Spam Allstars new CD, “Introducing Spam Allstars“, will be released 26 August 2008 on the Introducing/World Music Network label. Spam Allstars are Miami’s hardest-working Latin band. Spam music, grounded in Latin funk, mixes horns, improvisational electronic elements and turntables with hip-hop and dub.
According to them, their mission is to “blend improvisational electronic elements and turntables with Latin, funk, hip-hop and dub to create a sound that is unique – an electronic descarga”. In Spanish a descarga means ‘electrical charge’, and was first used by musicians fifty years ago to describe the Latin/jazz “jam sessions”. Their music can also be described as “electro-charanga” – charanga being a genre of Cuban music as well as a band format that normally features flute and string section.
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The themes of the songs are rather unusual: “Gallo Pinto” is a tribute to the national dish of Nicaragua. A version of “Descarga Gusano“, referring to “Descarga Cachao” on the other hand, was recorded for the Miami Heat NBA basketball team to use for their game intros. All in all, the music of the Spam Allstars is like a soundtrack to the crazy melting pot that is Miami.
The band has extraordinary musical pedigree. Headed by DJ Le Spam (aka Andrew Yeomanson, born in Montreal to an English father and Venezuelan mother) on turntables, samplers, guitar and bass, with Adam Zimmon (formerly of Shakira) on guitar, Tomas Diaz on timbales and vocals, AJ Hill on saxes and vocals, Steve Welsh on saxes, Mercedes Abal from Havana (formerly with Albita) on flute, Chad Bernstein on trombone and vocals and the great Afro-Cuban percussionist Lázaro Alfonso (formerly of Irakere) on congas. In the last couple of years the Spam Allstars have had the privilege of performing and recording with legendary saxophonist, Pee Wee Ellis, former musical director of James Brown.
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DJ Le Spam formed the Spam Allstars in 1993, using samples and live instruments in the studio, resulting in their first album, “Pork Scratchings“, in 1999.
VIDEO SPAM ALLSTARS – GALLO PINTO
Archivé sous: 2000 - 2008, CD/LP REVIEWS | Tagué : ALBITA, CHAD BERNSTEIN, CHARANGA, CUBAN MUSIC, DESCARGA, DJ LE SPAM, GALLO PINTO, LAZARO ALFONSO, MIAMI, MUSICA CUBANA, PEE WEE ELLIS, SHAKIRA, SPAM ALLSTARS
[...] Ils sont sur la bonne voie, celle empruntée par des groupes ayant déjà fait un bon bout de chemin: Ozomatli, Los Lobos et Les Spams All Stars. [...]