SXSW 2017: Around the World in 5 days

photo by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon

By Michael Crockett, Nancy Flores and Deborah Sengupta Stith

Michael Crockett, host of “Horizontes” (Sundays 7-10PM) on KUTX, has teamed up with Austin American Statesman music writer Deborah Sengupta Stith and Latin culture reporter Nancy Flores to put together a selection of Latin and World music picks for South by Southwest. Follow our live fest coverage at  kutx.com and austin360.com 

 

TUESDAY

Matzka (Taitung, Taiwan) Reggae/rock singer Matzka is a descendent of the aboriginal peoples of Taiwan, which is now 98 percent Chinese. He sings in Mandarin as well as his native Paiwanese. (10 p.m. at Elysium) — Michael Crockett

Gina Chavez (Austin, USA) Although homegrown in Austin, the Gina Chavez band sound embraces the Americas. The band’s pan-Latin grooves have taken them around the world as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. State Department. (9:20 p.m. at Maggie Mae’s) — Nancy Flores

I-Taweh (Kingston, Jamaica) Jamaican roots-reggae singer/guitarist started as a session player, eventually leading Sugar Minott’s band. He began a solo career in 2009 and has a hit on reggae radio called “Not Far Away.” (11 p.m. at Flamingo Cantina) — M.C.

Mora Lucay (Valparaíso, Chile) Chile’s pop music scene continues to flourish with bands like Mora Lucay. The indie pop quartet infuses their whimsical, danceable music with Latin American rhythms such as bolero and cumbia. (8 p.m. at Friends) — N.F.

Cilantro Boombox (Austin, USA) The band has just released their new album “Shine,” which is an explosive bilingual mix of Latin salsa, Afrobeat, funk and hip-hop. (1:10 a.m. at Maggie Mae’s) — M.C.

WEDNESDAY

Los Amigos Invisibles (Miami, USA) Want an instant pachanga? Call the Venezuelan party masters for bilingual danceable songs that blend Latin funk, lounge and disco. Discovered by David Byrne of the Talking Heads back in the mid-1990s, Los Amigos Invisibles have become international superstars who have performed several times at ACL Fest and numerous Austin shows that never disappoint. (1 a.m. at Half Step) — N.F.

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (Tokyo, Japan) With rock solid grooves and swagger for days, this Japanese 10-piece churns out delirious Latin/Ska mashups. (10 p.m. at Half Step; 10 p.m. Thursday at Maggie Mae’s Rooftop) — D.S.S.

Borchi y Su Doble Redoble (Mexico City, Mexico) Somewhat reminiscent of Nortec Collective, this Mexico City-based group mixes brass and electronics with tropical beats. (8 p.m. Flamingo Cantina) — M.C.

Luna Lee (Seoul, South Korea) Heard of the gayageum? The 12-string traditional Korean instrument has made Luna Lee a global sensation, especially on YouTube. Lee often covers classic rock and blues songs. She’s become a leader in modernizing the gayageum. (9:30 p.m. at Victorian Room at the Driskill; 2 p.m. Friday at the International Day Stage at the Austin Convention Center) — N.F.

Ese Perro (Villa Lugano, Argentina) This alt rock-pop band is reminiscent of the golden age of 1990s Argentine rock en español with an updated twist for a contemporary audience. (8 p.m. at Friends) — N.F.

Qawalistan (Islamabad, Pakistan) Pakistani group sings devotional Qawali music in the tradition of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan backed by a hard rock band. (10 p.m. at Russian House; 9 p.m. Friday at Palm Door on Sixth) — M.C.

THURSDAY

Madame Récamier (Mexico City, Mexico) It’s heartening to know that the wave of strong Mexican female Latin alternative artists is still going strong with the likes of Carla Morrison, Natalia Lafourcade and Julieta Venegas, who continue to pave a prominent path for a new generation of Latina pop singer-songwriters like Gina Récamier. (8 p.m. at the Townsend; 9 p.m. Saturday at Palm Door on Sixth Patio) — N.F.

Vox Sambou (Montreal, Canada) Vox Sambou is a truly international artist who sings and raps in Creole, French, English and Spanish and blends the music of Haiti with that of Africa and Latin America. (11 p.m. at Russian House) —M.C.

La Dame Blanche (Cuba via Paris) Paris-based Cuban singer, flutist and percussionist Yaite Ramos Rodriguez, aka La Dame Blanche, brings us an explosive mix of hip-hop, cumbia, and reggae. (Midnight at Flamingo Cantina; noon Wednesday at Radio Day Stage at Austin Convention Center; 12:30 a.m. Friday at Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room) —M.C.

Throes + the Shine (Porto, Portugal) Looking for a dance party? This energetic Afropop fusion band will keep your hips shaking as they explore the musical cultures of Africa, Europe and South America. (Midnight at the Townsend; 11 p.m. Thursday at Flamingo Cantina) — N.F.

Max De Castro (São Paulo, Brazil) One of the better-known Brazilian musicians to ever play SXSW, Max de Castro has just finished a Tribute to Prince tour. He plays a mix of samba, funk and rock. (Midnight at Russian House) —M.C.

Ilé (Santurce, Puerto Rico) Singer Ileana Cabra, aka Ilé, is the younger sister of the Calle 13 brothers and performed with them until recently going out on her own. But rather than hip-hop she has embraced iconic older Latin genres like bugalú and bolero, which give her voice greater expression. The album, “iLevitable,” recently won a Grammy. (11 p.m. at Townsend; 10:20 Friday at Half Step) — M.C.

Tkay Maidza Propelled by a rapid, rhythmic flow and knack for catchy hooks that work well over everything from skittering electronic beats to breezy pop and futuristic R&B, the Zimbawe-born, Australia-based artist is making waves around the world. (8:30 p.m. the Gatsby)

La Tribu Baharú (Bogotá, Colombia) Bogotá-based but hailing from the Atlantic coast of Colombia, Tribu Baharú play an infectious dance music called champeta that is influenced by Afro-Colombian rhythms as well as modern African music like soukous brought by African sailors to the ports of Barranquilla and Cartagena. (11 p.m. at Speakeasy; 11 p.m. Friday at Palm Door on Sixth) — M.C.

All Latino Resist Concert Presented by Voto Latino: Latinos have been at the center of many contentious issues lately, from raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country to a controversial border wall debate. The concert brings together activist musicians Panteón Rococó, Residente and Ozomatli, whose musical styles range from rap to ska. (5 p.m. at SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake on Riverside Drive and South First Street) — N.F.

FRIDAY

Rascasuelos (Buenos Aires, Argentina) This seven-member tango orchestra with four dancers approaches tango with the intensity of a rock band. Indeed, singer Limón García is a former member of the Argentinian rock band Bersuit Vegarabat as well as a contributing vocalist to the electrotango group Bajofondo. (11 p.m. at Russian House) — M.C.

 

Mamak Khadem Ensemble (Iran via Los Angeles) Iran-born singer Mamak Khadem sings Persian songs as well as other songs from Serbia, Bulgaria, Morocco and Indonesia. She is performing in a showcase called ContraBanned that features artists from the countries recently put under a travel ban by theU.S. government. (8:40 p.m. at Palm Door on Sixth) — M.C.

La Vida Bohème (Venezuela) The two-time Latin Grammy winners are releasing their third rock album, “La Lucha,” later this month. The record was produced by Calle 13 co-founder Eduardo Cabra (Visitante). (4 p.m. at the International Day Stage at the Austin Convention Center; 1 a.m. at Speakeasy; 11 p.m. Saturday at Palm Door on Sixth) — N.F.

Naomi Achu (Cameroon via Washington, D.C.) The Cameroonian artist, who’s spent time in London and the U.S., drops a fierce, club bumping, mix of hip-hop, pop and Afro-house. (1 a.m. at Russian House) — D.S.S.

Liniker e os Caramelows (São Paulo, Brazil) Transgender Brazilian singer Liniker Barros fronts this South American soul band. The band began touring outside of Brazil this year. (1 a.m. at Palm Door on Sixth; 11 p.m. Saturday at Flamingo Cantina; 1 a.m. Thursday at Russian House) — N.F.

Aluvión (Bogotá, Colombia) Bring your dancing shoes. The Afro-Colombian group features marimba player and percussionist Larry Ararat of the Latin Grammy Award-winning group Chocquibtown. (10 p.m. at Russian House; midnight Thursday at Speakeasy; 3 p.m. Wednesday at the International Day Stage at the Austin Convention Center) — N.F.

SATURDAY

Krudas Cubensi (Cuba via Austin) This hip-hop duo took Cuba’s underground rap scene by storm in the late 1990s. Their lyrical explosions about feminism, equality and veganism tackled uncomfortable truths that were taboo on the island at the time. (11:15 p.m. at Carver Museum Boyd Vance Theater) — N.F.

Hanba! (Cracow, Poland) Punk + klezmer + folk = must-see music. Watch this Polish quartet defy musical genres with a banjo, accordion and tuba. (1 a.m. at Russian House; 9 p.m. Thursday at Flamingo Cantina) — N.F.

Radiocaliente (Medellín, Colombia) The band adds a bit of hip-hop to their blend of South American and Caribbean music. (11 p.m. at Flamingo Cantina) — M.C.

Silvastone (London, England) Like many of the Afrobeats artists playing this showcase, Silvastone has multicultural musical influences. Born in the U.K. to a Sierra Leonean mother and Ghanan father, his music has African roots, but the influence of English and American R&B and hip-hop might be stronger. (9:10 p.m. at the Belmont; 10:20 Friday at Clearport) — M.C.

Little Simz (London, England) A British grime spitta with a wicked quick fire flow. (10 p.m., the Mohawk)

Alex Cuba (Cuba via Canada) Alexis Puentes, raised in Cuba, changed his performing name after moving to Canada several years ago. He now is a Latin Grammy-winning singer-songwriter/guitarist who, besides writing many songs for fellow Canadian Nelly Furtado, has also released several albums mixing theCuban trova with American funk. (11 p.m. at Russian House; 12:10 a.m. Friday at Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room) — M.C.

 

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