From the land of the pisco sour comes a new, and even more intoxicating Peruvian export–FatKingBulla. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of a bold statement. Pisco sours are some strong stuff. Just ask my ex-neighbor about that morning I woke up on his lawn cradling his garden gnome (nothing happened…
Calling an artist a living legend in print can be a tricky business, with the risk of vocal naysayer upheaval very real. It requires either a certain disregard for reader opinion or a subject whose trajectory speaks so loudly for itself that the writer’s words become less an affirmation than mere…
Yo, WTF’s up with Jorge Moreno? It seems that, aside from a seemingly isolated performance on last December’s Victoria Secret Fashion Show, we haven’t heard from the talented Cuban-American singer-songwriter in some time. The release of his Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated debut record Moreno showed incredible promise, spawning tracks…
You no doubt remember the ultra-cool group Yerba Buena, the kick-ass group founded by producer Andres Levin. Its 2003 debut album, President Alien, earned it a Grammy nod, in part because of the smash success of the band’s catchy first single, “Guajira.” The group’s female vocalist, CuCu Diamantes, has had a…
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A Peruvian, two Cubans, an Argentine, a kid from Bean Town and a guy from the Heartland walk into a bar. Okay, it’s not actually a joke, but you’ve got to admit there’s crazy potential right there in the setup. Instead of…
Well, it’s Labor Day, ladies and gentlemen. That time of year that pretty much waves adios to the summer and renders your collection of white clothes useless (unless you’re a santero in the process of haciendote un santo). Kids are back in school and the fall weather is right around…
You know who’s really got their shit together when it comes to having a good time? Brazilians. I mean think about it. Carnaval, caipirinhas, Brazilian steakhouses, those Brazilian bikinis, Brazilian waxing…ok, maybe that last one is only fun in the post stages. But you get my drift.Now offering you yet…
In case you missed the film La Mala when it played in Miami-Dade College’s Muestra de Cine Cubano in May, the opportunity presents itself once again to catch this flick. The movie is based on the life of legendary Cuban singer, La Lupe, played by singer-songwriter and pianist, Lena. For…
Perhaps you’re not an avid follower of the vast array of traditional styles that generally get lumped together under the banner Regional Mexican. And I won’t lie to you, neither am I. But millions upon millions of record sales annually (and the fact they’re playing the AAA) indicate that there…
What’s shakin’ party people? If you’re planning on heading to Transit this weekend, the answer to that question is a simple one: your asses. Because that’s what happens without fail whenever one of Miami’s local favorites, Suenalo!, takes the stage for their frequent appearances around the city. The eight-piece band,…
Of a Revolution, or O.A.R., as it’s known for short, has come quite a long way from its humble beginnings as a college circuit band. But what many similarly started frat-house bands lacked, this Ohio State U quintet has amassed in spades: massive online distribution fueling tremendous underground buzz. It…
Argentine alternative group Babasónicos boasts an impressive longevity in the evanescent world of rock ‘n’ roll. Nearly 18 years after its founding, the band is now reduced to a five-piece from its original six, following the tragic loss of Gabriel “Gabo” Manelli to Hodgkin’s disease last year. Still, Babasónicos continues…
You wouldn’t think right off the bat of the Upstairs at the Van Dyke for a venue in which to enjoy the energetic, infectious and heavily rhythmic amalgam that is Bachaco’s music. But then again, Lanzallamas Monofonica will be taking the same stage one night prior, and it’s not their…
Tune in, freak out, get naked. That’s Marujah’s motto. And theirs is music as befitting of public nudity as any. But the unique blend they call world-step/dub-funk/electro-rock is not exactly what you’d expect of a band hailing from Tennessee.Almost equal parts rock, reggae and Latin, the songs that comprise Marujah’s…
Not really Be-Bob GrabowskiEver wondered what Miles Davis might’ve sounded like if he’d hung out in Rio or spent time with his toes in the sand in La Habana? Well, you’re guess is as good as mine or anyone else’s, and since the man is dead, we’ll probably never know…
Change in all its forms is fascinating, and particularly so in music. Bands (hopefully) change from tour to tour and album to album, even if it’s just with a revamped, retooled stage performance. This is precisely why I was curious to see how the guys of Incubus had rewired their…
The roof is on fire, party people. Or it will be at Jazid this Friday. And Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three will have had nothing to do with it (or anything else in the last 25 years, for that matter). The culprits responsible for said act of arson…
IncubusBayfront ParkSunday, August 16, 2009Better than: A great number of shows I’ve seen this year.The Review: Change is fascinating, whether we’re talking reinvention or a revamped, retooled performance. This is true particularly in music. So I was curious to see how Incubus has rewired its show from the band’s last visit to SoFla in 2007 with…
Remember her? Yes, that’s right–the super sexy blond cutie aka Colombian bombshell from here. Well, clearly she’s just as hot now as she was last time we brought her to your attention…only somehow even hotter musically.Fanny Lu has spent much of the last year tearing up the charts not only…
Say, have you ever heard of Toto La Momposina? No? Well neither had I, until my editor put me onto her. So I set out to see just who that was, and thanks to the modern marvel that is Google, within minutes my office was filled with tribal, Afro-Caribbean and…
There’s nothing like a good festival. The food. The beer. The lengthy and varied lineups of entertainers. Festivals make for an all-around damn good time. The only problem is finding a decent Latin festivals. Sure, if the signs along the Palmetto are any indication, there’s a Colombian festival every other…
Let’s go back, for a minute, to the year 1991. America seems like a much different place — except it really isn’t. The nation finds itself entrenched in war in the Middle East, with oil prices spiking and consumers scrambling. Everyone teeters on the brink of a vast and ominous…
