The eclectic band Ozomatli have traveled from Los Angeles to around the world winning with their diverse sound. With a mix from rock to reggae to salsa this group doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. They are currently working on oZoKidZ for children, followed by a book, DVD, and tour. Glide went backstage before their recent show at the Congress to get the real story from Raul Pacheco about musical instruments, “Gay Vatos” and electrocution.
For this year’s moe.down, the upstate NY-based indie jammers have announced the first round of artists piecemeal through the moe.down Facebook page. Today’s “leaks” have just wrapped up with the
Jam Cruise 10 sets sail from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on January 9 aboard the MSC Poesia and will visit Labadee, Haiti and Falmouth, Jamaica before returning to Ft. Lauderdale on January 14. Over the first nine Jam Cruises a number of artists have proven themselves to be ideal performers for the community-oriented vibe of the trip. Jam Cruise 10’s lineup brings nearly all of those acts back to the open seas including HT faves Umphrey’s McGee, Galactic, Soulive, Perpetual Groove, The New Mastersounds, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Railroad Earth.
Other acts set to perform on Jam Cruise 10 will be Keller & The Keels, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Ozomatli, 7 Walkers (w/ Steve Kimock), Orgone, EOTO, Toots and the Maytals, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Toubab Krewe, Shpongle (DJ Set), Break Science w/ Chali 2na, George Porter and the Runnin’ Pardners, Dr. Klaw, Surprise Me Mr. Davis, Dead Kenny G.’s, The Heavy Pets, DJ Logic, DJ Kraz, Paper Diamond, Everyone Orchestra and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The New Deal returns to Jam Cruise this January for what will likely be the band’s last-ever performance before going their separate ways. One group we’re particularly interested in seeing is billed as A Tribute to Sly Stone and the Family Stone featuring Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Nick Daniels, Adam Deitch, Ian Neville and Nigel Hall. Best part? You know each of those guys will sit in with plenty of bands and in the Jam Room, a venue where Jam Cruise musicians congregate to improv each night.
Speaking of sit-ins, bringing aboard special guests to perform with the bands on the boat is a Jam Cruise tradition and for JC10 the event’s organizers have tapped Anders Osborne, Steve Kimock, Chali 2na, Col. Bruce Hampton, Big Sam, Jessica Lurie and Kyle Hollingsworth to fill those spots. Cabins go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, May 24 at Noon EDT. Those who already pre-booked will be able to pick a room according to their assigned booking time starting on May 11. Visit JamCruise.com for more details about one of the best vacations possible.
READ ON for the full Jam Cruise 10 lineup and more details…
Ozomatli @ Irving Plaza – February 3rd, 2011
Jam bands tend to try and be a little bit of everything to everyone. And a lot of the time they just fall flat as pale imitators. Hip-hop acts tend to recognize their “roots.” Sometimes this comes off as phony; just another way to try and gain “street cred.” Last Thursday evening at Irving Plaza, there was a party goin’ on. Sly would have said that at moments, it was worthy of a riot. But what exactly was being played? I’m still not totally sure. But I know one thing: Ozomatli rocked the house making a cold Winter Thursday night feel like a “Saturday Night.” And the audience in attendance could have cared less what type of music was coming from the stage.
[All words and photos by Marc Millman]
According to Wikipedia, in a 2007 NPR interview, band members Jiro Yamaguchi and Ulises Bella described Ozomatli: “You drive down Sunset Boulevard and turn off your stereo and roll down your windows and all the music that comes out of each and every different car, whether it’s salsa, cumbia, merengue, or hip-hop, funk or whatever, it’s that crazy blend that’s going on between that cacophony of sound is Ozomatli, y’know?” And if you dance your way through one of their almost two hour sets, you will see that this is the perfect description. The band has varied in size since its inception in 1995. Thursday night’s shows featured seven members that included the core six found in every incarnation.
Over the course of an 18-song set, the band bounded from rock to soul to funk to reggae to hip-hop to cumbia and back again. One really did feel as though they were making their way down Sunset. And while Asdru Sierra (lead vocals, trumpet), Raul Pacheco (lead vocals, guitar) and Justin Poree (rap vocals, percussion) led the band through their paces, the crowd got a taste of all sorts of genres. But never without a bit of rock to smack your ass while you were busy shakin’ it.
READ ON for more of Marc’s thoughts and photos on Ozomatli…
The lineup for this year’s Coachella dropped early this morning and it’s no joke. Goldenvoice put together a well-rounded bill that starts with headliners Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, The Strokes and Kanye West and includes HT faves The Felice Brothers, Tame Impala and Trampled By Turtles.
Here’s a look at the lineup in poster form…
Coachella 2011 takes place at Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA on April 15 – 17. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 AM PST.
READ ON for an A to Z (or ! to Z) rundown of the bill…
We’re barely a week into 2011 and we’ve already got our first major summer festival line up announcement of the season that has us excited for the warmer months ahead. Earlier today the fine folks behind the Wakarusa Music Festival dropped a monster list of bands that will take to the variety of tents and stages over the weekend of June 2 -5 at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas.
Now in it’s seventh year, the jam-friendly festival will be headlined by the mighty My Morning Jacket, who are joined at the top of the bill by Ben Harper & Relentless7, Thievery Corporation and STS9.
Other acts set to head to Mulberry Mountain this year will be HT faves Umphrey’s McGee, Mumford & Sons, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Galactic, Dark Star Orchestra, Perpetual Groove, Those Darlins and These United States.
A variety of ticketing options for the four day festival are currently on-sale, which include an early bird full event pass for the low price of $139.
READ ON for the full initial Wakarusa 2011 line up…
To its credit, Ozomatli offers something for everyone. Each member of the group, after all, represents a different part of the world. Ozo's sound, rich with hip-hop, salsa, funk and jazz, has underscored the band's outspoken crusade for social justice since the mid-'90s. "Gay Vatos in Love" proudly salutes gay marriage over Ulises Bella's wailing '50s-era saxophone, while the psychedelic "Love Comes Down"—Fire Away's finest moment—hits home for lovers everywhere but arrives too late in the album.
With MGMT’s much buzzed about sophomore album Congratulations hitting stores today, the Brooklyn-based act has revealed their summer touring plans. Andrew VanWyngarden & Ben Goldwasser, who kicked off a sold
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of news swirling in regards to the lineup for the ninth annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. All the
Like Los Lobos, Ozomatli was born and raised in Los Angeles and their music reflects the essence of the city, blending the city's multi-cultural flavor. Where Los Lobos used the traditional sounds of Mexican folk and fused them with the rock ‘n’ roll, Ozomatli brings together hip-hop, ska, rock, and the Latin flavors that are so prevalent in their home city.
