Bumping at the Summer Pops with Ozomatli

Author

By Roy Johnson

Publish Date

Aug. 30, 2013

L.A.-based urban-Latino band Ozomatli once again ignited the stage of San Diego Summer Pops Thursday night. From the moment they took stage, the audience was bumping to the rhythm!

During the first set, they played many songs from their new album accompanied by the San Diego Symphony, the horn section augmenting the music and filling the night with brass. While Ozomatli played with the necessary fire and passion of Latin music, conductor Matthew Garbutt expertly led his orchestra in complementing the Ozo repertoire, producing a magnificent blend of infectious rhythms over a rich texture of music.

Well-known songs were played during the second set causing throngs of people to start dancing as the upbeat song “Como Ves” started! From the bouncing rhythms of “Cumbia de los Muertos” to the energizing merengue beats of “Chango”, kids, grandparents, and everyone in between were on their feet dancing to the music. Ozomatli’s vibrant blend of hip-hop, salsa, and cumbias provided a range of fun music for all! The final note of the night was the band’s ritual drum march throughout the audience. People lined up to celebrate and join the final chant: “O–zo–mat–li, ya se fue, ya se fue!”