With a strategy that puts its bet on social networks and “people-to-people comments”, Latin American indie bands are growing in numbers and international and regional visibility by means of such festivals as Vive Latino or Lollapalooza.
Without any boldface company linked to the musical industry, these bands attract fans with their talent and efforts, and their influence is spreading in the region and overseas.
MONSIEUR PERINÉ (COLOMBIA)
“Hecho a mano”, the Colombian band’s debut album in 2012 was enough to be praised by critics and led to the success of its “Huracán” tour throughout Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile), as well as the United States, France, Italy, Belgium, Japan and Germany.
According to the experts, the success was brought about by a peculiar pop boom with elements of rock and swing, but it also included gipsy jazz, pop and boleros from the 1950s. Supported by the critics and followed by fans, the band made up of Catalina García, Santiago Prieto, Camilo Parra, Nicolás Junca, Fabián Peñaranda, Miguel Guerra and Daniel Chebair, was given a national Gold Disc because of such hits as “Cou-Cou”, “La playa” or “Suín Romanticón”. A new studio production is expected in 2015.
Remark: A party in each live performance with the special charisma of the vocalist, Catalina García.
JAZZ THE ROOTS (ECUADOR)
It’s based in Quito, but its members are both Ecuadorian and Chilean musicians. The blend of Caribbean melodies with jazz and reggae is the most enchanting characteristic of this band, which is mainly instrumental and has had an interesting presence in the regional indie scene since the launch of its first album that was baptized “Jazz The Roots”. Precisely, the idea of Ismael Villarroel (bassist) and Gabriel Jofré (guitarist) was a project that could mix reggae’s groove with the language of jazz, and they did it by gathering eminent academy musicians like Luis Sigüenza, Miguel Gallardo and Raúl Molina. It’s important to highlight that their debut album was practically recorded in live.
The popularity and spreading obtained by the band led it to participate in “Reggae al Sol” Quito’s First Reggae Festival, “Ecuador Jazz” International Jazz Festival (2013 – 2014), “Fiesta de la Música” (Cuenca), “Cota 70” Festival (Portoviejo) and “Grito Rock” International Festival in 2014, as well as give concerts in Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Ambato, Portoviejo, Ibarra, Montañita and Santiago de Chile.
Remark: When buying an album, the package includes a card, watercolor and paintbrush so the buyer can design the cover.
LAS LIEBRES (ARGENTINA)
“Reverberaciones”, the fourth album of Argentinean duet – Iñaki Zubieta and Federico Delbon – was eagerly awaited by fans of this band, which came up in 2008 with experimental rock, following the concept of “sonorous art”.
In spite of this fact, the latest production of the band seems to have stepped away from this line, thus getting closer to rock. Its first album – “El Arroyo de la miel” – entailed several live performances as a duet, and they were later joined by friends with other musical projects, who included keyboards, bass and guitars. The critics described their works as powerful “spatial and psychedelic folk rock”.
It’s important to underline that the duet was created in Corrientes province, but it didn’t stop them from gaining fans from the whole country, Buenos Aires and their sound was listened to in Spain, Mexico and the United States.
Remark: They improvise in live performances, a characteristic their fans love. During the first recitals they used to improvise the whole show, even the lyrics.
