Latin Band to Kickoff Glen Cove Concert Series 

While songs in some of the musical genres performed by Los Ciegos del Barrio may be unfamiliar to members of the audience at the opening concert for this year's Downtown Sounds series on Friday — cumbia, bachata, reggaeton, for example — the band's performance is not so much about categorizing the music they play as it is feeling the pulse of the Latin-rhythm-driven melodies. 

The band also performs the more familiar music of salsa, merengue, even rock with vocals in both English and Spanish.   

"People's unfamiliarity with some of the musical genres we play, and also some of the percussion instruments, is all part of the musical adventure with our band," said Alvin Suarez, the band's founder. "We are really looking forward to kicking off a great holiday weekend in Glen Cove."   

The other unique element of the band is apparent in its title, which translates to The Blind Boys from the Hood. Most of the members are legally blind. Alvin and his brother, Derek Christopher, were each born with leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), medically defined as an inherited retinal degenerative disease, characterized by severe loss of vision at birth, although Alvin questions the genetic inference in that definition.   

"Neither of my parents had LCA," he said, "nor have my children been born with it, even though my wife also has LCA."  

Music, however, has been a disease indisputably inherited at birth. The Suarez brothers were children of a multi-instrumentalist musician, growing up in Spanish Harlem, where they were greatly influenced by the music favored in their neighborhood.

From a very young age, the brothers began picking up and playing the instruments around their home and even had their first paying gigs in their father's band at age 10.  In addition, Alvin credits a trip to the Dominican Republic, and his exposure to the music there, as providing the final inspiration for starting the band in 1997.   

Here's how the band breaks down:

Alvin sings and plays lead guitar, drum kit and other percussion instruments. Derek Christopher also sings and plays bass, congas and percussion. Jaime Diaz is on rhythm guitar, bass and vocals. Machete handles the keyboards, harmonica, accordion, percussion and some vocals. Jimmy Fontanez plays tambora, bongos and percussion. Angel Dueño is on guira and timbales, two unique percussion instruments. Dueño is the band's only fully sighted performer.   

The band's latest album, released last July, is titled  "Por Que? ... Porque!" (Why? ... Because!). It is available for purchase via their website: losciegosdelbarrio.com, or via download on iTunes.   

The Downtown Sounds series, which will run every Friday until Aug. 27, will be hosted by Joseph Manfredi Friday starting at 7:30 p.m. It will be held in Village Square, at the intersection of Glen, Bridge and School streets. Visit downtownsoundslive.org or call (516) 759-6970 for information about the weekly performers, the Music Box dinner program, coupons and more.