Pacha Massive
Encyclopedia
Pacha Massive is a creative collaboration between Dominican
-born Nova (keys/guitar /writer/producer) and Colombia
n-born Maya (writer/bass). The band, from the Bronx, New York City, was Nacional Records
’ first U.S.-based signing. Their music is a funky bilingual fusion of traditional Latin rhythms] like Colombian cumbia, Dominican palo, reggae, dancehall, dub and electronica.
The group released its debut album, All Good Things, on Nacional Records in February 2007. Pacha Massive have shared the stage with artists like Ozomatli
, Café Tacvba
, Los Amigos Invisibles
, Aterciopelados
, Sidestepper
, and Yerba Buena
. MTV Tr3s selected Pacha Massive as the channel's first Descubre and Download artist, featuring the single "Don't Let Go.". They also co-hosted the popular weekly countdown show Mi TRL in February 2007.
. After winning the Latin Alternative Music Conference
(LAMC) Battle of the Bands contest the duo caught the attention of Nacional Records. Their track Don’t Let Go was featured on the soundtrack to the film, La Mujer de Mi Hermano, and received airplay on such stations as Indie 103.1 (Los Angeles), KCRW
(Los Angeles), KEXP
(Seattle), and KUT
(Austin).
Their debut release, All Good Things, was self-produced by Nova with additional mixing in Monterrey, Mexico by Alejandro Rosso of Plastilina Mosh
.
Their track "Don't Let Go" was also featured on the EA Sports soundtrack of FIFA 08.
in addition to music from England and the U.S. played on Dominican radio. His passion for music began early, and as a youth he began building instruments out of whatever he could find using cans for drums, 2 X 4's, rubber bands, etc. Nova recalls "When I came to the U.S. I got my first instrument on my 15th birthday, a drum
set, and as the years passed I picked up guitar
, bass, keys, percussion and finally the instrument that allowed me to solidify my ideas in a flexible and efficient way….a Mac." Nova describes his musical influences not necessarily as musicians, but rather as people "who have influenced me in the way I make music" citing Bruce Lee
, Benjamin Franklin
and Leonardo DaVinci as "people who had a bigger perspective and were more holistic in their craft".
Maya was born in Colombia and raised in New York City's Washington Heights
. Her love of music also started at an early age with the violin
and later became a career choice when she went to Cuba
after graduating to study double bass
. Her musical influences range from classical, salsa, bolero and traditional Colombian folklore to reggae, house and artists like Manu Chao
, Héctor Lavoe
and Sidestepper.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
-born Nova (keys/guitar /writer/producer) and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n-born Maya (writer/bass). The band, from the Bronx, New York City, was Nacional Records
Nacional Records
Max Glücksmann, born was an Argentine Jewish pioneer of the music and film industries.-Biography:Glücksmann was born in Czernowitz, then part of the Austrian Empire, and emigrated to Argentina in 1890....
’ first U.S.-based signing. Their music is a funky bilingual fusion of traditional Latin rhythms] like Colombian cumbia, Dominican palo, reggae, dancehall, dub and electronica.
The group released its debut album, All Good Things, on Nacional Records in February 2007. Pacha Massive have shared the stage with artists like Ozomatli
Ozomatli
Ozomatli is a seven to ten piece band playing primarily Latin, hip hop, and rock music, formed in 1995 in Los Angeles. They are known both for their vocal activist viewpoints and their wide array of musical styles - including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap, and others.In a 2007 NPR interview, band...
, Café Tacvba
Café Tacvba
Café Tacuba is a band from Naucalpan, Mexico. The group is widely credited with being a pioneering group of the Rock en Español movement, which gained popularity in the early 1990s...
, Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos Invisibles is a multiple-Grammy nominated and Latin Grammy winning Venezuelan band that plays a blend of disco, acid jazz and funk mixed with Latin rhythms...
, Aterciopelados
Aterciopelados
Aterciopelados , also referred to as los Aterciopelados on some albums and other promotional materials, are a rock band from Colombia. Led by Andrea Echeverri and Héctor Buitrago, they have been one of the first rock bands from Colombia to gain international notice and is among the country's top...
, Sidestepper
Sidestepper
For the enemy in the Mario Bros game, seeRecurring enemies in the Mario seriesSidestepper is a Colombian band centered around English DJ/producer Richard Blair and Colombian producer/songwriter Ivan Benavides. Their sound is influenced both by Afro-Colombian popular music styles like salsa and...
, and Yerba Buena
Yerba Buena
Yerba buena is a rambling aromatic herb of western and northwestern North America, ranging from maritime Alaska southwards to Baja California Sur...
. MTV Tr3s selected Pacha Massive as the channel's first Descubre and Download artist, featuring the single "Don't Let Go.". They also co-hosted the popular weekly countdown show Mi TRL in February 2007.
History
The Pacha Massive duo met in New York City while working on a project with Ivan Benavides (Sidestepper, Bloque, Carlos Vives) where a creative collaboration between the two led to the formation of the group in 2005. Pacha Massive first gig was as opening act for Colombian rockers Aterciopelados at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. After winning the Latin Alternative Music Conference
Latin Alternative Music Conference
The Latin Alternative Music Conference is a major conference geared towards the marketing of Spanish-language alternative music. It showcases what it considers the best in Latin music and the exciting fresh sounds coming out of rock, hip-hop and electronica scenes...
(LAMC) Battle of the Bands contest the duo caught the attention of Nacional Records. Their track Don’t Let Go was featured on the soundtrack to the film, La Mujer de Mi Hermano, and received airplay on such stations as Indie 103.1 (Los Angeles), KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
(Los Angeles), KEXP
KEXP
KEXP-FM is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project...
(Seattle), and KUT
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
(Austin).
Their debut release, All Good Things, was self-produced by Nova with additional mixing in Monterrey, Mexico by Alejandro Rosso of Plastilina Mosh
Plastilina Mosh
Plastilina Mosh is a Mexican alternative rock group from Monterrey, México, part of the musical movement known as Avanzada Regia. Jonás González is the lead singer and guitar player. Alejandro Rosso is more involved with the creative process, providing most of the instrumentation and occasional...
.
Their track "Don't Let Go" was also featured on the EA Sports soundtrack of FIFA 08.
Influences
Nova's Dominican roots exposed him to a lot of traditional music like paloPalo
Palo may refer to:*Palo , developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba*Palos, long drums used in the music of the Dominican Republic*Palo , the name for a musical form in flamenco*Palo , a Mallorcan liqueurPlaces...
in addition to music from England and the U.S. played on Dominican radio. His passion for music began early, and as a youth he began building instruments out of whatever he could find using cans for drums, 2 X 4's, rubber bands, etc. Nova recalls "When I came to the U.S. I got my first instrument on my 15th birthday, a drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
set, and as the years passed I picked up 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...
, bass, keys, percussion and finally the instrument that allowed me to solidify my ideas in a flexible and efficient way….a Mac." Nova describes his musical influences not necessarily as musicians, but rather as people "who have influenced me in the way I make music" citing Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
and Leonardo DaVinci as "people who had a bigger perspective and were more holistic in their craft".
Maya was born in Colombia and raised in New York City's Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
. Her love of music also started at an early age with the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and later became a career choice when she went to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
after graduating to study double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
. Her musical influences range from classical, salsa, bolero and traditional Colombian folklore to reggae, house and artists like Manu Chao
Manu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
, Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez , better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended a local music school and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York...
and Sidestepper.