Grupo Fantasma is the nine-member master orchestral band that has been the beating heart of Austin’s Latin Funk scene since 2000. And now a little over 19 years since the origin of this Tejano super group, their fusions in cross-cultural rhythms and instrumentation still rings true. However despite their superlatives in Cubano timbale drum playing, Colombian accordion bounces likened to Norteña tunes, and even smaller percussion tool work with Puerto Rican maracas y güiros; Grupo Fantasma is unquestionably an “American Band”. The America they claim is a diverse one, and that directly relates to their views of American music as a home of change and contortion. With this as the player’s collective thesis, they have continued to hustle and put out groundbreaking records of fun and timely music for the soul. All this means we at KUTX, couldn’t be any happier. ¡Viva el Fantasma!
To hear the latest and greatest from Grupo Fantasma, listen to their brand new album “American Music Vol. VII“ out today via Blue Corn Music! To see them perform some of these new songs live, catch them at their album release show tonight at Mohawk!
– Felix Kimbrell, KUTX Intern
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Host: Jody Denberg
Broadcast Mix: Cliff Hargrove
F.O.H. Mix: Jake Perlman
Cameras: Gabriel C. Pérez, Juan Figueroa, Salvador Castro
Editing for “Let Me Be”: Gabriel C. Pérez
Editing for “Yo Quisiera”: Salvador Castro
