Bachaco

Together for less than a year, the world experimentalists of Bachaco prefer their career trajectory like their tequila: straight up. Already armed with enough original material to fill a couple of albums, the Miami band is at work on its first, as-yet-untitled full-length for Onesound Records, due out before the end of the year.

Formed by three Venezuelans, one Jamaican, and a Cuban-American, the band has an equally diverse set of musical interests and influences. The sound: a laid-back strain of reggae, Latin funk, hip-hop, ska, and cumbia, plus other, even more eclectic world rhythms. It's a formula that has worked perfectly so far. The minute the band was ready to play shows, it scored an opening slot in front of Latin Grammy nominees Locos por Juana, who, in turn, are helping out in the production of Bachaco's first album. The group has performed at local events such as the Argentinean Festival and Rock the Dock in Spanish. In October, the band's "La Muerta" was chosen as Song of the Week by Venezuelan radio show Rockea en Español. You'll want to get to Jazid early for this Saturday's Xperimento night, because Bachaco is opening the show.

http://music.miaminewtimes.com/2007-11-15/music/bachaco/ - Miami New Times

Bringing along a variety of musical interests and cultural influences, Bachaco is composed by five-young musicians with a lot of inspiration and dedication to their work; they know what they are and soon they will be ready to make some noise.







Eddy - Lead Singer, Charrasca, Cuatro
Age: 18

Sunday - Drums
Age: 17

Jose - Vocals, Guitar, Trumpet
Age: 15

Matt - Guitar
Age: 16

Ally - Bass
Age: 16



FABRIKA: Tell us how was Bachaco formed?

EDDY: Well, basically is my desire of writing Spanish music, and in a way, to challenge my brother [Jose] who has an English-rock band called “Last Summer”.
After we met “Locos Por Juana”, we got so much addicted to their music and their work that we met “Chamo” and in one of their shows we showed him our work, he thought it was excellent and from there, we decided to form Bachaco.

FABRIKA: What influences does Bachaco have?

EDDY: Our influences come mostly from Venezuela, bands like King Chango and Los Amigos Invisibles, but also a lot of roots like Bob Marley.

FABRIKA: Where do the members of Bachaco come from?

EDDY: Like I said, we are 3 Venezuelans me Eddy, Jose and Sunday, Matt is Jamaican, and Ally who was born here in the United States with Cuban descendants.

FABRIKA: With what music genre does the band identifies with?

EDDY: Well, I don’t think we fit into a single category because we have a lot of reggae songs but they have a lot of influences of Ska, Dancehall, and a lot of Cumbia. It’s an OneSound, a big combination.

FABRIKA: When do you plan to release the first album?

EDDY: We are planning to have it ready towards the end of this year. Right now we are recording with Lakambra who is the drummer of Locos Por Juana, and in the production we have the collaboration of Marc the guitar player and Emiliano Torres the trumpeter both also from Locos Por Juana. Lakambra will be the producer of the album.

FABRIKA: What has been the hardest part of this project? How has the process of forming a band been?

EDDY: The hardest part I believe it was to start, especially because we didn’t have an idea of what we were getting ourselves into, there was always a doubt from part of my brother Jose, and Sunday [the drummer] because we had never done Latin music, but when we got on stage for the first time we knew that we were going to enjoy working on this project, and we’ve always had a great feedback from the public. Obviously it’s been hard for us to decide who will be in charge of our first production, but we finally decided to leave it in Lakambra’s hand because his musical style is very similar to ours.

FABRIKA: What is the greatest satisfaction that you feel as a band? Making music?

EDDY: Being on stage and watch people dancing and singing our songs after hearing the first chorus!

FABRIKA: Who is in charge of writing the songs?

EDDY: Initially I was in charge of writing the songs, but as we got more united as a band, the other members began to contribute with their creativity.

FABRIKA: What do the songs talk about? Do you like to send out a specific message to the public with your songs?

EDDY: Not necessary, but we write mostly about love..we have two songs that are actually dedicated to injustice. “La Apariencia” to the ones who like to judge without knowing a person, and “Good Morning” dedicated to the corrupted society in which we live.

FABRIKA: Where does the name “Bachaco” come from?

EDDY: Ha, ha, ha...That’s the million dollar question! Everyone wants to know that but the “Bachaco” is an insect, very similar to an Ant and it lives in the “Selva Amazonica” mainly from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. In English it would be a Leaf Cutter. I chose that name because it reminds me of slavery because they are like little red Ants and they are very hard workers, dedicated to the roots of the common Latin, the mixed race. Indigenous use Bachacos to make spice, so we are the SPICE to make everyone dance!

FABRIKA: Anything else you would like to say to the readers?

EDDY: To visit our website! www.bachaco.net and we are having a show on July 5, 2007 with FABRIKA to celebrate Venezuela’s independence at PS14 and we hope to see everyone there! Also, there will be a snick preview of what we are recording soon so stay tuned!
- Fabrikalink.com

Bachaco gives its audience the world. No kidding. The band takes full advantage of the diversity angle, using their various backgrounds to create an energetic, spicy global brew.

The result pours from stages and on to dance floors at super-charged shows that are like a sweat-soaked love letter to the multicultural masses of Miami's Magic City.

Eddy Morillo, lead singer and founder, describes the group's ethnic mix as four Venezuelans, one Jamaican, one Colombian and one Cuban. Combining their different interests and influences, the band blends reggae, Latin funk, hip-hop, ska, cumbia and other eclectic rhythms. It's a formula that's worked perfectly so far, he said.

"We developed our sound by being who we are," Morillo said. "We sit down, we talk as friends and we let our culture come out."

Morillo, 20, began by recruiting his 16-year-old brother, Jose, on bass. They were later joined by classmates from Felix Varela Senior High School in Kendall.

The lineup includes a brass section with Manny Gonzalez, 17, on trombone, and Bruce McKinnon, 17, who does double duty on trumpet and freestyle hip-hop rap. There's also Nanu Hernandez, 25, on guitar, and drummer Domingo Medina, 18. Matt Jacquette, 17, offers up guitar and Jamaican rap.

Morillo said he got the idea for the band's name from a species of ant found in the Amazon rain forest that's used by the natives as an ingredient in hot sauce.

and the eco-revolution anthem The songs on the band's debut CD, due out this fall, speak of love, as well as hot button issues such as "El Inmigrante (The Immigrant)"and the eco-revolution anthem "Pollution."

Fans can get an earful of Bachaco along with about 30 bands at Cultura Festival '08, tonight at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-374-1198. The party runs from 8 p.m.-4 a.m. Bachaco's set to play at about 1 a.m. Visit myspace.com/culturafestival.

Bachaco is also sharing the bill June 12 at the MySpace Latino Showcase, P.S. 14, 28 NE 14th St., Miami. Visit myspace.com/sponsoredbands or bachaco.net. - Sun-Sentinel

Bachaco gives its audience the world. No kidding. The band takes full advantage of the diversity angle, using their various backgrounds to create an energetic, spicy global brew.

The result pours from stages and on to dance floors at super-charged shows that are like a sweat-soaked love letter to the multicultural masses of Miami's Magic City.

Eddy Morillo, lead singer and founder, describes the group's ethnic mix as four Venezuelans, one Jamaican, one Colombian and one Cuban. Combining their different interests and influences, the band blends reggae, Latin funk, hip-hop, ska, cumbia and other eclectic rhythms. It's a formula that's worked perfectly so far, he said.

"We developed our sound by being who we are," Morillo said. "We sit down, we talk as friends and we let our culture come out."

Morillo, 20, began by recruiting his 16-year-old brother, Jose, on bass. They were later joined by classmates from Felix Varela Senior High School in Kendall.

The lineup includes a brass section with Manny Gonzalez, 17, on trombone, and Bruce McKinnon, 17, who does double duty on trumpet and freestyle hip-hop rap. There's also Nanu Hernandez, 25, on guitar, and drummer Domingo Medina, 18. Matt Jacquette, 17, offers up guitar and Jamaican rap.

Morillo said he got the idea for the band's name from a species of ant found in the Amazon rain forest that's used by the natives as an ingredient in hot sauce.

and the eco-revolution anthem The songs on the band's debut CD, due out this fall, speak of love, as well as hot button issues such as "El Inmigrante (The Immigrant)"and the eco-revolution anthem "Pollution."

Fans can get an earful of Bachaco along with about 30 bands at Cultura Festival '08, tonight at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-374-1198. The party runs from 8 p.m.-4 a.m. Bachaco's set to play at about 1 a.m. Visit myspace.com/culturafestival.

Bachaco is also sharing the bill June 12 at the MySpace Latino Showcase, P.S. 14, 28 NE 14th St., Miami. Visit myspace.com/sponsoredbands or bachaco.net. - Sun-Sentinel

"The United Nations of Music" - Escandalo TV

"The United Nations of Music" - Escandalo TV

For a band that has been together for only a little more than a year, local multicultural act Bachaco has accomplished quite a lot. In this short time, the musicians scored a coveted weekly residence at Jazid.

The group, which is named for a leaf-cutting ant used by Venezuelan Indians to make hot sauce, is formed by skilled musicians who hail from Venezuela, Jamaica, Cuba, and Colombia. Their signature sound successfully blends elements of cumbia, ska, electronica, and reggae. And though their fun-filled music is clearly destined for the dance floor, they do not shy away from social issues. A good example of that is the Norteño-spiced reggae tune "El Imigrante," in which the band takes a poignant, first-person look at the dramatic plight of illegal aliens.

Apart from the fact that they are highly proficient musicians, the most noticeable thing about the bandmates is their excellent chemistry. The singers' three-part harmonies are tight — even when performed live — and the two-guitar groove seamlessly interacts with the brass and rhythm sections. - Miami New Times

For a band that has been together for only a little more than a year, local multicultural act Bachaco has accomplished quite a lot. In this short time, the musicians scored a coveted weekly residence at Jazid.

The group, which is named for a leaf-cutting ant used by Venezuelan Indians to make hot sauce, is formed by skilled musicians who hail from Venezuela, Jamaica, Cuba, and Colombia. Their signature sound successfully blends elements of cumbia, ska, electronica, and reggae. And though their fun-filled music is clearly destined for the dance floor, they do not shy away from social issues. A good example of that is the Norteño-spiced reggae tune "El Imigrante," in which the band takes a poignant, first-person look at the dramatic plight of illegal aliens.

Apart from the fact that they are highly proficient musicians, the most noticeable thing about the bandmates is their excellent chemistry. The singers' three-part harmonies are tight — even when performed live — and the two-guitar groove seamlessly interacts with the brass and rhythm sections. - Miami New Times

What do leafcutter ants found in the Amazon rainforest have in common with a hot six-member Latin alternative reggae band from Miami? Let's just say it's all in the name. Venezuelan Indians use the ant to create a picante or hot sauce. Bachaco (BAH-SHA-KO) like to consider themselves a musical picante comprised of hard working members.

A groovy clash of nationalities with members hailing from all over the Caribbean and South America, Bachaco is an attractive and motley crew: Eddy Morillo (vocals and cuatro, a four string guitar); Jose Morillo (vocals and bass); Domingo Medina (drums); Mathew Jacquette (vocals and guitar); Bruce McKinnon (vocals and trumpet); and Alejandro Hernandez (guitar). "Each member has influences coming from all over the place, from rock to reggae, from folk to hip-hop, and so on. "The combinations are endless," says Eddy, who founded the group a little over a year ago.

"Having a Colombian member, a Jamaican member and three Venezuelan members, and performing along with other guest members from Cuba and other places, gives us the ability to create a very diverse and rich musical experience," says Eddy. "Bruce has been influenced by genres like the Colombian Cumbia and even hip-hop in English due to the fact that he was born in the USA, so he plays the trumpet like a Colombian and raps like an American! Matt also helps out in the vocals doing his Jamaican Raggamuffin, an original Jamaican Rap style."

Songs like "Cumbia Pa' La Nena" and "Jamaican Cumbia" are infectious. They immediately make you want to get up and dance. In "El Inmigrante," Bachaco sings about the struggles of a migrant father who leaves everything, including his family, behind to try to make a living amidst inhumane treatment. Another slower and more melancholy track, "La Muerte," has had such an effect on listeners that at a recent concert they brought tears to the eyes of a fan.

Keep your eyes peeled for the release of their first album, scheduled for fall 2008. The band was even recently featured on MySpace's Latino music section as Latin/Reggae Band of the Week. To be this good at the beginning of their career bodes well for the future of this picante sextet.

For more info, visit www.bachaco.net - Miami Herald's Miami.com

What do leafcutter ants found in the Amazon rainforest have in common with a hot six-member Latin alternative reggae band from Miami? Let's just say it's all in the name. Venezuelan Indians use the ant to create a picante or hot sauce. Bachaco (BAH-SHA-KO) like to consider themselves a musical picante comprised of hard working members.

A groovy clash of nationalities with members hailing from all over the Caribbean and South America, Bachaco is an attractive and motley crew: Eddy Morillo (vocals and cuatro, a four string guitar); Jose Morillo (vocals and bass); Domingo Medina (drums); Mathew Jacquette (vocals and guitar); Bruce McKinnon (vocals and trumpet); and Alejandro Hernandez (guitar). "Each member has influences coming from all over the place, from rock to reggae, from folk to hip-hop, and so on. "The combinations are endless," says Eddy, who founded the group a little over a year ago.

"Having a Colombian member, a Jamaican member and three Venezuelan members, and performing along with other guest members from Cuba and other places, gives us the ability to create a very diverse and rich musical experience," says Eddy. "Bruce has been influenced by genres like the Colombian Cumbia and even hip-hop in English due to the fact that he was born in the USA, so he plays the trumpet like a Colombian and raps like an American! Matt also helps out in the vocals doing his Jamaican Raggamuffin, an original Jamaican Rap style."

Songs like "Cumbia Pa' La Nena" and "Jamaican Cumbia" are infectious. They immediately make you want to get up and dance. In "El Inmigrante," Bachaco sings about the struggles of a migrant father who leaves everything, including his family, behind to try to make a living amidst inhumane treatment. Another slower and more melancholy track, "La Muerte," has had such an effect on listeners that at a recent concert they brought tears to the eyes of a fan.

Keep your eyes peeled for the release of their first album, scheduled for fall 2008. The band was even recently featured on MySpace's Latino music section as Latin/Reggae Band of the Week. To be this good at the beginning of their career bodes well for the future of this picante sextet.

For more info, visit www.bachaco.net - Miami Herald's Miami.com