El Tule

El Tule
Cuatro
REVIEWED BY RAOUL HERNANDEZ, FRI., AUG. 21, 2015

printwrite a letterTexas Platters: Summer Breeze
What Charanga Cakewalk mago Michael Ramos did for Gina Chavez's Album of the Year this spring (honored) and last (released) should happen to El Tule. Austin's other Latin big band alongside Grupo Fantasma, these wily eight meet those Grammy-winners halfway between their brass blast and offshoot Brownout's six-string slash. A Santana-esque lead details "Repique Mi Guaguanco," but axe grinders John Dell and Stephen Selvey hardly pause there, searing the succeeding "Pulga 280" with a fire pit solo. Electro cumbias, hombre, call the bomberos. Fourth disc Cuatro effortlessly bangs out such modern burners, including opener "Mira Como Baila," chanting a litany of Latinas over a spidery rhythm of drums and percussion (Michael Penic), timbales (Yonnel Augustin), and congas (Mateo Turner). The trumpet/trombone tandem of Joseph Ledesma and Max Garza trades jet fuel with the guitarists, all powered by the boom of Dell's Spanish vocals. "Mover" follows suit, and "Escucha Me" parties like Miami's South Beach. After a trio of stellar Hecho in Austin EPs, Cuatro – eight songs in 35 minutes – queues El Tule as Austin's next Latin breakout waiting for its stars to align.

***.5 - Austin Chronicle

And the Award for the Biggest Surprise of the Festival Goes to...
... Austin's own El Tule (pronounced Too-lay). I had some time before acts and stumbled into the shade of the Tito's Vodka Tent. I may have saved myself from the heat of the sun, but with all the bodies dancing to salsa near the stage, it nothing nothing but caliente in that thang. It was a salsa of sound with this hometown band dishing out cumbia, reggae, merengue and Afro-Cuban sonidos to a welcoming audience. The horns and percussion made my heart move and my feet shuffle. Definitely hoping to see this band again soon. - houiston Press

If you spend Austin City Limits Music Festival catching only the headlining acts, you’re missing out. Local bands appearing on some of the smaller stages around Zilker Park have always managed to hold their own against their better-known counterparts, and this year is no exception. One of these bands, El Tule, played last Saturday in the tented Tito’s Vodka Stage, and the scene was like a massive salsa class, with strangers dancing with each other and showing off some pretty impressive moves. Even the folks there just to watch couldn’t help but find their hips swaying to the rhythmic beats. On Friday, see the scene for yourself, as the band returns to the same stage at 4 p.m.

Mixing salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggae, El Tule was founded 10 years ago by guitarist-singer John Dell and his wife, bassist Tracy Chavez Dell. Their love of Latin music has homegrown roots: John grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, while Tracey is from a border town in New Mexico. The couple met in Florida (John was a full-time musician there) and decided to head west, stopping along the way to visit Tracy’s brother in Austin. They stayed put in the capital city.

While they had no intentions of forming a band when they settled here, they found themselves writing songs together. They also began noticing cumbia and salsa music’s presence around their new community. “We saw how the audience reaction was to those bands and how it was just a fee-good, party scene,” John says. “That’s what we set out to do.” So they put together a group of musicians influenced by Latin sounds.

Along with the Dells, El Tule includes founding member Michael Penic on drums; horn players Max Garza and Joseph Ledesma, who have been playing together since they were kids in Victoria, Texas; Haitian timbales player Yonnel Augustin; Mateo Turner on congas; and guitarist Stephen Selvey. “He’s probably one of the most distinguished members of the band,” says John. “One of those guys that Austin is attracting who came here from the East Coast to pursue his dreams. He’s put us over the top.”

Sticking to the “mission” of playing feel-good music, the band avoids songs with controversial lyrics or standard folkloric tunes. Instead, all songs are original and deal with “life experiences.” It’s a way of connecting to the audiences, explains John, while the rhythms and energy put out by the band gets the crowd moving and enjoying the fun.
It’s a formula that John believes could not have been achieved anywhere else but Austin, where he finds not only a supportive city (for instance, through its health alliance programs and the recent survey conducted to understand what musicians are facing), but also through supportive music lovers, who appreciate any genre. When the band started, there were a handful of acts playing Latin-influenced songs. Today, you can find everything from Brazilian to Cuban to Honduran.

“Not only is it opening up nationally for Latin bands, but in Austin, it’s almost like the rest of the country is trying to emulate what Austin does,” he says. “Bands move here because people are receptive to the music. The average Austinite, they don’t care if it’s English or Spanish, if it’s Brazilian or Afro-beat, French, it’s all over the place.”

Earlier this year, the band put out its aptly named fourth album, Cuatro, on its recently formed record label, Hecho en Austin. The label was started to get El Tule’s music out to the world and to help other musicians. “There are a lot of local Latin bands that are coming up and we thought, What better way to actually give back what was given to us?” says John. “The universe puts it back to you. I’m a firm believer in that.”

El Tule must be giving back a lot because this year marks the band’s debut at ACL music fest. And they get to do it twice: They’ve been booked for both weekends, which is unusual for a local band. John admits that the news from his booking agent left him a little dumbfounded.

“If you had told me a month ago that we’d be playing ACL, I’d be like, ‘No, man. That’s not in the cards.’ I mean, we play Guero’s and quinceañera.” But he tries to keeps a cool head about the opportunity, and sticks with the attitude of the next gig being the highlight for a band. “There’s no way to predict how far it will,” he says. “We just enjoy doing it.” - Austin Monthly

Netamente Bailable! - Chavita - "El Mundo"

"We fell in love with El Tule at first listen. They play everyman's Latin music, the kind of stuff that gets everyone on the dance floor regardless of whether you know what you're doing or not. The band made our wedding night memorable and left everyone raving and asking "Where'd you find that band?" As if the music isn't enough, they're also a great group of people to spend an evening with. We can't wait to say we knew them when." - Jessa & Blake 1/28/12 - Blake and Jessica Hoffman from Austin,TX

"We fell in love with El Tule at first listen. They play everyman's Latin music, the kind of stuff that gets everyone on the dance floor regardless of whether you know what you're doing or not. The band made our wedding night memorable and left everyone raving and asking "Where'd you find that band?" As if the music isn't enough, they're also a great group of people to spend an evening with. We can't wait to say we knew them when." - Jessa & Blake 1/28/12 - Blake and Jessica Hoffman from Austin,TX

El Tule – Volumen 1



Drawing from a number of influences such as Latin Jazz, Salsa, and Cumbia, El Tule describes their music as being about history, art and culture. With a thoughtful production complete with horns it becomes a celebration.

Volumen 1 kicks off with "La Sirena", a fiesta like number that had me salsa dancing in the kitchen in a matter of seconds. I kept going as the album went on. In addition to the fantastic rhythm, there are catchy melodies that had me singing along in a language that I barely have a vocabulary of 50 words in, none of which were in the song.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable record with a lot of dynamics and many different timbres for your ears to delight in. Besides the aforementioned horns, there are a variety of percussion instruments, background vocals and 12 string guitars. All of them sound perfect where they are placed.
Though the song has nothing to do with the coffee shop, I have to love a CD that has a song entitled "Ruta Maya." Maybe for their next album they could follow up with a tune called "Spiderhouse."

8.5 Daisy Stars

Daisy's Favorite Lyric: In the eyes of Noah, there was room enough for you and me - Austin Daze

"I hereby proclamate Jan 16th Austin El Tule Day"

-City Of Austin Mayor Will Wynn - City of Austin

El Tule
Volumen 1

Many songs from El Tule's debut, Volumen 1, begin as traditional salsa and cumbia tunes, but more often than not, the Austin sixpiece takes delightful and unexpected detours along the way, dipping in pools of funk, reggae, rock, and psychedelia. The stunning "Media Noche" slowly builds from a slinky groove into a dreamy magical carpet ride full of wandering guitars and brooding horns, while the more traditional "El Chupacabra" adds another chapter to the lore of the mythical and mysterious goat-sucking beast. The group takes tradition seriously but isn't afraid to add a hard funk edge to a song honoring the indigenous past of Mexico ("Ruta Maya"). The reggae-infused "Eyes of Noah" doesn't quite hit the mark but demonstrates the group's impressive versatility. The title suggests this is only the beginning for El Tule.

*** - Austin Chronicle

El Tule comes in at an extended extended-play length, with six meaty tracks on Volumen II and the local septet's big band Latinate giving Grupo Fantasma a serious run for its pesos. "Silver and Gold" plates the starter pistol's dual guitar/bass jungle strut, "Cumbia Cubana Electrica" measures out gleaming brass conductivity, and "Mi Niño" booms Miami as "La Botana" stuffs itself on Caribbean surf, turf, and tequila. Que rico! - Raoul Hernandez-Austin Chronicle

"El Tule packed out the tent as if Thievery Corporation put on a dance contest" - Austin Chronicle

El Tule formed in Austin about ten years ago, and across four albums, the band mixes together cumbia, merengue, salsa, reggae, and more. It’s a big band sound but with a modern approach, and this week on My KUTX, we turn over the controls to a few of the members. Singer and guitarist John Dell and conga player Matt “Matteo” Turner are the guest DJs, spinning an hour of their influences and favorite songs. And if you want to hear El Tule live, you’ve got a few chances coming up: they’re live in our Studio 1A on Tuesday, July 26 at 1 p.m., and on Wednesday, July 27 they’re playing the Wine Down, a free show at 3TEN at ACL Live. Tune into El Tule’s My KUTX on Saturday, July 23 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime at the bottom of the page. - KUTX

El Tule is pure sunshine; a product of latin dance rhythms and positive expression. The band blends all of the zeal and enthusiasm of cumbia, salsa, merengue, reggae, and psychedelic rock. The importance of dance and movement radiates throughout the group’s music both lyrically and rhythmically. As soon as the music hits the ears, the body is sure to follow suit. El Tule will have you strutting down the street, grooving at your best friend’s wedding, and dancing while you do the dishes. For fans of: Golden Dawn Arkestra.

We’re big fans of El Tule here at KUTX. In fact, we’ve had them in twice this week! Art Levy has singer and guitarist John Dell and conga player Matt “Matteo” Turner guest DJ during last week’s My KUTX and today we had the band visit Studio1A this week to play some tracks off their fourth studio album Cuatro. Listen to the live session down below. If you like what you hear, they’re playing Austin 3ten tonight. - Roxanne Zech

El Tule is pure sunshine; a product of latin dance rhythms and positive expression. The band blends all of the zeal and enthusiasm of cumbia, salsa, merengue, reggae, and psychedelic rock. The importance of dance and movement radiates throughout the group’s music both lyrically and rhythmically. As soon as the music hits the ears, the body is sure to follow suit. El Tule will have you strutting down the street, grooving at your best friend’s wedding, and dancing while you do the dishes. - KUTX