Carne Cruda

In a converted warehouse in East Oakland, a group of professional musicians shared an open loft space as they eked out their livings as hired guns for local and nationally touring acts. When they came home from their gigs playing with salsa bands, funk groups, cumbia conjuntos, jazz combos, and rock power trios, they formed a creative collective that brought all these elements and more to a simmer under the fire of the hyphy, norteño, and banda beats blasting from the trunks of lowriders cruising by their South Fruitvale industrial warehouse home. That band is the legendary Carne Cruda, who have teamed up with super-producer Greg Landau to create a visionary new album, named after the place that inspired them to fuse this eclectic creation from the bowels of that diverse city: “Oakland’s Tight.” Once a happy-go-lucky party band coveted by dance party throwers for their uncanny ability to make every booty shake, Carne Cruda has matured with the experience of touring the world as the backup band for such diverse acts as Ms. Lauren Hill, Omar Sosa, Tito Puente Jr., John Santos, Quetzal, Susana Baca, Kepa Junkera, Rico Pabon, The Cuban Cowboys, Jesus Diaz, Dr. Loco, Alex Cuba; the list goes on and on. “I love the fact that everyone in the band plays with a million other bands,” declares guitarist and vocalist Camilo Landau. “That way everyone brings those various perspectives to the band’s creative process. Not to mention the level of musicianship is incredible.” And the album is a testament to their musical skill. “Normally, once we get the basic tracks down we have to go back and replace just about everything,” points out four-time Grammy®-nominated producer Greg Landau about the recording process. “With Carne Cruda’s ‘Oakland’s Tight’ we recorded ten songs in one day, and all the parts stayed. That way we were able to really spend the time focusing on the mix, getting killer sounds, and inviting guest artists.” Because of Carne Cruda’s status as well-respected professionals, they were able to call in all the hot-shot guest artists they wanted. Cuban virtuoso free-jazz pianist Omar Sosa takes a hot Fender-Rhodes solo on the track “Chuleta,” a song about the deliciousness of fried pork-chops smothered in cheese, and Dandha da Hora from Brazilian funksters SambaDá sings the Johnny Cash classic “Ring of Fire,” with a Brazilian twist. Kevin Masaya Kmets from prog-rock legends Estratashpere joins in with an inspired Japanese Shamisen solo over a ska-bachata tune called “Shark Attack!” and Marta Gonzales from East LA’s Chicano pioneers Quetzal chimes in on some coros with her distinctive vocal stylings. Post-Latin Surf-Cumbia Salsa-Core bangers since 2000.