Che Apalache is a four-man string band based in Buenos Aires, with members from Argentina, Mexico and the United States. The group’s founder is Joe Troop (fiddle), a North Carolinian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and composer who moved to Argentina in 2010.

The band performs as part of the Mauch Chunk Opera House’s free series of concerts at 8 o’clock this evening.

While patiently carving out a niche in the local music scene, Troop taught bluegrass and old-time music for a living. That’s how he met Pau Barjau (banjo), Franco Martino (guitar) and Martin Bobrik (mandolin), his most dedicated students. They quickly became picking buddies, and in 2013, decided to hit the stage.

Che Apalache began as a bluegrass band, but eventually incorporated Latin American styles into their repertoire. Combining instrumental prowess with tight vocal harmonies, they have created an authentic blend of genres to reflect the nature of their lives. Evoking images from Appalachia to the Andes, their debut album, “Latingrass,” is a testament to a powerful cultural and musical exchange.

In 2017 the band received grants from the North Carolina Humanities Council and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities to tour the United States.

Everywhere they went on their five-week ramble, they were met with enthusiasm and praise.

At the prestigious Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, they were awarded first place in the Neo-Traditional band competition. The momentum is growing for Che Apalache, and the future looks promising in both South and North America.

Tickets are free. They are available on the opera house website at www.mcohjt.com, by visiting SoundCheck Records in downtown Jim Thorpe or by calling 570-325-4009 or by coming to the opera house at 7 p.m. when the doors open.