Avizo are a charting, Grammy-nominated tejano band from Houston, Texas whose sound also embodies cumbia, conjunto, salsa, and vintage R&B. They are locally known as "Houston's Powerhouse." The band was formed by trumpeter Robert Dorantes in Houston in 1984. His purpose was a kind of protest against tejano bands turning away from a traditional horn-based sound to one generated electronically by keyboards. But Avizo are not anti-keyboards; the group's front line includes them, as well as accordion. Though they originally performed Top 40 Latin and pop covers to get gigs, their enormous sound and energy prompted a local DJ to give them their nickname and inspired a move toward an exclusive tejano sound. The lineup consists of Dorantes, singer "GQ" Chris Quiroga, trumpeter Lonny Lalanne, trombonist Sal Gonzales, saxophonist Tory Treviño, drummer Sergio "Sarge" Salas, Ralph Garcia on keyboards and accordion, bassist Rick Rios, and guitarist Mike Garcia.