Photos courtesy of SHAE photographer Joann Gomez
We’ve had a few scorchers these past weeks, but things got even hotter last Friday at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn. CELEBRATE! Brooklyn and LAMC teamed up to present the Bud Light Latin Music Series, a multicultural smashup concert event featuring Latin artists Ozomatli, Fidel Nadal, and Toy Selectah. With a huge crowd turn-out as diverse as the lineup, the event provided everyone with an awesome assortment of fusion flavored sounds, including rock and reggae, hip hop and salsa, funk and merengue, and dancehall and cumbia.
Toy Selectah warmed up the crowd as the opening act, spinning some of his sickest mixes and giving us a taste of what happens when you mix infectious riddims with Mexican sound scapes. After his set, I got to dust off some of my Spanish-speaking skills to link up with this DJ/Producer of Monterey, Mexico and speak with him about his one-of-a-kind mixes. When asked about his process for seamlessly intermixing music, Toy explained that it “depends on the cadence, growth, and shuffle action” of a particular track. He also attributed the classic process of trial-and-error to some of his best mixes.
“Some fit perfectly,” said Toy.
On the other hand, when you’ve been in the game for as long as Toy has, you quickly develop an ear for that perfect musical union.
“Feeling and experience,” Toy added.
Because at the end of the day, Toy believes that a good remix is all about an “appreciation for the songs.”
While I didn’t get a chance to meet up with Fidel Nadal, his stellar performance spoke enough for the both of us. This Afro-Argentinean reggae star quickly got the crowd up on its feet and bouncing around like only a sweet reggae tune can. Fortunately for his listeners, after every two songs, Nadal would ask the crowd, “Uno mas?” only to be answered by the crowd’s affirming roar. At one point, Nadal matched the crowd’s hype energy by leaping high into the air, his two feet drawn into himself like a bouncing ball of fire. There’s no wonder why a few lighters were soon thrust into the air and waved while the crowd’s thunderous applause rivaled the sounds played by Nadal’s master band.
Now, excuse the cliché, but Ozomatli may have been the last band to close out the lineup, but they were certainly not least. By the time the MC introduced the LA-band Ozomatli onto the stage, the crowd had swelled to a sea of massive proportions. The members of Ozomatli not only know how to give an unforgettable performance replete with vibrant vocals and funky-rocker-latin-licious jam sessions, but they also understand the large role that music can play in spreading social justice to millions. The United States State Department also took note, and in 2008, made Ozomatli an official cultural ambassador for the US, a position that has allowed them to travel to and perform in just about every corner on the worldwide map.
During our interview, Raúl Pacheco, who provides guitar, tres, and jarana, and
vocals to Ozomatli, admitted that, for the band, receiving the position was
“strange at first.”
“At the time, Bush was President and we were speaking out against policy issues,” Pancheco explained.
Yet, through their involvement, Pacheco and his bandmates also learned that there were “certain
aspects” of the State Department that they supported, such as the provision of aid.
“For the most part, it was
hard to argue,” said Pacheco about the band’s accepting the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Overall, it was the perfect summer evening, full of new music, fun people, and insightful interviews. If you haven’t heard of these artists before, then what are you waiting for? Hit up Youtube right now and see what all of the fuss is about. You won’t be sorry!
In the meanwhile, check out some more dope photos taken by Joann Gomez, right HERE.
You need to be a member of SOCIETY HAE to add comments!
Join SOCIETY HAE