Ozomatli at the Fillmore East, 3.20.09
Ozomatli in a nutshell: in 2007, the Bush State Department sent the L.A.-based combo on the road to locations as diverse as Jordan, Peru, and Nepal as cultural ambassadors. Yes, that Ozomatli, with its soundclash aesthetic, liberal politics, and antiwar stance; they followed in the footsteps of Ellington and Armstrong, acting for a short time as America’s musical ambassadors to the world. Even the guy who first said that politics made for strange bedfellows probably never saw that one coming.
But it’s appropriate that it should have happened. For nearly fifteen years, this L.A.-based crew has refined a style that’s embraced rap, reggae, rock, rai, bhangra, and anything else it’s come across. Unlike many of their contemporaries who can be found clogging Putamayo compilations and Starbucks counters, it’s not timid stuff and the blending is seamless, unlike much of the rest of what’s routinely described as “fusion.” Indeed, their closest kin would be the off-kilter ethnopunk of Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros or Manu Chao, cross-bred with a Los Lobos party vibe. They’ve managed to blend an almost bewildering diversity of personalities and styles into a pretty cohesive and formidable whole.
While their studio albums have been well-written, well-performed affairs that’ve earned them Grammy nods, critical acclaim, decent sales and a small but devoted following, their live shows are the stuff of legend. So, naturally, having listened to the band since the first album dropped, I was pretty excited (to put it mildly) to put the rumors to the test. Since even the best bands have off nights, and I’m naturally suspicious when anybody–even a band that I love–is the subject of that much hype, I was also maybe a bit apprehensive.
As it turns out, I need not have worried. The show, from start to finish, was just the right amount of chaos (guests coming on and off stage, songs turning into instrumental breakdowns turned back into songs) held together by some of the tightest playing you’ve heard in your life. The set drew heavily from their self-titled debut album, giving off-again now on-again member Chali 2na plenty of room to shine. The band also, sensibly enough, featured the bulk of its most recent album, Don’t Mess With the Dragon, but dipped only briefly into its other offerings, Embrace the Chaos and Street Signs. A bit of new material was also road-tested, delivered with the same adrenaline-fuelled abandon.
The show nearly ended with “Como Ves,” the opener from their debut disc. I say “nearly” because the band at this point took up a handful of percussion instruments and a couple of horns, and took the show off the stage and into the crowd, snaking among a crowd of ecstatic, dancing, half-buzzed people (the pretzel concession must’ve done a pretty brisk business) playing a medley that included a mix of tradition, pop (a brief interlude of Black Eyed Peas’ “Weekend”), and silliness (Chicken Dance, anyone?). It ought to be said that for as much as the band’s fans clearly adore them, this is one band that clearly appreciates its audience.
Ozomatli are expected to release a new album later this year. They’ve left Concord Records for a new label, and have apparently already recorded a number of songs. Their jaunts for the State Department will also continue, with trips to Viet Nam, Russia, and Myanmar in the offing. If Friday night was any indication, buy the album, but be sure to score tickets… while past experience suggests the disc will be top-flight stuff, it’s likely to be mere foreplay to a mind-blowing live experience.
Explore Further: Ozomatli’s web site
Tags: Chali 2na, gig reviews, Lionize, Ozomatli