The B-Side Players are part of a new movement in popular music, a band that honors the international cross-pollination that has always made music the universal language. They use any beat that catches their ear, regardless of geography or genre, to create a compelling, horn driven, polyrhythmic groove. ?The root of all pop music is African,? says Karlos Paez, the band?s lead vocalist, trumpet player and founder. ?Our sound acknowledges that fact. That?s why the music is so soulful. We?re playing the ancient beats that came from Africa to create reggae, son, Afro-beat and funk and mixing ?em all together.?
The band has been laying down their own inimitable global funk since they came together in 1994. Their incendiary live shows made them local legends, while their albums showcased a band with a restless musical intelligence, effortlessly blending genres to fashion their own forward looking, Latin flavored, future-funk.
From Wikipedia:The B-Side Players are a San Diego based band that incorporate the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with the funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop rhythms of their homeland. The band also drops a bit of Cumbia, gritty street Samba, Son Montuno and Jarocho into the mix. Described as War meets Lenny Kravitz by way of Ben Harper, the players have expanded their sound by playing with the likes of Harper, Ozomatli, The Wailers, James Brown, War and some of Cuba's best bands. Formed in 1994, they are signed to Jazz label Concord Music Group.
Karlos "Solrak" Paez, the man behind the B-Side Players, grew up in a musical family. His father Ezequiel Paez is a trombone player and musical arranger who spent 17 years in Los Moonlights from Tijuana and 10 years in La Banda Del Recodo.