Grupo Fantasma Performing at The Paramount Theater in Austin on May 27th at The Paramount Theatre
Dates: 5/27/2022
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📍 Theatre: |
The Paramount Theater
30 Center Street
Austin, TX 78701
Tickets: $20 - $45
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On Friday May 27th, Grupo Fantasma meets the king of Latin Soul Joe Bataan in Austin, TX. Grupo Fantasma, the GRAMMY Award winning band, is thrilled to return live at The Paramount Theatre with their biggest concert since the pandemic. The show features the legendary Joe Bataan who made waves in the industry with releases on Fania Records and his own Salsoul label. The show is also brought to you by KUTX Presents. Grupo Fantasma has been praised as one of the most important independent acts in the Latin genre and has continually defied expectations to create one of the most unique musical voices to come out of the United States in the 21st century. The nine-piece collective formed in 2000 in Austin, Texas consists of Jose Galeano (timbales, vocals), Kino Esparza (vocals, hand percussion), Beto Martinez (guitar), Greg Gonzalez (bass), John Speice (drums), Matthew Sweet Lou Holmes (congas), Gilbert Elorreaga (trumpet), Josh Levy (baritone saxophone) and Mark Speedy Gonzales (trombone). Not only does the band have seven critically acclaimed albums in their back catalog (including a GRAMMY award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for 2011s El Existential), but the band has collaborated and backed gigs with the likes of Prince, Spoon and Los Lobos. Joe Bataan is one of a small group of performers that transcends stereotypes. His musical legacy spans more than four decades. Known as the King of Latin-Soul, this living legend is highly decorated and revered by a multi-cultural audience around the world. He has recorded 23 albums since 1967, when he had a hit with Gypsy Woman on Fania records. He fused Latin-African beats with Soul and Doo Wop to create the sound known as Latin Soul. Born of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with neighborhood gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican influences that helped shape his music. Greg Gonzalez of Grupo Fantasma explains the significance of Bataan on them and music in general stating, We have always been fans of Joe Bataan and felt that there was a lot of synergy between his story and ours. Joe is an Afro-Filipino artist who grew up in Spanish Harlem running with Puerto-Rican gangs in the 50s-60s before he got incarcerated. During his time locked up he became involved in music, singing doo-wop and then later getting in on the Salsa scene as one of the first signees to Fania records. He helped develop the style of music known as Boogaloo, blending salsa and Latin rhythms with R&B and doo-wop. When he discovered that he was being exploited by the labels notorious founder Jerry Masucci, he left and went independent, helping to form the Salsol label. There he explored the convergence of funk and disco with Salsa and Brazilian rhythms and even early Rap. Greg adds, His story resonates with ours, being from the USA and being culturally and ethnically diverse, Grupo Fantasma also gravitated to Latin music, mixing Cumbia, Caribbean rhythms and Salsa with our own influences in rock, funk, hip hop, and soul, much like Joe did. Also like Joe, we remain independent, underground artist for the most part, never quite fitting in with anyones cookie cutter perspective of what constitutes Latin music and refusing to be pigeon-holed by ethnic or racial identities and barriers. We consider ourselves kindred spirits in that sense, building our own forms of expression that embrace diversity more than the music industry is generally open to. Joining Grupo Fantasma and Joe Bataan will be Eddie and the Valiants, the brown-eyed soul/R&B band from San Antonio getting the night started, with DJ Hector Gallegos spinning vinyl between and before sets. Then Grupo Fantasma will be playing a short solo set before joining forces with Bataan to close the night with a long epic set showcasing the importance of Latin music for an unforgettable night. Grupo Fantasma concludes, Joe Bataan is one of the last remaining legends of the early New York Salsa/Boogaloo scene and as such he represents the source of a musical legacy and tradition that has gone on to influence and inspire countless generations of musicians such as us. He represents the true beauty of Americas cultural diversity and the vitality of authentic expression when it is freed from the narrow constraints of convention, but ultimately limiting musical genres and cliches. He remains a model of independence and inclusivity, and his message continues to remain relevant to this day.
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