Led by trumpeter and composer Cesar Vazquez, Los Tamales was founded in 2022 from the roots of the Moraine Valley Community College Jazz Combo. The band initially gained recognition for their dynamic arrangements that blended modern, popular songs with the dynamic, improvisation-centric arrangements of jazz music. Since then, the group has expanded its repertoire to include original funk, Latin jazz, and jazz-pop charts. In 2024, Los Tamales released their debut album Tamales a La Carte, which has aired on prominent jazz radio stations like 90.9 WDCB Jazz in Chicago.

Los Tamales highlights the most danceable aspects of jazz music with a fierce rhythm section, a powerful and precise horn section, and a multi-talented vocalist. Los Tamales' greatest strength is the diversity of their sound. The band is fluent in many variants and derivatives of jazz from around the world. The band has specialized set lists for New Orleans jazz, Latin jazz, Japanese jazz, funk, and more.