If you’ve ever wondered whether Johann Sebastian Bach (not to be confused with the Skid Row singer of nearly the same name) would have felt at home strolling the streets of La Habana or sipping a cafecito Cubano at Calle Ocho’s Versailles, wonder no longer. The answer is a resounding…
If the term “folkloric deconstruction” leaves you scratching your head or, worse yet, picturing a foreign knock-off of late-model Woody Allen featuring loincloth and headdress, you probably haven’t had the opportunity to catch LA-based electro outfit Palenke Soultribe. Comprised of producers Juan D. Borda (AKA Insectosound) and Andres Erazo (AKA…
Colombia is a country known for solid exports. And we’re not talking nose candy here. Nor are we talking super hottie hip shaker Shakira. At least not in that capacity. Colombia consistently exports quality music. The aforementioned chanteuse among them. Carlos Vives is another who comes to mind. From Joe…
Funkerman
Afro Kumbe
Up on the stage, it’s a bird, it’s a plane. No, it’s SuperSam! Contrary to images that name might conjure, it’s not tomcat Cheers bartender Sam Malone’s super hero alter ego. It’s actually the name of a kick ass Latin rock band that has taken root right here in Miami…
Talent runs in the Rodriguez Lopez-Cepero family. It certainly graced Luis Alfonso, better known as Latin Grammy winner Luis Fonsi. And it didn’t pass his younger brother Jean Carlos, who goes simply by Jean, by either. The Puerto Rican born singer-songwriter, has a distinct style all his own, heavy on…
Surfer Blood, seen above covering Guided by Voices’ “Game of Pricks,” has quickly become huge. Not Kings of Leon huge, not headlining a North American arena tour huge, or the biggest thing to hit Europe since, well, the euro huge. At least not yet. Stick with huge for a band…
Locally transplanted Puerto Rican superstar and Latin heartthrob Ricky Martin has always had a strong inclination toward philanthropic ambitions, frequently using his own dough and fame over the years to lend a helping hand to worthy causes. In fact, he has his very own organization, the Ricky Martin Foundation, which…
Eric Clapton is one of the greatest guitarists alive. The man — currently gabbing with Buddy Guy on his signature T-Mobile phone on TV — long ago earned his place in the pantheon of rockers as a guitar god.Clapton began his career in the early ’60s playing with British blues-rock…
Puerto Rican-American salsa singer Victor Manuelle has long been called “El Sonero de la Juventud,” or “the Sonero of the Youth.” There isn’t a clear translation for the word sonero, but it suffices to say it is salsa’s version of a freestyler. Manuelle has earned the title for his abilities…
A guide to the music stages at Calle Ocho 2010
Making up words is fun, but it rarely yields anything worth keeping (unless you count Peter Griffin’s festizio). Lanzallamas Monofónica is an exception. The band name isn’t entirely fabricated: If you know Spanish, you know lanzallamas to be flamethrowers. Meanwhile, monofónica refers to single-channel recording. Though the band most definitely…
Locos por Juana’s new EP, Evolución, is aptly named. The band’s perpetually in a state of motion, and not just in the midst of their frenzied live performances around town, but in everything they do. For starters, you might have noticed that the group’s lineup is now two members slimmer…
The members of Hey Monday look more like they walked off the set of Laguna Beach than like five kids who grew up and cut their teeth in West Palm. But that’s exactly where vocalist Cassadee Pope, lead guitarist Mike Gentile, guitarist Alex Lipshaw, and bassist Jersey Moriarty, and drummer…
The members of Bachaco are going to be busy little bees over the next few days. Well, ants maybe. Because, as you know, their name refers to a Brazilian leafcutter ant. Entomology lessons aside, the SoFla-based fusion group is going to be performing live at UM for the Patio Jam…
Locos Por Juana with Choc Quib TownKukaramakara, MiamiFriday, March 5, 2010Better Than: Seven shots of aguardiente. Or perhaps even better because of them?The Review:I’m not going to lie to you. I’d been psyched about this show for some time. Curious about Choc Quib Town might be more accurate, at least…
This week, we’ll highlight the biggest South Florida acts making the trip to Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest Music Conference March 17-21. First, Fort Lauderdale’s Every You.Every You is a band that makes each track count. With only a handful of recorded songs by way of an EP…
You may remember the Heineken TransAtlantic Festival. It came through last year? A whole bevy of top-shelf world music talent graced our fair shores. CuCu Diamantes participated, sharing her dulcet, neo-Cuban-cabaret-era-spliced-with-urban-NYC vibe. Quirky Mexican NuJazz songstress Ximena Sariñana also played a gig, and our own Rachel Goodrich opened. If you…
There are certain bands that embody the spirit of Miami, gathering the energy that shimmers on the street like heat haze. With its smart blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms with Latin jazz, hip-hop, electro, loads of funk, Spam Allstars are chief among these. The band has come a long way since…
Colombian urban fusion act Choc Quib Town makes its Miami debut at Kukaramakara
Party people, get ready. This is going to be one of those weekends. You know the ones–the kind that make Miami such a great city. The ones where you whip through it in a frenzy from Friday to Sunday, in whirlwind of activity, only to awake Monday morning, perhaps a…
