Locos Por Juana

Locos Por Juana is a bilingual Latin band most notably recognized by their energetic live performances and their unique fusion of Latin styles and influences. The band formed in Miami, Florida in the year 2000, though their lineup has Undergone personnel changes and their style evolved over the years. The present lineup consists of vocalist Itagui Correa, guitarist Mark Kondrat, drummer Javier Delgado and a horn section made up of Jose Gonzalez and Lasim Richards, though Correa, Kondrat and Delgado form the nucleus of the group and at times as many as five to seven guest musicians may join the five regulars onstage for shows and tours.

History

The group's sound is a distinct one, drawing not only from the members' own diverse backgrounds, but from other countries' MusicAL styles as well. Still, the heart and soul of their hybrid style emanates from Colombia, the South American country's traditional styles everpresent in Locos Por Juana's unique modern take. Correa and Delgado were born in Colombia, and Kondrat is Miami-born of Colombian descent. As such, they incorporate the beloved sounds of their heritage and their upbringing, like cumbia, champeta and vallenato, reshaping them, breathing a new life into them, and giving them an altogether new identity. Yet the group's rhythmic shuffle and unmistakable lilt owe much to these styles.

Also integral to Locos Por Juana's style is the musical influence of the Caribbean islands (Gonzalez is from Puerto Rico and Richards from St. Thomas, lending to the mix what Kondrat calls "that island swing"), in particular reggae and dub from Jamaica. And Funk also plays a crucial role.

Many have tried to define their style, making valiant attempts to encapsulate something that has no formal name. The L.A. Times called them a “funky, pan-Latin amalgam,” and referenced their “pulling listeners into a reverse Gulf Stream churning through the Straits of Florida south to Jamaica, Venezuela and Colombia, and over to Puerto Rico.” Miami New Times has regaled them as “one of Miami’s longest-standing bands,” and their 2008 release La Verdad “the truth of a new multicultural, cosmopolitan generation, played out in the music that represents their cross-cultural connections.” And Miami Herald dubbed them “Miami’s beloved Latin-reggae-hip-hop mashup master.”

Past Recordings, Releases and Media Attention

Locos Por Juana have a total of four releases to date, three full-length albums and a recently released digital EP yet to release in physical form.

They released their self titled debut in 2002, a solid ten track effort on the now-defunct Latin label Musical Productions, or MP, featuring among its tracklisting "Que Lo Que Esta Pasando" ("What's Happening"), "Viniendo de la Ciudad" ("Coming From the City"), "Mi Tierra" ("My Land"), "Sola" ("Single" fem.) and "Embustera" ("Liar" fem.). The release earned them acclaim the following year from media, including a nomination in Univision Network's Permios Lo Nuestro 2003 for Best Urban Band, an award for Best Record in Premios Paoli Puerto Rico 2003, and being named Best New Latin Rock Band by BBC America.

Their sophomore effort, Musica Pa'l Pueblo, dropped three years later, in 2005, and it was considered by many to be a stronger, more polished and mature sounding production that lost none of the energy the band manages to translate to disc in their first release. The album featured twelve tracks, including "Locos Por Juana Vol. I," "She's the Devil," "La Noche," "El Dia" "Colombia" and "Adoro" featuring famed Mexican singer-songwriter Armando Manzanero. Once again, the release drew overwhelming attention from critics, including a Best of 2005 award from Boom Magazine, a Miami New Times Best of Miami award for Best Caribbean Band, they were named Best Latin Band in the US by BBC News Europe, and the greatest honor to date then, a 2005 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Album by Group.

2008 ushered in another critically acclaimed album and their greatest praise yet. La Verdad (The Truth) signified the group's major label debut, as they signed with an arm of Universal Music Latino, Machete Music, founded by Gustavo Lopez. The album boasted thirteen tracks of vintage Locos Por Juana with the benefit of eight years' experience under their belt. It was undeniably the most polished effort yet for the group, and featured songs like the fan favorite single, "Tu Sabes Muy Bien (La Nalga)" ("You Know Very Well (The Booty)"), "Prende" ("Turn On" or "Light"), "No Te Preocupes" ("Don't Worry"), "Calles de Babylon" ("Streets of Babylon") and "Calle Luna, Calle Sol" ("Moon Street, Sun Street"), an ambitious, and successful, undertaking to cover the famed duet by salsa greats Hector Lavoe and Willie Colón. The effort topped even the acclaim of Musica Pa'l Pueblo, reaching a new pinnacle for the group, a rare and much sought-after achievement for any Latin band, nomination in the American Grammy awards. It came for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album in the 2008 ceremonies.

Present

Since the release of their last full-length, the band has undergone numerous changes, including a separation from Machete Music, wherein the band decided to return to their indie status, deciding that a label with mainstream focus didn't understand how to market their distinct product. Prior to that, however, Locos Por Juana was busy on the road, as always. Spring of 2009 found them tearing through New Orlean's famed Jazz Fest, before they ventured overseas for a successful ten-day European summer tour, including gigs before packed houses and festivals with 30,000 people in attendance in Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

And in spring of 2010, the band released their latest production yet, the aptly titled Evolucion EP, a work featuring six tracks that continue to lean on the stylistic underpinnings that have won the band so much praise, but ventures in experimental and daring new directions, testing boundaries, pushing the envelope, and ignoring the borders of convention.

Locos Por Juana find themselves, at present, back in the studio—a studio they built themselves in a South Miami home from the 1920s—writing and recording for their next full-length release, the upcoming fourth album, Somos de la Calle (We're From the Street), to be released towards the end of summer, 2010.

Discography

• Locos Por Juana (2002)

• Musica Pa'l Pueblo (2005)

• La Verdad (2008)

• Evolucion EP (2010)