When it comes to area cultural centers, Casa de Venezuela is the new kid on the block — exactly which block is another story entirely. Since its founding in March 2004, it remains a casa in spirit only, still looking for a permanent, physical home, while actively promoting Venezuelan culture with a 12-person folkloric group and almost 300 paid members. Emilio Buitrago, who returns calls for Casa, marvels over these developments. "When I moved here 10 years ago, it felt like I was the only one!" Now he says the community is large enough to support a show by Trio de Cuatro — one of the acts the Venezuelan Embassy in D.C. brings in annually to celebrate Venezuelan Independence (July 5). Trio de Cuatro will impress anybody with a love for stringed instruments, especially open-minded jam band or new-acoustic-music fans. The cuatro is a swiftly strummed cousin to the guitar and the national instrument of Venezuela. The trio's members are all national award-winners, so grounded in the traditional joropo that they freely add modern chords and bluesy breaks while keeping the dancers ecstatic.