WOMAD

Yerba Buena

From United States

‘Yerba Buena’ has plenty of different meanings. Not only was it the name that the city of San Francisco originally answered to, it’s also a fragrant, minty herb found right along the USA’s west coast. In the WOMAD dictionary, however, it only means “a multi-membered, New York-based Afro-Cuban funk whirlwind”. Led by Venezuelan native Andres Levin (the principal producer on that stonking Fela Kuti tribute album, Red, Hot & Riot), the band’s latest record, Island Life, drops anchor off the Spanish-speaking parts of the Caribbean and soaks in the islands’ sounds. Cumbia, merengue and reggaeton all find their way on board where they join some fiery funk and hip-hop. (There’s even room on the album for a cameo from gypsy-punks-of-the-moment Gogol Bordello.) Yerba Buena have been heartily applauded back in their hometown by the New York Times (who described their songs as making “more connections than the city’s subway system”), while the Washington Post suggested that they give “a big wet kiss to all things Spanglish”. Now it’s the turn of this side of the Atlantic to pucker up. As the first act of the weekend, they’re sure to get this party started. Catch this if you like… Los De Abajo or Sidestepper