How do you enrich the lives of cultured, diverse and arts-oriented New Yorkers who get weary contending with the heat and hustle and bustle of the Big Apple during the summertime?

Give them a variety of high-caliber acts who give stellar performances of artistic quality that are free-of-charge, and that serve the diverse communities of New York City. Hence, SummerStage, a program of City Parks Foundation, which offers an array of Latino artists this year, including the LA-based, Mexican-American band La Santa Cecilia, who won a 2014 Grammy for Best Latin Rock and Alternative album for "Trenta Dias" (30 Days). The band is amped up to perform at Central Park SummerStage on July 12, 2014. 

"Wow, it's been an incredible year. Now as we hit the road again, you start reflecting about what has been going on in the past year. It's been non-stop ... the Grammy, the traveling, muchas cosas, no?" La Santa Cecilia's lead vocalist Marisol Hernandez told Latin Post. "It's a lot of experience for inspiration. ... I am just looking forward to writing more and taking up all that we have been experiencing for the past year and a half and put it into perspective."

Named after the patron saint of musicians, La Santa Cecilia also includes accordionist and requintero Jose "Pepe" Carlos, bassist Alex Bendana and percussionist Miguel Ramirez. Recently, the band rocked the stages at the Fiesta en la Calle in Sacramento, California, and the Pachanga Latino Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

La Santa Cecilia, which hails from the "City of Angels," has an affection for both American and traditional music. The band's eclectic taste is influenced by a range of artists from Miles Davis to The Beatles, Zeppelin to Janis Joplin, Mercedes Sosa to Ramon Ayala.

"La Santa Cecilia exemplifies the modern-day creative hybrid of Latin culture, rock and world music. The group draws inspiration from all over the world, utilizing Pan-American rhythms like cumbia, bossa nova, rumba, bolero, tango and jazz and klezmer music."

Besides the band's versatility, the band has an important stance on immigration reform. Its accordionist and requintero Jose "Pepe" Carlos is an undocumented immigrant and recipient of President Obama's deferred action for childhood arrivals, which gave deportation relief to young immigrants brought to the country as children.

When the band won a Grammy, Carlos told BuzzFeed that it was "an incredible feeling," and during the band's acceptance speech, Hernandez said "We dedicate this award to the more than 11 million undocumented people that live and work really hard in this country and that still need to live a more dignified life in this country!"

"These are stories that we have to tell," Carlos told BuzzFeed. "As musicians, songwriters, we have an obligation to present the story of our people. Of the situations we have lived in ourselves."

The mulit-talented band has made many "Best of 2013" lists, including AdAge magazine's, which called th band "a must for any ad agencies looking to launch a Hispanic Campaign," and they have a TV connection as well.

La Santa Cecilia's song "Chicle" was featured on the Emmy award-winning series "Weeds," as well as an on-camera appearance on HBO's Emmy award-winning hit show "Entourage," (the episode also featured the songs "Chicle" and "El Farol"), among others.

"I think we feel more motivated to keep doing what we're doing ... This is just the beginning. It just gives us more 'ganas' to continue on the road and continue writing music," bassist Alex Bendana said.

"With music, you never really know what's going to happen," said percussionist Miguel Ramirez. "The cool thing is that when you make something, like we were really lucky to win a Grammy. That motivated us to keep going. But the reality of it is it's the anticipation of creating something new. It's that mystery that pushes you forward ... It's really exciting to have that mystery element to it."

"We've been exposed to the music scene for a long time and when you have partners, like in this case, who have been there through the good and the bad, that makes a solid group," said Carlos, reminiscing about the band's past birthday party and wedding gigs before they became an award-winning, critically-acclaimed band.

La Santa Cecilia said the band's favorite songs include covers and original tunes, such as "Tainted Love," "La Negra," "La Ranchera, "Cuidado" and "El Hielo," among others.

How does La Santa Cecilia see the genre of Latin music evolving?

"I think it's going to continue to become more natural for everybody to just accept that everybody likes everything ... It doesn't have to be because we're Latino ... or because we're American, we like this," Ramirez said. "A kid from Mexico City that doesn't speak any English listens to a band from North America. He may not understand what they are saying, but he loves the music. So there is no need to classify that or make it anything other than he just loves that music.

"We love all kinds of music, it's just a natural thing for us to be able to write and say, 'Yeah, we love rancheras, rock, jazz and funk.' It's just all influenced us," he said. "To be able to give it back to what music is and to contribute back to music a little bit, for us, is the biggest thing."