TriDHA Arts Association

¡Bomba!

Latin/World group ¡Bomba! is led by three artists of contrasting cultural and musical backgrounds- drummer Mario Allende originally from Chile, bassist Rubim de Toledo of Brazilian descent, and keyboardist Chris Andrew from Vancouver Island. Taking different routes to the same destination, they landed in Edmonton, Canada and banded together to share one vision. These three are a new generation of musicians well schooled in traditional Latin music forms from timba to rumba, to son, salsa, songo, as well as North American popular music and jazz. On each project, from their 2001 debut CD lo que ¡bomba! te dá, to 2003s A Mí Me Gusta, and 2005s Entre Sol y Luz, the core members of ¡Bomba! have teamed up with different players and singers. This musical transculturalization makes for many interesting fusions and innovative forms of expression.

Latin-Jazz group ¡Bomba! eloquently fuses their Latin American and Canadian roots to create a profound blend of Latin song styles and impeccable jazz improvisations.

¡Bomba!'s founders, (percussionist Mario Allende, bassist Rubim de Toledo and pianist Chris Andrew), have invited Cuban music giants Emilio Rios (vocals and guitar), Aldo Aquirrer (violin) and Raul Gomez Tabera (drums, timbales) to join forces with them. Other guest artists also include Peruvian born percussionist/vocalist Luisito Orbegoso and Cuban percussionist/vocalist Israel 'Toto' Berriel.

¡Bomba! has toured across Canada at Jazz festivals and Folk music festivals to great public and critical acclaim. They have been invited to perform at South Korea's top international drumming festivals in both 2005 and 2006, headlined at the Seattle Brazilfest and have performed at the Havana International Jazz festival in Havana, Cuba.
With their latest release, 'Entre Sol y Luz' (their 3rd release to date), ¡Bomba! has combined the classic sound of Cuba's Charanga era with Afro-Cuban song and drumming, modern Latin-Jazz and even Swing and North American Jazz flavours.

With an inventive mix of instrumental, percussive and vocal song and music, Bomba’s lastest live production showcases a concert consisting of Cubop, Son, Danzon, Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Palo, Lando, Afro-Cuban Bata, Bossa Nova and modern Latin-Jazz.

www.bombaweb.com

AUDIO

PURCHASE THE ALBUM "ENTRE SOL Y LUZ" ONLINE

PHOTOS

PRESS

"... please express my most sincere appreciation to all the members of Bomba for their wonderful performance in our Great Canadian Jazz Series on Saturday June 23rd, 2007. The concert was very exciting indeed with first class musicians, in my opinion among the best in Canada." - Jacques Emond Programming Manager (Ottawa International Jazz Festival)

  "... por favor mis la mayoría de las apreciaciones sinceras a todos los miembros de Bomba para su desempeño maravilloso en nuestra Gran Serie canadiense del Jazz el sábado 23 de junio, 2007. El concierto emocionaba muy verdaderamente con primero músicos de clase, en mi opinión entre el mejor en Canadá. " - Jacques Emond Programming Manager (Ottawa International Jazz Festival)

“I’ve been an admiring fan of Brazilian and Cuban music since the late  1940s when I heard my first Conjunto. Bomba are as good as any of them,  and better than most. They’ve got the fire and they’ve got the jazz.  There couldn’t be a better combination. The only problem I have with  Bomba is as soon as everybody else realizes how sensationally good they  are, they'll be spending less time in Alberta”.  Senator Tommy Banks

“This new CD is one of the best albums to ever come out of this  province. Not only is every member of Bomba a technically skilled player  on a world class level, the degree of creativity that accompanies those  skills ensures the band is in a class of its own... Bomba are one of a  handful of great young bands in this country”.  Peter North (CKUA Music Director)

“(Bomba) delivers the hot goods… The players are  clearly aware of a broad swath of Latin styles that incorporate rumba,  son, salsa and timba and a whole lot more, as well as sprinkles of funk  and jazz… this is vital, life-affirming music”.  Geoff Chapman (Toronto Star Music Critic)

“I have worked with all of the members of Bomba many times and have the  utmost regard for their abilities and their restless pursuit of artistic  excellence. These are some of the hardest working, most talented  musicians in the country”.  Marc Vasey (Producer, Edmonton and Calgary Jazz Festivals)

“Bomba are a great band and a treat to program at a concert, workshop or  volunteer party. I highly recommend them”.  Terry Wickham (Producer, Edmonton and Calgary Folk Festivals)

“If you want actually funky, try some actual funk. If you crave  “groovy”, dig into some Latin grooves. This band is skilled at both,  owning the adjectives in their purest forms. They are like feudal lords  over your feet when they hit rhythm, and your tax is dancing feverishly”.  Fish Griwkowsky (Edmonton Sun)

“Bomba is an irresistible live force and A Mi Me Gusta is an excellent  album that by all rights should vault Bomba into the international scene”.  Tom Murray (See Magazine)

“Today they are one of Canada’s top Latin jazz bands”.  Roger Levesque (Edmonton Journal)