Latin/classical/jazz trio Besos de Coco was founded by Evona Wascinski (Escencia), tap dancer and percussionist Claudia Gomez Vorce, and singer-guitarist Lorraine Castellanos (guitar/vocals).
In 2018, the group was reconfigured by Wascinski and Gomez (no longer going by Vorce), without Castellanos, as the Besos Trio, with new guitarist Beston Barnett (Zzymzzy Quartet, Flimz). The Trio is known for its world-inspired mix of jazz, swing, sambas, and boleros, as well as for blending diverse genres and disciplines.
With roots in Mexican ballet folklórico, Claudia Gomez plays percussion and utilizes that skill with movement, often tap dancing as a primary percussive rhythmic element, frequently accompanied by cajón.
Evona Wascinski, from Poland, brings a classical virtuosity to the upright bass. Beston Barnett, a Nashville native, plays manouche guitar and sings in five languages, adding to their global approach to making music.
“We keep it loose but alive,” says Wascinski in the band’s promotional bio. “We leave space for what each of us does best.” Performances often utilize exotic instrumentation such as musettes (a small French bagpipe) in order to customize their presentation of jazz and Latin-inspired music, as they improvise, sing, and dance their way through a mix of swing tunes, sambas, and boleros.