombian band Herencia de Timbiqui.
What is the best show you have ever played?
Our best show was opening for La Santa Cecilia at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Our next show is Sunday, Oct. 5 at Albuquerque Old Town Plaza Gazebo for Balloon Fiesta’s “Shows in the Plaza.”
Listen Up:
Watch Mala Maña perform the song “Nunca Se Cansó” live at TEDxABQ Women here.
Check out a second video of the group performing live at TEDxABQ Women in 2015 here.
You can listen to Mala Maña’s self-titled album here and watch a clip of a newer live 2024 performance at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe here.
To see where Mala Maña’s journey has taken them during each stage in their musical travels, follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.