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LP
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PEACE 008LP
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Trans-Oceanic, the long-anticipated record from Miami's Spam Allstars, is chock-full of tropical electro space-funk spiced with a heady dose of Cuban flavors. The six-piece Spam Allstars have been at the forefront of Miami's culturally blended, highly creative musical scene for twenty years. Formed by the multi-talented Andrew Yeomanson, aka DJ Le Spam, to create electronic descargas (Latin jam sessions), the band's unique sound was incubated in a live setting while in residence in the Cuban-themed nightclub Hoy Como Ayer on Calle Ocho in Miami's Little Havana. Le Spam and his Allstars take their inspiration from the fabled improvisational Cuban jam sessions of the 1950s and '60s, deftly mixing them with funk, dub, electro, rock and hip-hop elements that reflect the city's multi-cultural makeup. Through the course of six albums, international touring, and interesting collaborations with the likes of Phish side project Vida Blue, New World Symphony, and Rumberos de la 8, this cosmically jamming dance ensemble seamlessly combines various traditions and enlightens in ways you won't find anywhere else. Trans-Oceanic offers up a tasty batida (tropical fruit shake) of funk, rumba, charanga (a traditional old-school Cuban dance orchestra with flute and violin lineup), electro beats, fat bass, and bouncy brass that leads to relentless grooving throughout the proceedings. With its unique instrumental combo of organic and electronic, the Spam sound (expanded here to a nine-piece here) manages to weave together seemingly disparate elements into a seamless whole. The party-rocking title opener sets sail into wild synth, tasteful djembe, and a hand-clapping groove with a sweetly melodic front line of horns and flute. "Cosquilla" (Tickle) is a sexy Afro-Cuban rumba-inspired number with humorous Spanish lyrics, kept in place by funk drums and a rock-steady montuno vamp played on Cuban tres guitar buoyed by some deep pulsing synth-bass. "Ruby Carat" is a funk-charanga hybrid aided by a rumba section and gorgeous trumpet, underpinned by the timbales of Tomás Díaz. The centerpiece is the cosmic R&B number "Satellite" where saxophonist A.J. Hill pulls double duty on soulful vocal around the funky synth and fuzzy guitar solo. "Around The Track" is a great slice of Afro-funk with some rock axe to make it bristle with guitar swagger. The violin is back on the electro-soul cut "La Concha", with some countryish guitar stylings just to flip the script a little. Cover artwork by Francesco Lo Castro. Includes download card with a bonus track.
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CD
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ELE 006
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"This full-length CD of live digital recordings from the notorious weekly at Hoy Como Ayer in Little Havana, Miami ('iFuacata!' translates loosely as Pow! or Wham!) documents the Spam Allstars' modern, Pan-American dance music. Seemlessly fusing funk, Miami bass, hip hop, dub, free jazz, descarga, guaguanco, and Afro-beat, " . . . an original concept in nightlife, a new Miami sound that has been described as a 'de-emphasis of the obvious', a 'controlled dissonance' and even a 'deconstructed rumba' . . ." (New York Times). DJ Le Spam on samplers, turntables, and fx; Tomas Diaz on percussion and vocals; AJ Hill on alto sax; John Speck on trombone; Adam Zimmon on guitar; and Brendan Buckley on looped drums. Original eight-panel artwork by Lebo."
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