Latin Mod
BROWN NOTE LATIN ROCK PROJECT - BAND BIOS
Chana - Influenced as much by Stereolab and Gorillaz as by Aterciopelados and Julieta Venegas, Chana is an LA-based singer whose tropical sound could be described as global hip-pop.
Born in New York City and reared by a party-loving Dominican family, her father's salsa and R&B records were a sonic constant while growing up. At the age of nine, Chana and her family moved to Miami where she trained in modern dance at the New World School of the Arts. Here she was exposed to '90s indie bands like Unrest, My Bloody Valentine, and the Swirlies. She continued studying dance at the University of Michigan, where she performed in works by Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Twyla Tharp. These performances introduced her to the music of composers like John Cage and Phillip Glass.
After settling in LA, Chana hooked up with producer Marthin Chan, whose previous work with Volumen Cero had earned him a Latin Grammy nomination. Working out of Chan's garage in Echo Park, the duo began collaborating in 2005, and were aided by friend Jorge Elbrecht of the New York art collective Lansing-Dreiden. Their first batch of demos includes "No Me Mandes Flores," which sounds like Andrea Echeverri fronting a funk band; "A Veces," whose swampy sonics and bouncy bass give off a dub feel; and "Icaro," a jagged, thrilling rush of pop.
Volumen Cero is composed of Luis TambIay (vocals/bass), Marthin Chan (guitar and keys) and Josh Sonntag (Guitar). Based out of Echo Park in Los Angeles, California. Volumen Cero, posses a diverse Latin American background, hailing from Chile, Peru and Mexico. Representing a new generation of Latinos in the US, this bilingual and bicultural trio offers a fresh take on rock and roll. They fluidly transition through both Latino and Anglo worlds performing in Spanish and English. They have been at the forefront for Latinos that perform nontraditional music and have achieved critical-acclaim and success. They have released three studio albums, Andromeda on (Grita Records) in 1998. Luces (Warner Latina) in 2002 and Latin Grammy-nominated Estelar (Warner Latina) in 2004. With the release of the first single "Hollywood", from the album Luces, Volumen Cero, began their journey into becoming a successful band to break out of the U.S. Latin Alternative scene. In 2004, Volumen Cero made history when they became one of the first Latin Alternative groups ever to be profiled on MTV's Advance Warning, which aired on MTV and MTV2. In 2005, Volumen Cero received Latin Grammy Nominations for best rock album by a duo or group for their critically acclaimed album Estelar and guitarist Marthin Chan was also nominated for best rock song, as writer for JD Natasha's "Lagrimas." With the release of their third album Estelar, the band's first single "Autos" spent over 10 weeks in the #1 spot and 20 weeks in the top 3 of R&R's Latin Rock Chart. The band is currently putting the finishing touches on, I CAN SEE THE BRIGHT SPOT, their fourth studio album set to released mid-2008.
Here's what people are saying about Volumen Cero:
"Volumen Cero delivers a collection of driving, catch tracks. The mix of Luis Tamblay's raspy vocals, mixed with touches of electronica and fine guitar, give the act a distinctive, utterly pleasant sound. " -BILLBOARD
"With guitars ringing and synthesizers keening over thundering drums and an occasional burst of punk energy, Volumen is a close cousin to the Cure and early U2 -- but with a velvety lushness laid over its hard rock bones". - MIAMI HERALD
www.myspace.com/volumenceromusic
Firme (pronounced "Fear-May") has been energizing crowds across California for 10 years, honing their distinct sound. Firme's trademark sound often slides seductively from rock, to reggae, to Latin, and bring you back full circle.
www.myspace.com/firmemusic
The May Fire founders El Pipe (pronounced "el peepay") and Catty Tasso met in L.A.'s alternative rock scene in 2004, and moved to San Francisco a year later to join efforts with Nachito on guitar and Rob Gwin on bass. Their sound carries happy echoes of modern practitioners like Stereo Total, Jack White and Queens of the Stone Age as well as older voices like David Bowie, The Stooges and The Pixies. They channel these ancestors to stunning effect on their raucous Right And Wrong, an immediate, sassy debut full of grimy twists & breathless adrenaline pumped gems.
www.myspace.com/themayfire
Velorio - The energy of the live shows, the variety of the songs, and the diversity of the audience all reflect the many praxes of Velorio the band. Velorio manifests the linguistic power of music to unite people, tongues and ideas.
www.myspace.com/veloriomusic
No Way Jose is a Southern California punk band that has been building a buzz in the LA music scene. NWJ mixes their Southern California punk, Tex-Mex, and Mexican-American influences to create their own sound they call "Spanglish Punk."
www.myspace.com/nowayjosemusic
The Graves Brothers Deluxe Bela Lugosi and Elvis Presley both died on Stoo Odom's birthday. (This is true.) The GRAVES BROTHERS DELUXE, disembodied musical spirits from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, thus chose Odom eagerly when looking for host bodies to express themselves. New Orleans native/ bassist/ vocalist/ recovering archaeologist Odom shares the current possessée duties with San Franciscans Willy the Mailman and Marco Villalobos. www.myspace.com/thegravesbrothersdeluxe
Sergio Iglesias and the Latin Love MACHINE Armed with a toilet plunger and a rotating band of musicians, Sergio Iglesias is here to ruin the party. Maybe you've seen Sergio Iglesias and Los Magnificos fill the Hemlock Tavern with a joyful, festive cacophony. Or caught Sergio Iglesias and Los Bulliciosos nearly destroy the City College of San Francisco campus. If you were lucky, you might've seen Iglesias with his signature plunger and a tape player perform solo in and outside the Civic Center, Powell, and Montgomery BART stations, wailing atop trash cans, plunging the ground, and bewildering tourists and locals alike. But even if you did see all these shows, you still never know what to expect except to be surprised
www.myspace.com/latinolovemachine
Monte Negro, a Los Angeles based rock band, has devoured enough music genres over the years to do justice to the bilingual and bicultural musicians that comprise the group. With healthy portions of Jane's Addiction, The Cure, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols, Monte Negro has also piled onto its plate Latin-alternative rockers such as Caifanes, Los Fabuloso Cadillacs, Maldita Vecindad, Mano Negra and Soda Stereo.
Monte Negro produces a sound they describe as an "amalgamation of styles filtering through our creative sides." Pop sensibilities mix with darker experimentation to give the listener an acoustic journey through the Monte Negro landscape. Monte Negro's goal is simple: play for a lot of people and get a reaction.
As lead singer Kinski states, "We hope that people either love us or hate us. As long as we can get a visceral reaction and not be met with indifference, I think we've achieved what we set out to do."
www.myspace.com/montenegrorocks
LUALTA - "In 2002, local sextet Lualta received a San Diego Music Award nomination for "Best New Artist." After one listen to the band's latest, five-song EP "Catapult" (Red Camera Recordings), it is immediately evident why. Lualta creates a kaleidoscope of layered styles and textures that is simultaneously engaging and sedating. Songs tend to start out light and easy before exploding into an electrifying fusion of psychedelic, R&B and garage rock. Hazy, druggy guitars mutate into down-and-dirty, pedal-heavy hooks and melt with tender, melodic keyboards. Lualta's solid instrumentation, combined with lead singer Michael Hernandez's pleasantly screechy, cigarette-scorched vocals, induces hypnotic reverie then jerks you awake."
-Claire Caraska, SignOn San Diego
Bat Makumba is the crossroads between the equatorial beats of Brazil and the punk, rock and funk influences of the U.S. and Europe. Their show is a hip renegade carnaval party full of tropicalia tinged ska, punk influenced forro, and rock infused samba. Named after the 70s classic Tropicalia song by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, "Bat Makumba" loosely translates to mean the mixing of Brazilian traditionalism with international pop culture. Don't miss this kinetic, percussive music... join the renegade carnaval party that is Bat Makumba!
NovelaLike the prying eyes of a voyeur peering into the unsuspecting life of society, Novela documents the stories which make up our petty lives. The group writes music that is designed for the fan of 50's rock, 60's soul, British pop, Ye Ye, and Jangle rock. Sounding at times like a healthier Serge Gainsbourg or a less attractive Scott Walker, and being unapologetic to it's heroes for it's blatant musical thievery, Novela writes music that captures the thoughts that we all go home to at night.