Photos: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs @ Hammerstein Ballroom

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Apr. 9, 2009, at 1:43 pm

It was appropriate that Señor Flavio, co-writer of most of Fabulosos Cadillacs’ hits, teased the sold-out crowd at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday night by pretending his bass guitar was a rifle. Near the end of the group’s nearly two hour set, Flavio Cianciaurlo pointed the instrument at the audience, as if to say, “Bang! We just did a great show.”

The nearly 4,000 folks in attendance agreed. Members of the crowd were hoarse after screaming and singing along to the chant-like hooks of the classic songs performed by Fabulosos. “Matador,” “Mal Bicho,” and “Vasos Vacios” got the biggest reactions from the slam-dancing, ska-loving audience.

The crowd lined up several blocks deep hours before the show, eagerly anticipating the reunion of the group, touring in support of its new album La Luz del Ritmo . The disc includes a sprinkling of new songs and fantastic refinements of some of the hits that have placed the Fabulosos Cadillacs among the greats of Latin rock. Hopefully the new material, along with the current tour, will provide fans with a reminder of what makes the group so fabulous. And here’s hoping that LFC makes a return trip to D.C. The last time the band came to town it performed at the Dupont Circle’s Garage club (most recently Club Five), back in the mid-’90s.

Sugalumps & Epileptic Dogs:

Flight of the Con

chords’ Top 10 S

ongs from the 2009 Season

Posted by Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper on Apr. 9, 2009, at 10:37 am

The Flight of the Conchords can barely make ends meet. It must be hard to make rent when your genre’s as obscure as “obscure guitar-based digi-bongo a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk” (apparently so popular in New Zealand that FOTC is only fourth best at it there). It certainly doesn’t help when your dimwit of a band manager—Murray Hewitt—refuses to book you nighttime gigs because New York City is too dangerous (“you could be murdered or even ridiculed”); instead the band plays in aquariums, libraries, expos, and as Simon & Garfunkel impersonators in a gig where they compete against Elton John and Bono impersonators... Now that the Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are about to release a new album and have embarked on a U.S. Tour (including a stop in D.C. on April 13 at DAR Constitution Hall), let’s take a look back at the best songs (open to debate!) of the recently second completed season. Now that the Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are about to release a new album and have embarked on a U.S. Tour (including a stop in D.C. on April 13 at DAR Constitution Hall), let’s take a look back at the best songs (open to debate!) of the recently second completed season.No. 10: Friends. FOTC has also gotten high comedic value out of their guests stars this season—including comedians Jim Gaffigan and Patton Oswalt, two actresses from 24, Lucy ‘Xena Warrior Princess’ Lawless, and folk maestro Art Garfunkel. In this song, Gaffigan plays Murray’s best (and possibly only) friend Jim, who meets the band only after Muray’s “officially” dubbed them “friends.” Highlight: Bret: If you cross the road and a drunk struck you. I’ll scrape you up and reconstruct you. No. 9: Fashion is Danger. In season one the band made no secret of their fascination with ‘80s music–particularly David Bowie, dedicating an entire episode to him culminating with the track “Bowie in Space” (“Isn’t it cold out in space, Bowie? Do you want to borrow my jumper, Bowie?”) Bret and Jemaine go from being ignored by their own Prime Minister (Brian of New Zealand, Bret reverently calling him “my lord”) to paparazzi-worthy famous once they begin using hair gel—becoming infinitely cool. The video, a parody of “Fade to Grey” by Visage, features classic 80s bad fashion (including Babylon 5 space uniforms) and gives shout-outs to “Pr-Pr-President Reagan. Thatcher. Th-Th-Thatcher. Jazzer-size. L-L-Lipgloss.” No. 8: Demon Woman. In a role totally opposite of the snarky yet demure one she plays on ’24,’ the dolled-up Mary Lynn ‘Chloe’ Rajskub plays Karen, a woman who forces Jemaine to dress up like Garfunkel and have sex with her (Jemaine calls this “Garfunkeling”). But before they do, Jemaine has to get rid of his blocky glasses, New Zealand accent, and do his best Garfunkel impression. The song, spoof of the “Devil Woman” by Cliff Richard is dedicated to Karen’s psychotic behavior. Highlights: Jemaine: You sit on a rock. Looking nice in your frock, but you’re scaring my livestock. No. 7: Song for Epileptic Dogs. Season one had the reoccurring role of Sally (Rachel Blanchard)—Bret’s former girlfriend who dates Jemaine briefly on two separate occasions and the focus of two of the best Conchords songs of that season–“The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room)” and “Business Time.” “Beautiful” is a soulful ballad about attainable beauty (”You’re so beautiful. You could be a part-time model. But you’d probably still have to keep your normal job.”), while “Business” portrays married people’s sex as only occurring on Wednesdays when there’s nothing good on TV. So it’s no surprise here, in season two, that Bret and Jemaine literally duel over Brahbrah (played by Adventureland’s Kristen Wiig), whose missing terrier has canine epilepsy. Highlights: Bret: This is the remix! Epilep lep lep, Epileptic Epilep lep lep lep Epileptic Ep Ep …” (dogs begin to howl, the flashing lightscausing them to have epileptic seizures). No. 6: Femident Toothpaste. In season two’s opener Murray makes it to the top of the music management chain, wiith a huge Manhattan office and multiple gold records, after riding the coattails of his second—and now favorite—client, the Crazy Dogggz, who reach number one in 24 countries with the song “Doggy Bounce” (as it turns out a completely plagiarized version of a Polish pop song made a decade earlier). Feeling neglected, the Conchords fire Murray and represent themselves after one final band meeting. Looks like things are looking up for the band when they land a gig writing and performing the jingle for Femident—an organic toothpaste made just for women, because women have special [dental] needs. Highlights: Bret and Jemaine in unison: You are a woman, you have women’s wear. You have breasts and long-ish hair.Oh yeah. Your kind is found everywhere, yet you’re still very rare. No. 5 We’re Both In Love With a Sexy Lady. In the ‘Bharbara’ episode, the two realize they’ve both fallen in love with the same lazy-eyed woman while jogging in the park. The song, a hilarious parody of R. Kelly’s “Same Girl,” and has that same sort of cheesy 1990s R&B—Casio keyboard sound-effects, slang and all.Highlights: In unison: We’re both in love with a sexy lady with an eye that’s lazy. The girl that’s fly with a wonky eye. She’s smoking with an eye that’s broken, I think it’s hot. The way she looks left a lot. No. 4: Carol Brown. Jemaine is ridiculed and shunned by his friends for dating an Australian—especially after he starts wearing Crocodile Hunter-esque short shorts. After a one-night stand, Jemaine returns to her apartment to retrieve his missing wallet. Jemaine performs along with a choir of his ex-girlfriends (led by the evil Carol Brown, who took a bus out of town). The choir sings about Jemaine’s deficiencies as a boyfriend in this homage to Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” No. 3: You Don’t Have To Be A Prostitute. In season one, Jemaine and Bret can’t pay their heating bills, and the song “Inner City Pressure” sums up their financial woes (“You know you’re not in high finance, considering second hand underpants. Check your mind, how’d it get so bad? What happened to those other underpants you had?”). Things are equally as bad in season two when the Conchords are forced to share one tea cup. Jemaine comes up with a cup chart, a schedule of when he can use the cup (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.), and when Bret can use it (9 p.m. to 11 p.m). The plan works until Bret goes on a $2.79 spending spree on a new cup. A $30 penalty occurs after the check for the gas bill bounces, which in turn makes the phone, electricity and rent checks all bounce, forcing Jemaine into male prostitution. Bret thinks prostitution is beneath him; this song, like to the Police’s “Roxanne,” pleads Bret’s case. Highlights: Bret: Its a cold night, beneath the street light, there’s a man whose pants are too tight. Oh no, his pants are too tight. No. 2: Hurt Feelings. Bret disses all the rappers he can think of and starts the first ever New Zealand vs. American rap war. His friend Dave suggests they form a gang to prevent Missy Elliot chopping “his whole body off.” The gang comprises Dave (supposedly an AWOL Navy Seal), senile ex-gangster Johnny Boy, and Mr. and Mrs. Li from the Internet café downstairs. This video has Bret and Jemaine dressed as Bethoven and play tiny spinet pianos (like in Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend”) and the song describes occasions on which they experienced hurt feelings. Highlights: Jemaine: I make a meal for my friends. Try to make it delicious. Try to keep it nutritious. Create wonderful dishes. Not one of them thinks about the way I feel. Nobody compliments the meal. I feel like a prized asshole. No one even mentions my casserole.” No. 1: Sugalumps. In the ‘prostitution’ episode, Jemaine and Bret consider all the options of how to pay their bills. Jemaine (thinking he can be the gigolo version of a Julia Roberts’ “Pretty Woman”) comes up with the solution. And so begins their parody of the Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps”—the best song ever about the family jewels and arguably one of the funniest songs in the Conchords’ two-year run. Highlights: Jemaine: I see you girls checking out my trunks, I see you girls checkin’ out the front of my trunks. I see you girls looking at my junk then checkin’ out my rump then back to my sugar lumps. While I shake yeah I shake it all up, you probably think that my pants have the mumps. It’s just my sugar lump bump-ba-bump. They look so good that’s why I keep them in the front. Jemaine: Put the ladies in a trance when I wear track pants. My dungarees make them hung-a-ry, send them over the moon when I don pantaloons. Bret: My sugar lumps are two of a kind, sweet and white and highly refined. Honeys try all kinds of tomfoolery to steal a feel of my family jewelry. Flight of the Conchords perform an acoustic concert (i.e. no sketches, but still hilarious), along with cast-mate Kirsten Schaal, at DAR Constitution Hall, 311 18th St. NW. (202) 628-1776.

ARTS & EVENTS

Sound of Conscience: Aterciopelados

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

WITH A NAME that literally means "velvety ones," Aterciopelados live up to their moniker by playing feel-good ethereal electronica and funk fused with traditional folk music from their native Colombia. They also manage to take these smile-inducing rhythms and infuse them with powerful messages, denouncing violence and political injustice and standing up for women's rights and the environment. One can imagine the band's socially conscious messages and groovy beats fitting in during the 1970s. "I could see my music being hippie, totally," said Atercios' (as they are known) lead singer, Andrea Echeverri, in Spanish. "I believe in their pacifist philosophy, and their love of nature. My sentiments are with the hippies." And in the spirit of the '70s, Atercios — which also features bass player Hector Buitrago — donated their song "Cancion Protesta" and helped rework the lyrics into the catchy "Price of Silence" song for human rights, sponsored by Amnesty International earlier this year. The song brought together an all-star cast of global musicians — Atercios, Julieta Venegas, Stephen Marley, Natalie Merchant and Cucu Diamantes — and was filmed at the United Nations General Assembly. It also reunited the band with longtime friend Andres Levin of Yerba Buena, who produced Aterciopelados' successful 1998 album, "Caribe Atomico." "The end result was incredible," said Etcheverri. "Working again with Andres was muy chevere, very cool. You truly got the sense of the multiculturalism. You can go from Hindu to African beats to Latin sounds. It's a mix of multiple countries that spreads our message to fight for human rights." Another cause the band has backed is the Destierro y Reparacion project, which aims to bring attention to the forced displacement of native peoples in Colombia (and other parts of Latin America) and proposing a Colombian constitutional referendum declaring that the country's bodies of water deserve basic rights. This particular passion is highlighted in last year's "Rio" — an album dedicated to their beloved Colombia River. "It's like having a coffee everyday: You have to think about the environment all the time," Etcheverri said. "The climate is crazy. There's rain when there should be sun and flooding in all parts. As musicians, what we can do is create awareness and hope to change people's attitudes about Mother Earth. We have to reconnect with her." » The State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church; Thu., April 2, 7 p.m. doors, 8:30 p.m., $26; 703-237-0300.

Plenty of Fall Out

Recent events inspire Fall Out Boy's recent work

written by

Alfredo Flores
On Tap magazine

Fall Out Boy can definitely claim its fair share of the U.S. emo empire with their emotionally driven punk rock that expresses deep thoughts, feelings and angst to the masses. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have tabloid-friendly bass player Pete Wentz — known for his lyric writing as well as his relationship with pop starlet wife Ashlee Simpson-Wentz — to rev up the band’s public profile. "Yeah, I think it’s pretty weird seeing him on TV all the time, people invading our space," said Fall Out Boy drummer Andy Hurley. "I definitely don’t see him as a celebrity, and I don’t think of him as famous, because we’re all good friends, making good music and touring. I try not to watch a lot of TV, except for ‘Lost’ on iTunes." But a relationship with a famous pop star did not make FOB the band it is today. They have built up a loyal following through relentless touring, racking up more than 1200 shows since they started out in Chicago clubs in 2000. Crowds have grown from a few hundred to tens of thousands worldwide. The 2007 album "Infinity On High" was lauded by critics and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. "Infinity" was one of the most highly anticipated albums of that year due to the success of 2005’s "From Under The Cork Tree," which spent 72 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Wentz may get the magazine covers, but his tongue-in-cheek lyrics have helped FOB make the band what it is today. While many bands would have taken some time off after such a successful album, FOB felt it was necessary to come back in 2008 with "Folie à Deux." "There were big changes going on in the (cultural) environment, and that gave us inspiration," said Hurley. "We’ve been touring six years straight, and then recording with no break. But we saw what was going on around us and it just felt right." The lead single off the album is "I Don’t Care," an incredibly catchy riff-driven biting criticism of an American society that’s far too consumer driven. The chorus sums it all up: "I don’t care what you think as long as it’s about me/The best of us can find happiness in misery." "It’s the way the economy went, the way people were buying stuff, making a quick buck, the credit companies giving loans to people who couldn’t afford them," says Hurley. "People were selfish enough to want things they couldn’t afford. That’s fueled by a machine that portrays this American dream that you want to achieve." The band, which also features vocalists/guitarists Patrick Stump and Joe Trohman, displays its criticism for the former Bush administration in full force in the off-the-wall ballad "America’s Suitehearts." They chose to release their album shortly after the election to help usher in the new administration and say good riddance to the old. Even the album’s title is a play on words. "Folie" is an American psychiatric term that literally means a madness shared by two. "It’s just a metaphor for pop culture, American culture, the consumer, the corporate world, politics and the masses," said Hurley. And while Wentz, Simpson and their adventures with the paparazzi can certainly be an example of this madness, don’t look for any clues into Pete’s personal life in the album. Wentz purposely wrote lyrics from the perspective of his bandmates, meaning no mention of Simpson Wentz or their baby. "I feel that this album is a natural step for us, a natural progression, a natural evolution from our last record," said Hurley. "I think it’s my (one of my) favorite records that we’ve done. It’s our most together record in that we’ve all added the most to it. It’s our most energetic since our first record, not that we ever lost it, but I feel this record took that (young) spirit and brought out our best." Fall Out Boy performs with Cobra Starship at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, Saturday, April 25. 5 p.m. doors. For more information on Fall Out Boy, visit www.falloutboyrock.com.

PHOTO STORY

British Pop Invasion: The Ting Tings

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

The Ting Tings performed at the 9:30 Club and we've got pictures ... lots of them. They have released four singles on their current label Columbia Records UK, including the single "That's Not My Name" which charted straight at Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 18 May 2008. The Ting Tings’ single "Shut Up and Let Me Go" appeared in an iPod commercial in late April 2008, peaking at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100.

PHOTO STORY

Fashion for Paws

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

On March 28 the 3rd Annual Fashion for Paws charity event took place at the Embassy of Italy to benefit the Washington Humane Society. The fashion show and fundraiser featured 60 notable personalities as models along with their dogs. Among the runway stars were D.C. Metromix nightlife guru Samy K and his dog Slash, as well as WUSA 9’s Angie Goff with her dog Atticus .The Mistress of Ceremonies was local blogger and socialite Pamela Sorensen. The event also included a dance party presented by the D.C. band The Frustrations, as well as a VIP after party at L2 Lounge in Georgetown.

PHOTO STORY

Leukemia Ball a Huge Hit

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town
This year's Leukemia Ball featured performances by Earth, Wind & Fire and comedian Frank Caliendo, known for his impressions George Bush and Bill Clinton. For the past 22 years, the event has reigned as the District's largest, non-political fundraiser. The ball has brought in over $36 million for the National Capital Area Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphnoma Society since it began in 1988. See photos from the dazzling evening...

PHOTO STORY

Daddy Yankee at Constitution Hall

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town


Daddy Yankee is the top-selling Latin artist of the past three years and has sold more than 7 million records during his 16-year career, and despite rarely performing in English, has collaborated with stars of all genres.

PHOTO STORY

Ozomatli Performs at the 9:30 Club

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town


Ozomatli, an 8-piece band that primarily plays Latin, hip hop, and rock (formed in 1995 in LA), performed on March 12, 2009 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER

Review: Los Fabulosos Cadillac’s La Luz Del Ritmo

Posted by Alfredo Flores on Mar. 11, 2009

La Luz Del Ritmo
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
Nacional Records

What’s life like without breathing? It’s a metaphor Latin rock legends Los Fabulosos Cadillacs have used in song to describe lost love. It’s also a feeling familiar to LFC’s fans, who’ve been holding their collective breath for nearly a decade waiting for a new album from the group. The band literally introduced ska to a new generation of rockers in their native Argentina in the late 1980s, and became Latin American stars following 1995’s “Matador,” which went on to become MTV Latinoamérica’s No. 2 song of all-time—right behind Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” But just as their ascent to international fame started to take shape, Fabulosos went their separate ways and never so much as hinted at a reunion. But a few months ago, fans began to see the light, or, more specifically, “La Luz del Ritmo,” when the new single leaked online and the imminent global reunion tour, including four U.S. stops, became official. While the album is more like an EP—five new tracks combined with two covers and a few remixes—it does provide a glimpse into the Fabulosos’ work in the new millennium. Rather than try something completely new, LFC is sticking to their time-tested formula of a head-bopping, crowd-pleasing fusion of ska, rock, tropical sounds, punk, reggae and traditional Latin rhythms. The lead single (”Luz”) could easily be added to any of their ska-rific albums of the ’90s, with its infectious percussion, tropical groove, and an addictive chant-like hook: “Vivir de Amor! La Luz del Ritmo” (Live for love! The Light of Rhythm). The other new singles are solid, and a bit mellower. “Flores” (Flowers) is a punky-rock song, “Nosotros Egoistas” (We Selfish) has bassist Sr. Flavio’s ska touch all over it, and in “Hoy” (Today), lead singer Vincentico’s soulful vocal chops shine in the jazzy track. But the true selling point of the album comes in the remastering of Fabulosos classics and covers. Among the winners are a new cumbia version of “Padre Nuestro” (Our Father); a fantastic New Orleans funeral procession-inspired, horn-infused mix of “Condenaditos” (Little Damned); and a quality rapid-fire Spanish-language cover of The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.” For Fabulosos fans, the album is a gratifying new EP, and for potential new fans of the Latin rock genre, it should serve as a primer for the LFC’s ’90s classics.

ARTS & EVENTS

Universal Language: Ozomatli

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

LIFE ON THE road can be tough — living out of a suitcase, time away from family, grueling hours and limited sleep. But this pales in comparison to the true road perils that L.A.-based hip-hop, salsa, jazz, funk and general all-around fusion band Ozomatli has had to endure during its ongoing stint as State Department-sponsored musical ambassadors. The group performs in places that rarely, if ever, see Western bands, not knowing how the crowds will react. Oh, that, and there was that microphone in Madagascar that nearly electrocuted singer and guitarist Raul Pacheco. "There were probably a good 200-something volts that went through him, knocked him clear from the front to the side of the stage," recalled Ozo clarinet and sax player Uli Bella. For a band that doesn't hide its displeasure over the former Bush administration's foreign policies and is staunchly anti-war, it was an interesting proposal by the State Department two years ago. In previous generations the agency has sponsored jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong on goodwill concerts in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. "It was an opportunity to play for crowds and people that don't know who Ozomatli is or what we're about," Bella said. "But we're the right kind of band that can weather those kinds of odds, play our music and still get a great reaction from people. Our music is very dance-based and globally influenced." While travel is nothing new for Ozomatli — the collective of musicians from various genres linked up 13 years ago to perform and raise money for the Peace and Justice Center for inner-city Los Angeles youths — they recognize that performing in these locales is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They've performed in Jordan, at citadels and forts in Egypt, and in Tunisia, India and South America. The band will make trips to Myanmar, Vietnam and Russia in May. » 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW; with Lionize, Thu., Mar. 12, 10 p.m. (doors), $22; 202-265-0930. (U St. -Cardozo). Photo courtesy Jon Coulthard. Posted By Express at 12:00 AM on March 12, 2009 Tagged in Arts & Events , Metro , Music , The District , U Street-Cardozo , Weekend Pass

PHOTO STORY

George Clinton and P-Funk at the 9:30 Club

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town


George Clinton, who performed at the 9:30 Club on Feb. 27, has been called one of the most important innovators of funk music, next to James Brown and Sly Stone.

PHOTO STORY

B.B. King, Buddy Guy Perform at Constitution Hall

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town


B.B. King loves his Lucille Gibson guitar. "It seems that it loves to be petted and played with. There's also a certain way you hold it, the certain noises it makes, the way it excites me ... and Lucille don't want to play anything but the blues ... Lucille is real, when I play her it's almost like hearing words, and of course, naturally I hear cries." — B.B. King, liner notes from the album, Lucille, 1968. B.B. King, 83, has played 15,000 shows in the last 50 years, and is known for his hits“Thrill Is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues." Buddy Guy is known for his showmanship: for example, he plays his guitar with drumsticks, or strolls into the audience while jamming and trailing a long guitar cord.

Author: Alfredo Flores
Author: Flores
Issue: 2009/02/19
Issue Volume: 29

B.B. King

Friday, Feb. 20, at DAR Constitution Hall

By Alfredo Flores, Washington City Paper
Posted: February 18, 2009

It’s fitting that one of the most recognizable musical instruments in the world is named for the subject of a fight so big it burned down a nightclub.

One night in the mid-1950s, the relatively young “Beale Street Blues Boy” (later known as B.B. King) was doing a show at the Arkansas club Twist when two men began trading blows over a woman named Lucille, upsetting a kerosene stove in the process. After evacuating the inferno, King went back in to retrieve his $30 acoustic guitar. King and a better guitar, a version of Lucille he had custom-made, have played 15,000 shows in the last 50 years, during which time King has written genre-crossing hits like “Thrill Is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues,” and developed a knack for bringing home hardware—he just won his 15th Grammy for his most recent studio album, One Kind Favor. In the liner notes for his 1968 album Lucille, King states his guidance has come from the guitar herself: “Lucille don’t want to play anything but the blues. Lucille is real, when I play her it’s almost like hearing words, and of course, naturally I hear cries.” B.B. KING PERFORMS AT 8 P.m, WITH BUDDY GUY AT DAR CONSTITUTION HALL, 1776 D ST. NW. $65–$70. (202) 628-1776.

ARTS & EVENTS

A Rare Jewel Sparkles: Cucu Diamantes

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

CUCU DIAMANTES sure knows how to make a guy feel at home. At the Latino Inaugural Gala, she switched the chorus from "Still in Love" to "Hoy Obama. Bienvenidos a Washington" ("Obama. Welcome to Washington today"), much to the delight of those in attendance. "That performance was like my birthday — so much fun!" said the very excitable Diamantes. "He's all about change, so why not change the lyrics for that concert?" The Cuban-born Diamantes has reason to be excited. Not only did she thrill the crowd at Union Station last month, but after nearly a decade as the frontwoman for Afro-Cuban funk, salsa, hip-hop and Nuyorican boogaloo fusion band Yerba Buena, she's releasing her debut solo album, "Cuculand," later this month. "This album represents my past, present and future," said Diamantes, who will start recording again with Yerba Buena in a few months. "It was a visceral album, and it was the right time to do it." The album's first single, "Algien" (featuring Yotuel of Cuban hip-hop pioneers Orishas), is a delight for the eardrum. A stirring big horn section, clap-along beat and backup vocalists greet listeners with "Ay, mama, Cucu!," and she replies with her trademark high nasal pitch and impressive spitfire rhymes. "It's a fun love song," she said in Spanish. "My friends always tell me that 'Ay, I can never find a perfect man.' I say that's impossible. You have to find a good man and accept his imperfections. Some of us are a diamond in the rough. Look at me; I'm a woman under construction." The album is dedicated to women everywhere, and speaks about topics Diamantes has encountered from being mistreated ("Sentimiento"), being lied to ("Mentiras"), to undying love ("Still"). One of her more soulful and personal tracks is "Mas Fuerte," about moving on after a breakup in which she sings, "I'm stronger than you/I am more worthy than you/And I have a full life where you don't appear." "This album is more Cucu," she said. "It's more about my feelings, my mental state. It's why I called it 'Cuculand.'" At the beginning of her music career, Diamante hung onto her childhood nickname Cucu and matched it with the stage name Diamantes (diamonds) because "it was shiny; it sparkled." This from a woman who, with Yerba Buena, dances around with a guy in a burro costume onstage. "We're all a little bit 'cucu' in our minds, a little bit crazy, sad, happy," she said. "With my shows, you can expect anything to happen, although it might be a little cold to bring a burro out of its stable." » Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW; with Bio Ritmo, Fri., Feb. 13, $15-$18; 202-667-4490. (U St.-Cardozo). Written by Express contributor Alfredo Flores. Photo courtesy Fun Machine. Posted By Express at 12:51 AM on February 12, 2009 Tagged in Arts & Events , Metro , Music , The District , U Street-Cardozo , Weekend Pass

ARTS & EVENTS

Latin Rock Explosion:

Molotov

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores

IT TOOK AN infuriating incident with United States customs officials for Molotov's sole American band member to spark the concept for the group's most popular song, "Frijolero." During a visit to the U.S., the Michigan-born, New Orleans-raised Randy Ebright had his half-Mexican daughter hassled by immigration officers in Miami. "It was, like, it was soooo out of the ordinary that an American guy would be with a Mexican woman," says Ebright, drummer for Molotov. The band is one of Mexico's most beloved, praised for its rapid-fire rap, big volume funk, metal and high-energy performances, as well as its biting tongue-in-cheek explicit bilingual lyrics targeting corruption and social injustice on both sides of the border. "I just couldn't believe they would treat my daughter that way because she wasn't full American." Ebright demoed "Frijolero" ("Beaner," an ethnic slur for a Mexican) for Paco Ayala at his Mexico City home, with Ayala deciding to emulate Ebright's accent, mocking his Spanish in the first verse, singing about foreign policies that the U.S. has with Mexico and the racism that happens on the border. "It was like a gringo singing in Spanish," says Ebright, laughing, his Louisiana drawl barely noticeable after 15 years in Mexico. The second verse of the Grammy-winning song has Ebright playing the role of a border patrol agent, telling Ayala's character not to call him a "gringo" and to stay "on his side of the river," the two battling back and forth lyrically in Spanish and English. The group has been compared to Rage Against the Machine for its socially conscious lyrics, but Molotov prefers to take its cue from the politically charged Mexico City urban rock bands that were forced into underground status in the 1970s and 1980s. Molotov's catchy, heavy baselines, guitar riffs and chant-like choruses fuel its 1997 hits "Gimme tha Power" and "Voto Latino" (Latin Vote).Ebright admits that he didn't always like his adoptive home country, particularly at first when his father, then a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, moved the family to Mexico City when Ebright was 15. He grew up in a middle-class family in the States, but in Mexico, Ebright not only did not know the language, but felt out of place at the American School Foundation private high school and its very wealthy students. Ebright found his calling in band class, and eventually linked up with "a friend of a friend of a friend" — original Molotov bass player Jay de la Cueva. The two bonded, Ebright earning the nickname "El Crazy Gringo" for his on- and offstage antics, and he began touring with the band. The band, which also features singer-guitarist Tito Fuentes and bassist Mickey "Huidos" Huidobro, became an instant hit with Ebright in tow, thrilling fans with its crazed abandon. "I wasn't too fond of the country until I was able to experience it outside of high school," he says. "Getting out, visiting other parts of the country. For some reason, the band became so big that it's almost like my band became part of the culture." » State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church; Sat. Feb. 7, 9 p.m., $30 in advance, $35 at the door; 703-237-0300. (East Falls Church). Photo courtesy Molotov. Posted By Express at 12:00 AM on February 5, 2009 Tagged in Arlington County , Arts & Events , East Falls Church , Metro , Music , The District , Virginia , Weekend Pass

SOMETHING TO KEEP YOUR I ON
D.C.-based reggae group See-I creates a sound all their own

written by

Alfredo Flores
On Tap magazine

While many of the music students at the prestigious Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina would have been thrilled by the frequent visits from alumnus and be-bop jazz trumpet pioneer Dizzy Gillespie, not so much for brothers Zeebo and Rootz Steele. The most vivid memory for the front men of D.C.-based reggae band See-I was how their Virgin Islander friends at the school opened their minds to a new world of music. “We both grew up in the country back woods of North Carolina,” said Zee. “But it was the students from the Virgin Islands that would come to our room with stacks of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh records, all of the great reggae artists of the 1970s, and we’d have all-night DJ jam sessions. After I heard [Marley’s] ‘I Shot the Sheriff,’ that was it. I was hooked.” Zee and Rootz Steele have collaborated with world-renowned D.C.-based DJ duo Thievery Corporation since the late 1980s, when Thievery’s Eric Hilton saw See-I perform at a local D.C. reggae club. Since Hilton opened Eighteenth Street Lounge in Dupont Circle, the brothers have been drawing head-bopping crowds to its Gold Room for their weekly late night reggae fests. It was in the lounge’s famed Green Room—the original smallish studio for ESL Music that now serves as the lounge’s backstage—that See-I and Thievery recorded “.38.45 (A Thievery Number)” in 1996. It was one of Thievery Corporation’s first hits, but Zee didn’t know it at the time. “Eric is very modest,” said Zee. “He didn’t tell me that the song was blowing up. He just said it’s nice. The way he put it, I figured a couple of his buddies DJ’ed it. When we started touring with Thievery we knew that it was far more than just a couple of people who liked it.” Rootz and Zee continue to tour with Thievery all over the world, playing to crowds reaching tens of thousands. While most of the local reggae bands were Jamaican-bred, Hilton discovered that See-I had a different sound, blending in all types of 1970s funky beats. “They’re great people. They just really love music,” said Hilton. “They were completely immersed in reggae for many years, but their roots are in American classic soul music like Sly & the Family Stone. I think they’re starting to incorporate a lot of those roots into their reggae performances. And when you go see them at the lounge, you go see a reggae soul funk band, which I think is a lot more interesting than seeing a straight up reggae band. They’re unique musically and I think that’s why people gravitate to them so much.” See-I’s band members reflect this diversity in music styles. In addition to the Steele brothers, the group features rhythm guitarist Rob Myers (also with local funk foursome Fort Knox Five), sax player Frank Mitchell, Zee’s son Salem on keyboards and drummer Names Thompson (also with Brazilian bossa nova outfit Soul Brazil). Additional members include Javier Miranda on congas, Brad Clements on trumpet, bassist Steve Sachse, Bobby Thompson on rhythm guitar and vocalist Candice Mills. “Our influences are so spread out, totally international,” says Rootz, who like his brother sports large dreadlocks. ”It’s not like we’re a set format or genre, even if we sort of look like we’re reggae, which we are, but everybody in this group has an influence and everyone is appreciated.” See-I’s reggae is tinged with various other genres, ranging from very mellow down tempo (“Mean Joe Green”), to faster paced dub beat with hints of electronica (“The King”), to heavy percussion-based (“Bulletproof”). But their most beloved track, and the one they usually close out shows with, is “Homegrown”—the band’s ode to their adoptive hometown D.C., its soulful chorus taking listeners on a journey through the city’s streets. “18 Street across Florida too / ‘gwan U Street to Georgia Avenue/Northeast, Southwest, Southeast crew/D.C., M Street, that’s how we do.” “It’s reminiscent of where we’re at, who we are,” said Zee. “In D.C., we don’t have that big of a music scene. We do, it’s just more of an underground scene. That song gets people hyped up, because it’s not a political song, it’s a chant of the street, the vibe of the street. We have always tried to have our own D.C. slice of the pie, getting our own [music] fingerprint. It’s kind of what we feel is D.C. style. It’s homegrown.” For more information on See-I, visit www.myspace.com/seei

PHOTO STORY

Thievery Corporation

Performs at the 9:30 Club

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town
Thievery Corporation recently performed five straight sell out shows at the 9:30 Club, the start of their U.S. Tour. Their music style mixes elements of dub, acid jazz, Indian classical, and Brazilian bossa nova with with a lounge aesthetic.

PHOTO STORY

Hip Hop Inaugural Ball

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The first ever Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball, a black tie charity gala benefiting the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, was held at the Harman Center for the Arts on Monday. The Ball featured a star-studded red carpet that included Don King, Russell Simmons, Mario, Busta Rhymes and Nick Cannon (pictured above, sans Mariah Carey). The night also awarded the National Get Out The Vote Awards, recognizing artists who have made outstanding contributions to the largest young adult voter turnout in United States history. Those honored include T.I., Bow Wow, MC Lyte, LL Cool J and Dick Gregory.

PHOTO STORY

Latino Inaugural Gala 2009

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

A star-studded array of uniquely talented artists and award-winning performers came together in celebration of the president-elect, Barack Obama at the Latino Inaugural Gala at Washington, D.C.'s Union Station on Jan. 18. Among the celebrities taking part in the event include Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Paulina Rubio, Rosario Dawson and Shakira.

PHOTO STORY

The BET Honors at Warner Theater

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix / Gannett Inauguration website

The BET Honors were filmed at the Warner Theater on Saturday, Jan. 17 and celebrated the achievements of songstress Mary J. Blige (winner of the Honors award for Entertainment), filmmaker Tyler Perry (Media), dancer and choreographer Judith Jamison (Education); businessman, philanthropist and basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Corporate Citizen), entrepreneur B. Smith (Entrepreneur), and Congressman James E. Clyburn , D-SC (Public Service). The second annual show, premiering on BET on Monday, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m., was hosted by actress Gabrielle Union and featured performances by Ne-Yo, Joss Stone, Queen Latifah, Anthony Hamilton, Monica, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

PHOTO STORY

Shakira, Fenty Call for Community Service

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town Shakira, one of the most acclaimed recording artists in the world, announced a partnership between her Barefoot Foundation and Oyster-Adams Bilingual Elementary School in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Her visit to Oyster-Adams is part of her ongoing work to promote universal education and early childhood development.

PHOTO STORY

Metromix All-American Inaugural Ball

Photo Credit:Alfredo Flores, Special to Metromix

The All American Inaugural Ball, held at the Westin Washington, D.C. City Center, was a toast to American culture and the future under the new President. The sold-out party featured multiple areas of entertainment and attractions, open bars all night and much more. Distinguished guests included astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Representative Mike McIntyre (D-NC), who were awarded All American Hero Awards for their outstanding work in their respective field of civic service. Rumor has it new Vice President Joe Biden also crashed the party at some point.

PHOTO STORY

The People's Inaugural Premier and Gala

Photos by Alfredo Flores NBC 4 Washington's Around Town

Over a two day span The People's Inaugural Premier and Gala celebrated a new generation of grassroots activists.

ARTS & EVENTS

Party Time: Grupo Fantasma Wants Their Money

Written by Washington Post Express contributor Alfredo Flores
Photo courtesy Crawford Morgan

GRUPO FANTASMA JUST may have the answer to your recession blues: If you don't have money, ask your audience to pay up. At least that's a concept the Austin, Texas-bred 10-piece Latin orchestra — maestros of funk, soul, salsa, psychedelia — suggest in its latest single,"Gimme Some ." "In this economic situation, it's a very poignant theme," says Fantasma bassist Greg Gonzalez."People respond to it because it's really about working hard, getting what you deserve — plus, it's got the hook." It's that hook that's given the band, recently nominated for a Grammy for best Latin rock album for"Sonidos Gold," its first radio hit. Grupo's ringing endorsement from soul-master Prince (opening for him/playing his Vegas club/performing with him on"The Tonight Show") gave it international exposure. Its purple connection linked the band up with his legendary saxophonist, Maceo Parker (he of James Brown fame), who rocks out in this furious jam session. "It's got a funky cha-cha feel," notes Gonzalez." It's a very popular song style, traditionally, a tongue-and-cheek humorous song." Traditional Latin is something Fantasma has been putting its own twist on for the past nine years. Originally a rock and funk party band doing covers of Metallica, Wings, even Cheech and Chong in local clubs, Grupo has come a long way in adapting Latin sounds into its repertoire, now doing odes to classic Afro-Cuban jazz ("Bacalao con Pan") and Disco Fuentes, Colombia's answer to Motown, with the chart-dominating cumbia ("Cumbia de los Pajaritos"). "Ultimately, we plan to be categorically ambiguous," says Gonzalez."We heard this big band sound we fell in love with it and we try to emulate it and re-create it in our own way. This album represents a lot of the different styles we're capable of playing musically." » Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW;Fri., 9 p.m., $15; 202-667-4490. (U St.-Cardozo)

Features

Wale is 'Flyer Than the Rest of Them'

Local rapper about to blow up - big time

written by

Alfredo Flores
On Tap magazine

DC has been the launching point for some of music’s finest artists, including jazz legend Duke Ellington, folk’s Mary Chapin Carpenter, soul master Marvin Gaye, electronica duo Thievery Corporation, punk rockers Fugazi, R&B crooner John Legend, and The Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. But arguably a true hip hop star has yet to emerge. All that may be changing this year with the debut major label album from Largo, Maryland-raised Wale. It’s produced by Grammy-winning and hit making machine Mark Ronson, and has been generating tons of buzz. “Entertainment Weekly” named Wale one of eight people to watch in 2008, and his aptly-titled single, “Breakout,” was featured in Madden NFL ‘09, the video game that has served as a launching pad for many artists. “In D.C., the dominant urban sound is Go-Go, so hip hop has to compete against Go-Go,” said Wale (pronounced Wahl-ay). “Imagine if there was some other genre of urban music trying to come out of Atlanta right now, think about what they’d be up against in terms of getting shine amidst all the artists making hip hop music down there. It’d be impossible. I think for years the D.C. hip hop scene has been fragmented, but I see everyone starting to come together in hopes of putting D.C. on the map.” Indeed. It would be hard to imagine the ATL without its Outkast, T.I. and Lil Jon, but even harder to imagine that the only D.C. rap single that’s gotten national airplay in a generation was about clearing one’s throat (1996’s “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool). While many have tried, few have managed to make much headway, but there’s a certain aura that surrounds every move Wale makes, from his swagger and cocksureness during his electrifying live shows to the tough guy goatee that contrasts with his nice guy babyface looks. Wale combines his magnetic persona with obscure rhymes about pop culture (Seinfeld’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus dropped a skit on “The Mixtape About Nothing”); sports metaphors (he was a standout high school tailback and played football at Robert Morris College and Virginia State University); inventive wordplay (“I’m a *!@# word surgeon, scalp and sponge, this work, dance,” he boasts in “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.”); video games; fly clothing; and anything that pops into his inventive mind. Born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin in Washington, Wale is the youngest of two sons of Nigerian immigrants. He bounced around seven high schools in D.C. and Maryland, and dropped out of college in 2004 to pursue music full-time. In 2006 Wale’s “Dig Dug (Shake It),” went on to receive national airplay like DJ Kool did more than a dozen years earlier. The 24-year-old has gone on to work with the likes of Lil Wayne and Travis Barker, and his big break came in early 2007 when his manager, Daniel Weisman, handed über producer Ronson the track “Good Girls.” Ronson — the Grammy award winning producer behind Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse and Maroon 5 — began playing the song on his East Village Radio show, and an inseparable combination was formed. Later that year Wale joined Ronson on a United Kingdom promotional tour of the producer’s “Versions” CD, and soon afterwards offered Wale a production deal on his Allido Records. Weeks later, Wale’s “Ice Cream Girl” was featured on HBO’s Entourage. “There’s a lot of great music and ideas,” said Wale. “I’m trying to find a balance somewhere between my mixtape ‘100 Miles & Running’ and ‘The Mixtape About Nothing;’ content that’s . . . fun but not too empty.” His music reflects his upbringing in D.C., funky and catchy songs featuring heavy percussion beats — and Nigerian Afropop — but all delivered by Wale’s smooth and free-flowing rhymes, a staple of both Go-Go music (“Dig Dug” and “Ice Cream”) . When asked about musical influences he had growing up, Wale’s choices were all over the map. “(African singers) Fela (Kuti) and Bunny Mack, Go-Go, Jodeci and Camp Lo is pretty much who I am musically, and toss in some Jay-Z, Roots and ‘80s music for balance, too,” he said. “But yeah, Go-Go music was huge for me. Until I was 14, I thought Go-Go was a national thing. I had no idea it didn’t exist outside of D.C.” His love for his hometown is never more evident than in the song “Nike Boots” — his footwear of choice “representing the DMV” (District, Maryland and Virginia), and giving shout-outs to various neighborhoods and suburbs — PG, MoCo, Riverdale, Temple Hills, Landover, Cap Heights — rarely mentioned in song. The video spans out from the monuments to the Barry Farms basketball court, and shows Wale performing to enthusiastic crowds at a street festival at Howard University and then at the posh Love Nightclub. “Nike Boots are a D.C. fashion staple, it’s not just folklore,” Wale said. “I talked to the guy who designed the original (Nike) Goadome (boots) and he said that the mid-Atlantic (D.C. and Baltimore) were the first areas to really embrace the Nike Boot. If you listen to the lyrics of “Nike Boots,” I talk about the shoe as a metaphor for D.C.” Just like in the song “Nike Boots,” Wale is indeed “flyer than the rest of them.” For more information, visit Wale’s Web site: www.walemusic.com

Features

On the Verge -- Nayas

written by

Alfredo Flores
On Tap magazine

Just think of all the great things that come in packs of 12: Eggs, donuts, roses, cheap beer — heck, that sounds like a fun summer we spent back in college. What also comes in 12 is our series of featured artists each year. In 2008, we highlighted a dozen bands that should be on your radar. In the coming pages, we give you a more intimate look at these local acts that are On the Verge. Nayas. It’s been three years since Thomas Gobena — then with D.C. reggae band Zedicus and now the bass guitarist for the irreverent Gypsy punk reggae rock band Gogol Bordello — strolled into Adams Morgan curious to see what one of his favorite Ethiopian restaurants, Red Sea, had become. In its place was Bossa Bistro and Lounge, where a boisterous, fun-loving crowd salsa danced, head bopped to reggae, hopped along to ska and jammed to various other global party beats performed by beloved resident Friday night Latin band Nayas. Gobena was impressed and became instant friends with Nayas’ core duo, guitarists Soy Lopez and Luis Torrealva. Once Gobena became more established with the globe-trotting Gogol and more connected in the music industry, he sought to help out the fledgling seven-year-old band. “Every time I go to Bossa, it’s a full house, everybody dancing, partying, a great live band, and that’s why I wanted to get involved with them,” said Gobena, who is now producing Nayas’ upcoming new album, due out this year. “Since I really liked the direction they were going, the music, the energy, and all of them as a person, I offered my production services.” It’s a tremendous improvement for Nayas compared to their 2006 self-titled and self-produced debut CD, and Lopez was clearly excited about this latest project. “This is definitely a step in the right direction,” he said. “There’s a reason why people work with producers, start listening to advice. It’s going to sound a lot better, and it’ll get us the exposure that we need.” While Nayas — which recently welcomed original drummer Joey Rossetti back into the fold, and which also features percussionist Joey Carrasquillo and rhythm guitarist Lilo Gonzalez — shops the six-track demo of their new album around hoping to sign with an independent label, they continue to hone their craft at Bossa. It was there where they recently enlisted bass guitarist and Bossa owner Rob Colton, Thievery Corporation vocalist Karina Zeviani, and resident Madams Organ jazz saxophonist Walter Tates, Jr., in a freestyle jam session for the ages. The group tested out their new, more social-political songs like the aggressive punk rock-ish “Que Pasa” and “Johnny Murder” — both tracks calling for the end of war and violence, but with addictive, danceable beats long-time fans can get into. “We’ve got songs that go from cumbia to straight up punk, letting out this rage,” said Lopez. “As an artist you try to digest things that you see in the news, you get heartbroken, and the only way I can digest it is by song. We take serious topics, but put a positive energy into it.” Nayas performs occasional Friday nights at Bossa Bistro and Lounge, 2463 18th St NW. Nayas is also performing at the Black Cat on Jan. 9 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15. For More information on Nayas, visit www.myspace.com/nayas.