GuacaMusic: Santa Mamba

posted in: FeaturesLatin

If you had to choose between Latin music styles, which one would you pick? Would it be the excitement of salsa? The catchiness of merengue? The passion of tango?

Luckily, you don’t have to pick just one. In fact, there is a OurStage band that’s made a home in the Top 10 Charts for several months due to its ability to present it all: rock, salsa, reggaeton, funk, rap, jazz, rhumba, merengue, bachata, disco, reggae, bolero, son and more.

I am talking about Santa Mamba, a group that combines all of these sounds to create an interesting fusion of musical elements.

While artists from many bands that fall under the broad classification of Latin often share an ethnic heritage, the story of Santa Mamba is different. All of their members come from different places. Some were born in small towns in the US, others grew up in American cities with strong ties to Italian and Portuguese tradition, and a few more were born in Latin American countries such as Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

You are probably wondering how artists from such diverse backgrounds manage to come together and form such a fantastic band, right? Well, Santa Mamba’s members are aware of their differences. On their Web site they write: We have little in common, besides that we were all born with a passion for music and an openness to it in all its varieties of expression.

In fact, they say, their differences have brought them even closer, since they had to learn how to listen and understand each other. Over time, they figured out the value of diversity and forged their own style, which they named Latin Roots Rock, a sound that takes a firm understanding of various Latin and American musical traditions.

Whatever this band is doing is definitely working well. On OurStage, Santa Mamba has received awesome feedback from fans with their song Aroma which means scent or smell, and talks about the exquisite aroma of the person you love. Play this song and you will be amazed by the mixture of sounds and the interesting influences from iconic figures such as Santana, Ruben Blades and Mana.

For a more danceable tune, play their song Senseo which was the title of their most recent album and combines elements of salsa, rhumba and a touch of rock.  The fervor of this beat demands some serious dancing; so don’t forget to play it when you are feeling the urge to move.

What do you think? Isn’t it great when you don’t have to pick just one music style? After all, this is what Latin music is all about, a big dish of ingredients and flavors that, when mixed together, create the most exquisite combinations on earth. Enjoy this playlist by Santa Mamba. ¡Provecho!