Luis Torrealva, lead vocals/bass
Lilo Gonzales, lead guitar/vocals
Joey Carrasquillo, percussions/vocals
Joey Rossetti drums/percussion
Scott Schoem keyboards/vocals
Nominated “Best Latin Duo/Group 2009” by Washington Area Music Association and named in the DC Examiner as one of the best latin rock bands in the District.
The Washington Post calls them one of the area’s finest, “which deftly shifts from rootsy reggae to ska to introspective rock.” Their mixed rhythms of cumbia, reggae, rock, and ska know no limits and never fail to bring down the house.
Nayas lyrics are in English, Spanish, Spanglish and they have been known to throw in some Portuguese for good measure. The band members hail from Peru, Puerto Rico, El Salvador and the US.
Many came to know them at Bossa Bistro in the lively Adams Morgan neighborhood, a well known bohemian spot featuring latin jazz, salsa, Brazilian electro, samba and pagode, alt funk, world fusion, hip hop and reggae music. A section of the club was once christened “Salon Nayas” to honor the unique place Nayas has carved out in Adams Morgan and the DC music scene.
Bassist and lead singer Luis Torrealva founded the band with Soy Lopez in 2001. Lopez returned to South America in 2008. He is now on to Spain where he continues to support and collaborate with Nayas. Lilo Gonzalez of well-known DC punk trio Machetres made himself available to play lead guitar for Nayas (and Luis has stepped in to play bass for Machetres). Lilo is a powerhouse and has brought the “rocanrol” heart of Nayas center stage.
Nayas has become a fixture in DC, regularly playing its premier venues such as the 9:30 club, Black Cat, and The State Theatre. Radio and Television appearances include: Pandora Internet Radio, Itunes, WAMU’s “Art Beat”, WETA “Neighborhoods”, Telemundo, Univision, KPFA Berkeley CA, Viva 900 DC, and “Veinte Lucas” on Canal Siete in Lima, Peru.
They have shared the stage wtih Calle 13, Molotov, Si-Se, El Gran Silencio, Kinky, Yerba Buena, Volumen Cero, Easy Star All-Star, Amigos Invisibles and others. They have played clubs from West Virginia to New York’s East Village.
Their first self titled album was released in 2006 (available for purchase on iTunes) and they are currently recording their second in Right-On studio under the direction of Emmy winning sound engineer/musician Jerome Maffeo.
