Latin sounds, Latin dancing, Latin good times?you get them all in full measure with Grupo Fantasma. Their 2004 release is Movimiento Popular, which even the most Spanish-handicapped among us can easily translate literally to popular movement. The underlying meaning of moviemiento popular implies a grass-roots movement of the people. Grupo Fantasma has certainly been gaining in popularity in response to a grass-roots recognition of the fact that this is a great band. (Read Virginia's review of Movimiento Popular.)
Grupo Fantasma has been featured in the John Sayle's film ?Casa de los Babys.? They've been interviewed on NPR and have shared the stage with Los Lobos, Flaco Jimenez, and Patti Smith. Grupo Fantasma (2001) was their debut release.
This big band features horns and saxes plus all sorts of rhythmic and percussion instrumentation. The members are Adrian M. Quesada on guitar and mpc 2000, Johnny Lopez III on drum set and backup vocals, Jerm on timbales, percussion and dr. sample, Gengee Centeno on saxophones, Greg Gonzalez on bass and backup mouth noises, Beto Martinez on guitar and cuatro, Jose Galeano on vox and percussion, David S. Lobel on saxophones, Brian Joseph Ramos on vox and percussion, Gilbert Elorreaga on trumpet, Leo Gauna on trombone, and Rodolfo Canales III on percussion.
The band has taken home the Best Latin Band award at least three times from the Austin Music Awards. They have sold out venues such as The Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
For more information, visit grupofantasma.com.
