Pacha Massive: Difference between revisions

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Pacha Massive (from ‘Pachamama’ meaning “Mother Earth”), is the creative collaboration between Dominican-born Nova (keys / guitar/ writer/ producer) and Colombian-born Maya (writer/bass). Straight from the boogie-down Bronx in New York City, the band is Latin alternative label 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 on February 20, 2007. Since formation, Pacha Massive have shared the stage with artists like Ozomatli, Café Tacvba, Los Amigos Invisibles, Aterciopelados, Sidestepper, and Yerba Buena. MTV Tr3s selected them as the channel’s first “Discover & Download” artist. They also co-hosted MTV Tr3s’ ‘Mi TRL’ show on February 19, 2007.

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 group’s formation in 2005. Pacha Massive landed an impressive first gig opening for Colombian rockers Aterciopelados at Madison Square Garden. After winning the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) Battle of the Bands contest (previous winners include Kinky and Los Abandoned who have both gone on to launch successful careers) the duo caught the attention of Nacional Records. Pacha Massive’s track “Don’t Let Go” was featured last year on the Nacional Records soundtrack to the box-office hit “La Mujer de Mi Hermano,” and landed airplay on such leading tastemaker stations as Indie 103.1 (Los Angeles), KCRW (Los Angeles), KEXP (Seattle), and KUT (Austin).

Their debut release, ‘All Good Things’, is self-produced by Nova with additional mixing in Monterrey, Mexico by Alejandro Rosso of platinum-selling Mexican act Plastilina Mosh. In its first week of release, the album hit #1 on iTunes’ Alternativo Chart, #1 Overall Album on eMusic, #1 on CMJ’s Latin Radio Chart,and #2 on iTunes’ Top Latin Albums Sales Chart.

Nova’s Dominican roots exposed him to a lot of traditional music like palo 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, Hector Lavoe and Sidestepper.

• Pacha Massive MySpace
• Pacha Massive Website
• Pacha Massive at All Music Guide

"Nacional Records' first U.S. signing Pacha Massive set to release All Good Things February 20th" (Press release). Nacional Records. January 2007. {{cite press release}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

"Pacha Massive Official Website". Retrieved 2007-12-18. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)