Latin Alternative music is taking New York City by storm this week.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) returns with its highly successful Latin music showcase, Verano Alternativo, featuring original, multitalented singer-songwriters. The Big Apple is also welcoming the 2015 Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), which is celebrating its 16th anniversary.
This year, BMI welcomes Los Crema Paraiso, M.A.K.U. Soundsystem, Maxx Gallo, Julio Reyes and Numasbala. The exciting lineup will serve as an unofficial kickoff to LAMC.
Based on traditional Latin sounds, the performers create a unique and colorful genre by blending hip-hop, rock and dance rhythms. BMI’s Verano Alternative Music showcase has acts that hail from Venezuela, Colombia, Los Angeles, Oregon and Mexico.
Set to perform at Verano Alternativo on July 7 is Los Crema Paraiso, “the new sensational and powerful trio” helmed by Neil Ochoa (Si Se), José Luis Pardo (Los Amigos Invisibles) and Alvaro Benavides (Pedrito Martinez Group). The talented trio meshes Venezuelan traditional music into jazz, rock, funk, Latin grooves, electronica and exotic, global sounds.
“We are all Venezuelans that grew up playing different kinds of music but felt challenged to play with our roots and also wanted to bring something else to the way people sees music from our native country,” Pardo said.
M.A.K.U Soundsystem is “an immigrant band from New York City,” with most of its members hailing from Colombia. M.A.K.U’s unique sound has “hints of Colombian Folklore, Psychedelic-rock and Caribbean grooves.”
Since its inception in 2010, the band has independently released two full-length albums, one EP and toured across America. M.A.K.U was the recipient of the globalFEST Touring Fund in 2012 and was nominated and selected as one of nine artist to join the 2014-15 New York State Presenters Network Touring Roster.
Born Luis Angel Gonzalez in LA and raised in the state of Oregon, Maxx Gallo is a Mexican-American artist, songwriter and producer who has taken the “3Ball” movement to a whole new level with his unique style.
With an initial love of hip-hop, reggaeton and house music, Maxx Gallo went on to create a tribal mix all of his regional Mexican influences that incorporates his passion for urban music and made his mark in this “new Mexican-made genre.”
Mexican singer-songwriter Julio Reyes returns with a new musical movement that has been dubbed “Regional Alternativo.”
To kick off his new sound he released his first single “Me Canse de Rogarte,” which was inspired by Jose Alfredo Jimenez’s original song “Ella.” In 2012 Julio first left his mark on the Regional Mexican genre with the debut album “No Inventes” (Sony Music).
Reyes’ “Sin Vergüenza” was included in the popular Mexican novela “Dos Hogares” (Televisa) and was also the theme song.
Numasbala is “an intergalactic vessel known for its incredible fusion of feelings, ideas, cumbia, reggae, funk, afro-beat, champeta, gipsy and ska, called ‘sacudon.'”
Check out Vernano Alternativo, which takes place on Tuesday, July 7, at 8 p.m. at the Bowery Electric in New York. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free.