Znora, a local funk/blues rock group from Tucson, participated in Alice Cooper’s Proof is in the Pudding Music and Dance Competition for the first time last year.
It didn’t win, and this pushed it to work harder.
It worked.
On Nov. 19, at the Mesa Arts Center, Znora took first place in the band category of the competition, which is put on by Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock youth organization. Now, they will perform at Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding benefit concert on Saturday, Dec. 9, and receive a $1,000 check.
The benefit concert will also feature acts such as Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Nancy Wilson of Heart and Quiet Riot. The concert is sold out.
Other winners included Star Sung Mahoney in the soloist music category, Bella Marker in the dance soloist category and Iso Juniors in the group dance category.
Two days prior, Znora released a single called “Sweet Baby Rae,” which they performed at the finals. The rock tune is about a girl and her red Chevy Impala. A debut album is coming soon.
At the recent competition, they also played a version of Stevie Wonder’s “What Christmas Means to Me.”
Znora is guitarist/singer Adrian Negrete, bassist Johny Rohde and drummer Josh Montaño.
The band’s name was inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s grandma, whose name was Zenora. It is also symbolic of the Sonoran Desert and Tucson.
Montaño, 20, attends the UA. Negrete, 17, goes to Tucson High Magnet School, and Rohde, 16, is a student at Saguaro High School.
All of the band members in Znora are multi-instrumentalists. Rohde also plays the guitar, trumpet, French horn and limited piano. Negrete also knows the bass, drums, piano and trumpet, and Montaño also plays the guitar.
Negrete has also done mariachi music, played drums for his high school’s steel drum band and participated in drum circles. Rohde participated in marching and jazz band in school.
This year, the group returned to Proof is in the Pudding on a mission.
Montaño said that while they were happy to take second their first year at the competition, they were fueled to win this year. The first-place prize evoked different emotions, including excitement.
“When they were calling our name, you could hear your heart pounding,” Montaño said.
“It was an awesome prize, an awesome opportunity, for doing what we love,” Negrete added.
Negrete said that last year, they learned a lot about how the competition is structured. They felt more prepared and confident this year.
“I guess coming in more confident and our playing abilities too. We’ve definitely grown over the past year,” Negrete said.
The band competed in three preliminaries before advancing to the finals. This meant driving back and forth between Phoenix and Tucson.
Negrete and Montaño met at a music camp and formed the group in 2019. They had several bassists before bringing in Rohde, who had the same guitar teacher as Negrete.
Rohde joined the band in January of this year, so this was his first time competing in Proof is in the Pudding.
Negrete said the group’s sound has been shaped by all three members.
“I think it happened organically from each of our styles. We’re all a little different when it comes to our music genres and stuff that we listen to and like,” Negrete said.
Rohde said that his bass skills and his style have evolved since joining the group.
“I think since I’ve started, my sound has definitely changed. We all pick from each other. It’s a melting pot,” Rohde said.
Montaño is inspired by ’90s groups such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Foo Fighters, Counting Crows and Matchbox Twenty. Rohde prefers ’70s music such as Santana, Steely Dan and the Brothers Johnson.
Negrete is also interested in ’60s/’70s music, including Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Montaño said the group has an eclectic sound that can be hard to define.
“Especially our originals, a lot of them have very different feels to them. It’s very hard for us to come up with one genre we can say we exactly are. It’s something rock-y, blueish, with some funkiness. I really don’t know what to call it,” Montaño said.
Rohde said as a musician, he prefers to play a variety of songs.
“It’s just more fun to play. I’d rather not be stuck to just one thing,” Rohde said.
Their originals are nods to ’70s arena rock and oldies soul tunes.
Along with its original music, the group performs covers from the ’50s through the ’90s. Negrete said this allows them to play a diversity of gigs and appeal to different generations.
Even though they are young, the three bandmates all want to turn music into a career.
“I’m pretty sure the boys have the same mentality as me. This is what I want to do as a job… I want to do this, and I love this. This is my passion. We push it so much. I think that helps us to get even further,” Negrete said.
The group has performed at different venues in Tucson, including Rockabilly Grill, Hotel Congress, 191 Toole, the Rialto Theatre and Little Anthony’s Diner.
They will often dress up to fit the theme of their shows. At Little Anthony’s, they wear ’50s bowling shirts. During the Proof is in the Pudding competition, they donned Santa hats for their Christmas number. Dressing up adds a touch of showmanship to their performances.
“It’s more fun up there. You feel cooler. Like Alice Cooper and his ringmaster top hat and jacket, that’s his thing,” Montaño said.
In Oro Valley, they have performed at venues such as Gaslight Music Hall and Steam Pump Ranch. They have also performed at the Side Pony Express Music Festival in Bisbee.
Znora has performed in the Phoenix area, as well as in New Mexico, Nevada and California.
Recently, Znora has been raising money to play in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge’s Youth Showcase in January. The GoFundMe page is https://bit.ly/ZnoraGoFundMe
Znora at Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair
WHEN: 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10
WHERE: Seventh Street stage off Hoff Avenue and Seventh Street
COST: Free
INFO: https://fourthavenue.org
Znora at Winterhaven Festival of Lights
WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14; Saturday, Dec. 16; and Thursday, Dec. 21, to Saturday, Dec. 23
WHERE: 3233 N. Treat Circle, Tucson
COST: Free admission
INFO: 520-740-1000,
www.winterhavenfestival.org
Znora at Local Love Presents Festivus
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15
WHERE: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson
COST: $5 admission
INFO: 520-740-1000
www.rialtotheatre.com
