TenTemPiés is an international collective of young musicians based in Amsterdam. Their music is an innovative and exciting blend of flavours, mixing rock with reggae and Latin American folklore. Formed during the summer of 2008, TenTemPiés has by now performed its vibrant and energetic live shows at an impressive number of venues.

Written by frontman Maurino Alarcón, their characteristic music is inspired by political issues and social injustice worldwide. Maurino’s parents, both Chilean, fled from the coup d’etat by the Pinochet regime and arrived in The Netherlands as political refugees in 1973. Growing up in Amsterdam, he is nevertheless strongly influenced by music and art inspired by the political ideals of left wing artists from Chile and Latin America, like Victor Jara, Quilapayun, Inti-Illimani and Silvio Rodriguez.

In 2009 TenTemPiés entered the band competition called ‘Amsterdamse Popprijs’ in which they made it to the finals. A review in Dutch web magazine 3VOOR12 reads (translated): “What a sincere joy radiates from these guys. Their lyrics and performance come directly from the corazón, one doesn’t need to speak Spanish to be able to understand that much. A hint of Manu Chao and Gogol Bordello, nice guitar solos and the audience is thoroughly excited.”

TenTemPiés published its first demo EP in March 2009. Exactly a year later a second EP followed, called ‘Por Ahora’. A limited edition of this EP was pressed and sold to collect money for the victims of the earthquake that hit Chili in February 2010.

At the moment, the band is working on its debut album which is expected to be released in October 2010.

TenTemPiés is: Maurino Alarcón (vocals, guitar), Jouke Schwarz (guitar, vocals), Coos Zwagerman (trumpet), Nathan Klumperbeek (bass) and Remco Menting (drums).