Ozomatli

If the city of Los Angeles had a soundtrack, it would be Ozomatli‘s music. Since forming in 1995, the lineup’s collaborative, energetic blend of multi-cultural music and activism has earned the band three GRAMMYs®, four Hollywood Bowl shows, a TED Talk and much more. But more importantly, Ozo has inspired and energized listeners worldwide. Even at gigs in locales including Burma and Mongolia, Ozomatli’s messages and music, sung in both Spanish and English, need no translation. Circa 2022, Ozo’s new songs, stronger-than-ever brotherhood and the potent emotional impetus behind their new album Marching On further cements the legacy begun with the band’s 1998 self-titled debut.

Ozomatli’s music is as multifaceted as its members and influences. Meeting as young political activists and musicians, the original band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 to play a notorious urban-Latino-and- beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga- all while following a key mantra: it will take you around the world by taking you around Los Angeles. Over the course of Ozomatli’s 25 year career, the group has sold hundreds of thousands of albums, won two Grammy Awards, consistently sold out concerts around the world, and performed on high profile TV shows like The Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Tonight Show w/Jay Leno, and Austin City Limits.

Catch Ozomatli every Thursday in April at The Venice West. This show is 21+.