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July 31: REGGAEFEST 5 – Best of the Fest
August 14-16, 2008 *** Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Mexico to Calgary via ReggaeFest 5 - La Comuna
From the heart of Mexico City, La Comuna will invade Calgary for REGGAEFEST 5 Best of the Fest. Regarded as one of the best Reggae bands in Mexico and Central America, La Comuna will bring their eclectic blend of jazz, funk, soul and Reggae to REGGAEFEST 5 main event on Saturday August 16 at Shaw Millennium Park.
Formed in 1998, La Comuna immediately took one of the leading roles in Mexicos Razteca (Reggae) Movement organizing and performing for audiences in excess of 20 thousand at the annual Razteca Festival. For more than a decade they have performed across their country making Reggae music their favourite medium of expression. They have shared the stage with the likes of Reggae greats Jimmy Cliff, Steele Pulse and Burning Spear, to name a few and are ready to groove Calgary with their fine Reggae rhythms.
I was totally ignorant to the Reggae scene in Mexico until I came across this band, says REGGAEFEST 5 producer Leo Cripps. Language aside, I was blown away by their album Natura. Its definitely not everyday one comes across a band like La Comuna, he continued.
Natura, La Comunas second album to date was released in 2007. Produced by two of Mexicos top music producers, it is a blend of all the essential elements of a solid Reggae album. The lyrics say it all, Yes man check the riddim, check the style. La Comuna now makes you feel Irie, jammin and joyin to make you feel high.
I absolutely love these guys and I think they are going to wake Calgary up added a very excited Cripps.
Nowadays La Comuna is more willing than ever before to take its music beyond Mexicos borders! This is the bands first venture performing outside of their home country and already they are creating a media frenzy.
More information on La Comuna can be found at www.myspace.com/lacomuna. - Calgary International Reggae Fest 2008
Extract taken from the interview made to the band's leader Mauricio "Mauman" Mendoza on August 15th at Calgary Reggae Fest 2008
http://www.bnettv.com/player.php?id=1607&title=La%20Comuna
“I mean we love reggae music, like we really love it… but we love music, like every kind of style, so we love jazz, we love funk, we love R&B, we love popular traditional Mexican music, so we mix it up like in a … you know, like a whole kind of fusion so, it is great for us because we love music like any style.�
“…many, many bands that we really love…so we have many influences mixed up together so that’s why it sounds like that on stage.�
“…but we never say that we have the truth because we are in the, you know, in the pathway of life, so we are learning, so… overstand? …so we don’t have the truth but we believe, we do believe in respect, peace and unity.�
“…anyway, we don’t write like that anymore because we believe that we can attract like the positive thing instead of saying the bad things about… anything so, if you say good things about whatever, you will get it for you. So we believe now that our lyrics are getting like more positive than against something.�
- bnetTV.com
Discography
Our first album is VibrAliviana, released in 2002, an independent production. From this material came our first single "Jamming por la paz", followed by "Reggae Dosis" and "Lluvia y Tierra".
In 2004 the band gave birth to a 5 unpublished song promotional EP. The distribution range was mostly kept to the media, promoters and people from the music business. In this material "Encuentros" came out as the leading attention calling single.
Our second Album is Natura, released on 2008. This one is an independent material produced by several personalities from the music industry: Toy Hernandez and Sacha Triujeque (producers of Soda Stereo's leader Gustavo Cerati, Cypress Hill, Daddy Yankee, among other); Alfonso Herrera (producer of Latin Grammy nominee Celso Pina); Hans Mues (producer of Latin Grammy winner Natalia Lafourcade, among other); and Alexis Chacon, the bass player of the band.
From this album the first single is "Conmigo", followed by "Plenitud" (featuring Ximena Sariñana), "Por el Momento" and "Feeling Irie".
Photos
Bio
La Comuna was born in Mexico City in 1998 under the sign of common sake and collective creation. We perceive music as an art instrument to show the world that working together we can make a positive change in it, in our destiny. We found in reggae music the flag to make ourselves listened.
Each member's musical influences have had an open space to be expressed in the creative process. This way, our proposal is nurtured by diverse music genres, which have led us to create our own style. We enjoy arranging our shows each time, allowing us to reinvent ourselves musical wise. Our fans enjoy the fact that every show will be different from the previous one.
La Comuna has positioned in the reggae scene as one of the best Mexican and Latin American bands. This way we have shared stages with top international artists like Jimmy Cliff and Burning Spear (from Jamaica); Brinsley Forde, Steel Pulse, Maxi Priest and Pato Banton (from England); Pericos and Los Cafres (from Argentina); Cultura Profética (from Puerto Rico); Gondwana (from Chile); among other.
Since the beginning of our career, La Comuna has participated in several major international festivals in Mexico, covering almost the whole country. On July 2008 the band started its first international tour, with a two month visit to the west part of Canada (Vancouver, Calgary and The Kootenays).
Media wise, the band has taken part in diverse TV, radio and internet programs both national and international. This has led our music to be enjoyed in other parts of the world, and that is how La Comuna has been rated as one of the top reggae bands from Latin America.
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