Uploaded March 2011 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Listening to Texas-based Grupo Fantasma is like watching the Iron Chef at work. Over the course of a single performance, they create a sprawling feast for the eyes, ears and musical palate, offering an assortment of Latin flavors that extends from Cuban son to Colombian cumbia, all processed through the hulking sound machine that is Fantasma.
Widely acclaimed as the funkiest and hardest working Latin orchestra to come out of the US in the last decade, this ten man funk orchestra is bursting with energy and spontaneity. "They blast off in their own funkified, genre-breaking directions," exclaims Billboard Magazine, while the Boston Globe declares that "Fantasma is honing a decidedly 21st century version of Latin groove."
Grupo Fantasma's trademark innovative sound and incendiary live shows have earned them a cover feature in Pollstar Magazine, radio spots on both National Public Radio's "Day to Day" and Public Radio International's "The World", and extensive press coverage throughout North America and Europe. Their most recent album, the 2008 Grammy nominated "Sonidos Gold", spent several months in the top ten of the CMJ world charts. It features playful Afro-Caribbean styles such as salsa, cumbia and merengue, tempered with rock guitars and dub sequencers, all geared toward an out-of-body experience. With many links to rock royalty, the group routinely performs as a backup band for Prince, and the uncle of José Galeaño, the band's primary singer/songwriter and percussionist, played in the original Santana.
If you love authentic Latin funk, the best way to savor Grupo Fantasma is live, as they push the limits of groove to make a tasty salad of Latin, funk, and dance. If your foot doesn't immediately start tapping to their spicy blend of raucous horns and the rhythmic assault of the band's slew of drummers, you may need to see a doctor. Their grooves are infectious and undeniable. Above all, Grupo Fantasma is a dance band whose live shows should probably come with a message from the Surgeon General: "Warning: Groove build-up could lead to housequake conditions."
Final word of advice before experiencing Grupo Fantasma live, don't forget to bring your dance partner!
The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival event occurs every third weekend in August. To find out more about this year's event and to buy tickets go to www.RootandBlues.ca!
Listening to Texas-based Grupo Fantasma is like watching the Iron Chef at work. Over the course of a single performance, they create a sprawling feast for the eyes, ears and musical palate, offering an assortment of Latin flavors that extends from Cuban son to Colombian cumbia, all processed through the hulking sound machine that is Fantasma.
Widely acclaimed as the funkiest and hardest working Latin orchestra to come out of the US in the last decade, this ten man funk orchestra is bursting with energy and spontaneity. "They blast off in their own funkified, genre-breaking directions," exclaims Billboard Magazine, while the Boston Globe declares that "Fantasma is honing a decidedly 21st century version of Latin groove."
Grupo Fantasma's trademark innovative sound and incendiary live shows have earned them a cover feature in Pollstar Magazine, radio spots on both National Public Radio's "Day to Day" and Public Radio International's "The World", and extensive press coverage throughout North America and Europe. Their most recent album, the 2008 Grammy nominated "Sonidos Gold", spent several months in the top ten of the CMJ world charts. It features playful Afro-Caribbean styles such as salsa, cumbia and merengue, tempered with rock guitars and dub sequencers, all geared toward an out-of-body experience. With many links to rock royalty, the group routinely performs as a backup band for Prince, and the uncle of José Galeaño, the band's primary singer/songwriter and percussionist, played in the original Santana.
If you love authentic Latin funk, the best way to savor Grupo Fantasma is live, as they push the limits of groove to make a tasty salad of Latin, funk, and dance. If your foot doesn't immediately start tapping to their spicy blend of raucous horns and the rhythmic assault of the band's slew of drummers, you may need to see a doctor. Their grooves are infectious and undeniable. Above all, Grupo Fantasma is a dance band whose live shows should probably come with a message from the Surgeon General: "Warning: Groove build-up could lead to housequake conditions."
Final word of advice before experiencing Grupo Fantasma live, don't forget to bring your dance partner!
The Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival event occurs every third weekend in August. To find out more about this year's event and to buy tickets go to www.RootandBlues.ca!
