Ocho de Bastos
Encyclopedia
Ocho de Bastos is a Washington, D.C.
Metro area Latin pop rock band formed in January 2009 by a group of young professionals. The band currently plays Spanish songs from the most recognized Latin rock bands as well as their own originals. In a short period of time, the band have become one of the most prominent representative of Latin pop rock in the local scene, as evidenced by their recognition from the major Latino media outlets in the Washington DC Metro area. and also by the major media outlets in Puerto Rico
. Ocho de Bastos has served as opening talent for several well renowned artists in the genre as part of their US tours. Most notably, Los Enanitos Verdes , Jencarlos Canela
, Jarabe de Palo
, Vilma Palma e Vampiros, , Los Auténticos Decadentes
, Zoé
, Monte Negro, Bomba Estéreo
, and Nito Mestre
. The band had also participated in multiple large festivals and charitable events where they had the opportunity to work with numerous professional artists and members of the entertainment media.
, Jesse Robles on lead guitar
, Daniel Santos on keyboards
, Hipólito González on bass guitar
, and Ernesto Quiñones on drums
.
Part of the exciting memories went back to their college years at the University of Puerto Rico (Mayagüez Campus)
where local bands like “La Mancha del Jardin”, “Sol D’ Menta”, and “Magallanes” infused their music with the passion and energy that kept their audiences constantly dancing, singing, and thoroughly entertained. With a strong vision on hand and the mission to help unite the Latin community through music, Daniel decided to search for other musicians with the enthusiasm necessary to start the band.
). The Spanish deck is normally made up of only 40 cards with four suites (Cups, Swords, Coins, Clubs), and typically does not include the Eight of Clubs. The name of the band "Ocho de Bastos" was an adaptation to account for band member's Spanish heritage and to reflect that all of the songs played are in Spanish. Ocho de Bastos is also a card from the Spanish Tarot
. It is a Minor Arcana that announces change, movement, and new beginnings. But among all mystical meanings, the name “Ocho de Bastos” relates to a popular phrase in Puerto Rico, which locals use when they are completely involved with something: “hasta el ocho de bastos”. The band members have expressed they feel the same way about music.
1. Univision
- Ocho de Bastos interview
2. Telemundo
- prime time news interview
3. Telefutura
- Entertainment news program "Que Chicas!" interview
3. La Nueva 87.7FM, "Alejandro Negron y Los Vecinos" show interview
4. La Mega 106.9 FM, "El Circo de la Mega"
show interview
5. Kesta Happening Magazine - Latin Music and Events magazine in the Washington DC Metro area
6. Hola Ciudad - premier hispanic online news source in the Washington DC Metro area
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Metro area Latin pop rock band formed in January 2009 by a group of young professionals. The band currently plays Spanish songs from the most recognized Latin rock bands as well as their own originals. In a short period of time, the band have become one of the most prominent representative of Latin pop rock in the local scene, as evidenced by their recognition from the major Latino media outlets in the Washington DC Metro area. and also by the major media outlets in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Ocho de Bastos has served as opening talent for several well renowned artists in the genre as part of their US tours. Most notably, Los Enanitos Verdes , Jencarlos Canela
Jencarlos Canela
Jencarlos Canela is an American actor and musician. He is best known for playing the leading roles in the telenovelas Más Sabe el Diablo and Mi Corazón Insiste.-Biography:...
, Jarabe de Palo
Jarabe de Palo
Jarabe de Palo is a Latin rock group from Spain led by Pau Donés , singer, songwriter, and guitarist.- History :Pau Donés, born in Montanuy Huesca, Aragon and raised in Barcelona, worked for various groups before being able to take on his current project, Jarabe de Palo. He began at age 15 with his...
, Vilma Palma e Vampiros, , Los Auténticos Decadentes
Los Auténticos Decadentes
Los Auténticos Decadentes is an Argentine band that mix ska with Latin American rhythms. The band was formed around the year 1986 by Cucho and Nito, who invited Gastón to join them....
, Zoé
Zoé
Zoé is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican alternative/psychedelic band. They initially formed in Mexico City in 1994, although membership started to stabilize in 1997...
, Monte Negro, Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo is a band founded 2001 in Bogotá, Colombia that describe their music as "Electro Vacilón" or "Electro tropical". The band began as a project of Simón Mejía's, releasing their first album as a solo project with contributions from various musicians...
, and Nito Mestre
Nito Mestre
Carlos Alberto Mestre known by his stage name Nito Mestre is an Argentine musician, founding member - along with Charly García - of Sui Generis, member of PorSuiGieco, bandleader of Nito Mestre y los Desconocidos de Siempre and a recording solo artist...
. The band had also participated in multiple large festivals and charitable events where they had the opportunity to work with numerous professional artists and members of the entertainment media.
Band members
The band's lineup consists of Milton Valentín as lead vocalistLead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, Jesse Robles on lead guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Daniel Santos on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Hipólito González on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and Ernesto Quiñones on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
.
History
After 10 years living and working in Washington D.C., Daniel realized there was a need to fill a gap in the Latin rock musical genre and set out on a journey to form a Latin rock band. Daniel discussed the idea with fellow drummer Ernesto Quiñones, while remembering the good old times of Latin rock bands of the early and mid 1990’s.Part of the exciting memories went back to their college years at the University of Puerto Rico (Mayagüez Campus)
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
where local bands like “La Mancha del Jardin”, “Sol D’ Menta”, and “Magallanes” infused their music with the passion and energy that kept their audiences constantly dancing, singing, and thoroughly entertained. With a strong vision on hand and the mission to help unite the Latin community through music, Daniel decided to search for other musicians with the enthusiasm necessary to start the band.
Name origin
The name Ocho de Bastos ("Eight of Clubs") comes from a Spanish set of playing cards (the BarajasBaraja (playing cards)
The Baraja is a deck of playing cards associated with Spain, it is usually called Baraja Española . It has four suits and is usually made up of 40 cards...
). The Spanish deck is normally made up of only 40 cards with four suites (Cups, Swords, Coins, Clubs), and typically does not include the Eight of Clubs. The name of the band "Ocho de Bastos" was an adaptation to account for band member's Spanish heritage and to reflect that all of the songs played are in Spanish. Ocho de Bastos is also a card from the Spanish Tarot
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
. It is a Minor Arcana that announces change, movement, and new beginnings. But among all mystical meanings, the name “Ocho de Bastos” relates to a popular phrase in Puerto Rico, which locals use when they are completely involved with something: “hasta el ocho de bastos”. The band members have expressed they feel the same way about music.
Discography
Media articles associated with Ocho de Bastos
The band has been featured in:1. Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
- Ocho de Bastos interview
2. Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
- prime time news interview
3. Telefutura
TeleFutura
TeleFutura is a U.S. Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by Univision with headquarters in Miami, Florida.-Overview:TeleFutura Is America’s #2 Spanish-Language Network in prime time...
- Entertainment news program "Que Chicas!" interview
3. La Nueva 87.7FM, "Alejandro Negron y Los Vecinos" show interview
4. La Mega 106.9 FM, "El Circo de la Mega"
El Circo de La Mega
El Circo de La Mega is a morning radio show in Puerto Rico that airs on La Mega 106.9. The show started airing on February 27, 2008, starting at 5:30 am until 10:00 am....
show interview
5. Kesta Happening Magazine - Latin Music and Events magazine in the Washington DC Metro area
6. Hola Ciudad - premier hispanic online news source in the Washington DC Metro area