KARACHI: With a dash of theatrics and a whole lot of colour, the orchestra Grupo Fantasma brought to a delighted audience a sampling of Latin funk through their performance at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture on Wednesday.

Few in the crowd, when inquired at the onset of the concert, knew anything about the music genre but once the band started to play, the education they imparted could not have been supplemented by any number of theory classes on Latin funk.

Latin funk is fun, it is dynamic as it enmeshes a wide range of instruments, and it is fusion that delights the senses.

Working seamlessly together, the nine-piece, Grammy Award winning Latin funk orchestra hails from Austin, Texas, and is part of the several musical performances the US embassy has brought to the city.

According to their public relations officer, Li Ping Lo, “Latin funk or Latin rhythm is a distinctive fusion music which will get you singing and dancing.”

Jose Galeano on vocals and timbales constantly interacted with the audience which comprised young adults who eventually got so caught up in the vibe of the music that they were soon found in front of the stage, dancing away. Another crowd favourite was Mark “Speedy” Gonzales on the trombone who thoroughly engaged with the crowd.

The eclectic offering of the band was not all show as there certainly was much substance behind their Spanish laced songs and upbeat tempo. One of their most contemporarily appropriate songs they performed included an ode to all the immigrants around the world.

In a review of their self-produced album, El Existential, the Wall Street Journal had described Grupo Fantasma’s music as “both new and traditional”. This is spot on as the band and their music has the capacity to vibrantly merge with and transcend conventional musical classification. Band members were all on board with providing Karachiites with a different musical palette, a distinct change from the usual offering.

Grupo Fantasma is not a new or a small-time band; they have also performed on several hit TV shows including Breaking Bad, Weeds, Ugly Betty as well as Law and Order. They have also served as a backup band for Prince.

Other band members include Kino Esparza on vocals and hand percussion; Beto Martinez on guitar; Greg Gonzalez on bass; John Speice on drums; Matthew “Sweet Lou” Holmes on congas; Gilbery Elorreaga on trumpet; and Josh Levy on baritone saxophone.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2016