B-Side Players and Calle 13

[Elano]

B Side Players - Fire in the Youth

“The root of all pop music is African. Our sound acknowledges that fact. That’s why the music is so soulful. We’re playing the ancient beats that came from Africa to create reggae, son, Afro-beat and funk and mixing ‘em all together.” –Karlos Paez

http://www.bsideplayers.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bsideplayers

The B-Side Players make music without borders or boundaries. On Fire In The Youth, their seventh album and first for Concord/Picante, they continue exploring the multifaceted grooves of Latin America and the Caribbean, incorporating the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with the funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop rhythms of their homeland. With Latin music currently dominating the charts in most of the world, The B-Side Players are uniquely positioned to bring their uplifting message of unity, brotherhood and dance floor revolution to the people of planet Earth.

The B-Side Players are part of a new movement in popular music, a band that honors the international cross-pollination that has always made music the universal language. They use any beat that catches their ear, regardless of geography or genre, to create a compelling, horn driven, polyrhythmic groove. “The root of all pop music is African,” says Karlos Paez, the band’s lead vocalist, trumpet player and founder. “Our sound acknowledges that fact. That’s why the music is so soulful. We’re playing the ancient beats that came from Africa to create reggae, son, Afro-beat and funk and mixing ‘em all together.”

The band has been laying down their own inimitable global funk since they came together in 1994. Their incendiary live shows made them local legends, while their albums showcased a band with a restless musical intelligence, effortlessly blending genres to fashion their own forward looking, Latin flavored, future-funk.

Fire In The Youth was produced by the band with the help of Quetzal Flores, leader of the Los Angeles band Quetzal, another group with a wide-ranging style based in the Latin American continuum. “Quetzal performed all the guitar tracks on the record,” Paez explains. “His eclectic arrangements helped polish our Latin, Mexican, Cuban, Funk and Rock vibe. He also brought a folkloric feel to some of the tracks with his knowledge of Jarocho (a syncopated Afro/Spanish style from Vera Cruz, Mexico) and Bajo Sexto ( a 12 string instrument with a sound somewhere between 12-string guitar and acoustic bass.) We recorded the whole record in 10 days, live in the studio.”

Like their past recordings, Fire In The Youth captures the band’s scorching musicianship and fierce political energy. The album kicks off with “Alegria”, an earth shaking Reggaeton groove marked by a strong salsa flavor. “(Unplug) This Armageddon” rides a high stepping disco funk backbeat while Paez delivers a sizzling Bob Marley-influenced vocal full of soul and suffering. The song explores the lives of the people that drift from San Diego, to Tijuana, to Los Angeles in search of a better life. The band suggests a return to the Earth and community as an antidote for the technology that seems to be sucking the soul out of modern life. “Fire In The Youth” combines a subtle trip hop pulse, a hint of reggae, a lush string section and a children’s choir to offer a prayer for the salvation of the next generation. It’s one of the most moving songs the band’s ever recorded.

“In a world where people are afraid to say hello or smile and the media presents fiction as reality, it’s getting harder and harder to tell what’s real from what’s not,” Paez says. “But the young people are always real and demand the truth. Youth all around the world are marching and protesting. The New World Rebellion is a young, fearless movement coming after the oppressors. This song is an anthem to those young people.” A Latin reggae rhythm is the foundation of “Crossroads,” an inspiring hymn of rebirth that showcases Andy Krier’s work on piano and organ, Michael Cannon’s inventive drumming and the band’s ability to lay down complex percussion tracks to create a cohesive groove. “Warrior Culture” is a salute to the Native Peoples of the Americas, with a jazzy Latin cadence driven by Damian DeRobbio’s propulsive electric bass. It features cascading horn lines, delicate keyboard work and a vocal from Paez that blends hip-hop phrasing with his innate gift for melody. The tune closes with an extended conversation between the keyboards, percussion and brass. The band also drops a bit of Cumbia (“Mascara,”) gritty street Samba (“Azucar Natural”) Son Montuno (“Micaela”) and Jarocho (“El Comal”) into the mix.

“We want our sound to continue to grow until we represent the entire range of Latin music,” Paez says forcefully. “This time we added a bit of the Vera Cruz, Mexican jarocho flavor, the Afro-Cuban Rhumba flavor, the Brazilian samba flavor and the Southwestern border funk flavor. Our sound was passed on to us by our ancestors along with their great teaching - Unity Is Love. We combine different styles and cultures in our music because that’s the secret behind the harmony of all races, religions and cultures. The dance floor is testimony to our common ground, our common groove.”

Karlos Paez , the man behind the B-Side Players, grew up in a musical family. His father Ezequiel Paez is a world-renowned trombone player and musical arranger who spent 17 years in Los Moonlights from Tijuana and 10 years in La Banda Del Recodo. Paez, Sr. still writes and arranges music for Bandas in Mexico. While he was still in grammar school, Karlos heard the music of Bob Marley and started playing guitar and writing songs. He met the musicians that would become the first incarnation of The B-Side Players in an African Drum class at Southwestern Community College in San Diego in 1994. “We were all playing with bands in the local funk and acid jazz scene in the early 90s,” Paez recalls. “When we started playing together, our sound was different because we brought an Afro-Latin edge to the music.”

The B-Side Players are a force to be reckoned with. “We’re proud to be on the frontline of a new musical movement that no longer represents the minority,” Paez says happily. “We now represent the Brown Majority. The surfer, suburban stereotype of California is changing fast; it’s not all bleach blondes any more. It’s nappy, Afro, rice bowled, dirty, dusty, wet, happy struggling people and we’re right there in the struggle with our music.”

Introducing The B-Side Players:

Karlos “Solrak” Paez : Lead Vocals, Trumpet, Guitar, Requinto and Cuatro
Damian DeRobbio : Bass – 5 String Fender Bass, and Vocals.
Luis Cuenca : Timbales, Percussion and Vocals.
Michael Cannon : Drums
Camilo Moreno : Congas and Percussion
Jamal Siurano : Alto Sax
Russ Gonzales : Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Clarinet
Kevin Nolan : Trombone, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Andy Krier : Musical Director, Keyboards, Accordion and Vocals
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http://www.lacalle13.com/








Brothers of the street, united by the same “flow,” Rene Perez, the Residente (Resident) in the Calle 13 duo, and Eduardo Cabra, the Visitante (Visitor), have shown that, when it comes to musical innovation, everything's fair game.


But Calle 13 do not only preach the mantra of breaking molds in international hits such as 'Atr..vete-te' (Dare to do it) and 'Se vale to-to' (Everything's allowed), they also practice it. Thus, with their 2005 debut album, "Calle 13," Residente and Visitante took the genre of urban music to new levels.


With rock-solid lyrics and music, Calle 13 are reggaeton's unsuspected alternative. An alternative that blows the conventional right out of the ring, that knocks down taboos and winks at sensuality, humor, and popular culture.


Starting April 24, the evolution/revolution of the duo continues, with the worldwide release of Calle 13's new album, "Residente/Visitante."


"We have handled this record the same way we did the first one: genuinely," says Residente, born in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. "With the first one, we were living on the island and there were a few things we didn't know. But from then on, we had the opportunity to travel, and we discovered many new elements and incorporated them into our music."


Without betraying their roots, but feeding off new influences as well so as to share the Calle 13 experience with the whole world, popular musical manifestations of other countries find their way into "Residente/Visitante".


"Lyrically and musically speaking, we maintain our Puerto Rican identity," says Residente about the creative spirit shared with Visitante that pervades their second album. "And that's attractive even for someone who's not from Puerto Rico. Now, however, I am much more conscious of what a word can mean in another country. In that respect, there's a new maturity."


A maturity that becomes evident as well in the collaborations for the album between Calle 13 and some of the most renowned names in the music industry, such as Oscar-winning Argentine producer Gustavo Santaolalla, Cuban rap group Orishas and Spanish female rapper La Mala Rodr..guez, among others.

In the work with Santaolalla, 'El tango del pecado,' for example, sounds of the streets of Buenos Aires and of Puerto Rico come together.

"In Argentina we recorded tango with reggaeton, something that no one else had done," says a pleased Residente. "The song is really cool. Different, like the whole album, which is a trip."

A trip that also stopped in Bogot.., Colombia, to record 'La cumbia de los aburridos.'

"There we worked with some very good alternative artists, who have made their name in that scene," explains Residente. "What we are doing is something new for everyone."


The dark humor that is also an integral element of Calle 13's music, is present in this new production as well, says the singer. Just the names of some of the new songs, he adds, tracks such as 'La era de la copia era,' 'La fu kin moda,' 'Me voy pal norte' and 'Algo con sentido para los consentidos,' have that playful, mischievous air.


"But the album is much more violent than the last one. Violent in terms of images and words," cautions Residente, who in 2005 authored a politically-tinged song, 'Querido FBI’, that was highly criticized for its disturbing lyrics, but which in the end was used by the government of Puerto Rico in a campaign against stray bullets. "And much more conscious of what the message being relayed is too."


Audiences and colleagues have been equally aware of Calle 13's contributions to music: their self-titled album has sold more than 400,000 units and, last year, the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (LARAS), recognized the duo with three prestigious Latin GRAMMY awards.


Awards that Residente and Visitante never dreamed of while growing up in the area of Trujillo Alto, in Puerto Rico. There, on 13th Street (Calle 13), Eduardo would visit his half-brother Ren.., and would identify himself as Visitor upon entering. Ren.., meanwhile, would identify as Resident.


Eduardo, born in Santurce, was a visitor to the music world from an early age. At six, he began formal music training with the Suzuki Method, and later, took piano classes with a renowned maestro on the island, Jos.. Acevedo. He continued his studies at the Conservatory of Music and at the Manolo Acosta School, where he learned to play saxophone and flute. He taught himself how to play the classical guitar, and also found in the computer new ways of expressing himself musically.

Although he studied accounting and information technology at the University of Puerto Rico, his real passion was producing and composing music.

Ren.. was a resident of the art and music worlds from an early age too. As the son of actress Flor Joglar, he was exposed to literature. For five years, he studied at the fine arts school Escuela de Artes Pl..sticas de Puerto Rico. Three more were spent studying animation at Georgia's Savannah College of Art and Design. Besides writing songs, he has also made videos and has been involved in different artistic aspects: at the 2006 Art Basel Miami Beach art fair, for example, his voice could be heard as part of a video installation for the artists Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla.


"There are times when we feel way too flattered," reflects Residente upon the success achieved by Calle 13. "I have plans to do many other things [like writing scripts], but Eduardo and I are living a dream."

[Elano]

up for these 2 amazing groups

[Elano]

^

[E-Crazy]

Calle 13 is awesome, i made a thread about them a while ago too.
And 
YOU ACTUALLY POSTED LINKS!!! Instead of plagiarizing like u usually do!!

[Nat Turner-reincarnated]

this is a nice smooth group... these latinos are cool