MundoTribe

!MundoTribe!
The Who, The What...

Brewing a vital concoction of Latin, Urban, Middle Eastern and Funk, MundoTribe formed in Houston in 2003 from the creative juices of Ben "bigB" Whittier (vocals/keys) and Jason "Mr. Hand" (world percussion/keys). An unlikely duo, these two creative minds met through the classifieds. Ben, stumbling on an ad from a world percussionist looking for a project to join, was more than a little surprised when he opened his front door to find the six foot plus, red bearded, and, obviously a hops enthusiast, "Mr. Hand". At first he thought the gentleman had simply rung the wrong doorbell, but tilting to one side to see beyond him, was a car full of hand percussion instruments parked outside. Without a doubt, this WAS the percussionist.
Since then, MundoTribe has been busy sculpting a varied, yet personal roster of songs. Notably, "Morena", an infectious Urban/Latin bilingual joint, finalist of the John Lennon Song Contest (World category), "No More Heroes", MundoTribe's 2003 anti-war reggae anthem that has garnered for the band a slew of loyal fans. "Dance Y'all", a World Percussion meets Urban fest that's got everything from digderidoo to Swahili. Or, the Bolero inspired, sentimentally bilingual, "Prisionero". Never a dull moment, MundoTribe is a true reflection of its eclectic founding members.
MundoTribe's collaboration with a never ending number of musicians of many different genres, has given the duo the opportunity to play along-side a long list of new and veteran musicians from the Houston music scene and beyond.
As headliner, MundoTribe has performed in venues ranging from the legendary "Elvia's" or "Last Concert Cafe", as well as, international level festivals such as "Via Colori", or "Houston Reggae Fest", to the international beauty pageants "Miss Petite Internatiional" and "Hawaiin Tropic International"
MundoTribe is on a perpetual cultural adventure of embracing musical spices from around the world, promising to delight, enhance, and pamper your senses, whilst promoting world peace through mutual cultural awareness. Now it's your turn to savor the first musical delicacies of MundoTribe...enjoy.

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FOUNDING MEMBERS:

Ben "bigB" Whittier

Born in Los Angeles, California, around the corner from Tina Turner, two blocks away from Ray
Charles, just down the street from Nancy Wilson, and across the street from Smokey Robinson's bass player, let's just say music was his destiny. Ironically, though, as a child, he studied drama under the tutelage of the famed Lurene Tuttle, but wasn't intersted in music lessons. He Lived in L.A. until the age of 11 years, at which time he moved to Madrid Spain with his family.

While still a teenager, by chance of the house DJ failing to appear for two nights in a row, "bigB" was
offered the job, which led to several successful years as a club DJ throughout all of Spain, including Barcelona, Benidorm, Alicante, Valencia, and of course Madrid.

BigB's initial taste of the music recording industry came with the million selling hit "PARIS LATINO", with the Paris based, Francophile/Latin pop group "BANDOLERO" on Virgin Records France. Since then he has collaborated professionally with artists from such diverse countries as Spain, Morocco, France, Brazil, Argentina, England, and Equatorial Guinea, to name a few.
BigB returned to the US and studied music at Santa Monica College for a year before being offered a solo recording contract by Polygram Iberica (Spain). Subsequently, he continued his musical globetrotting, performing, and composing or co-composing over 45 titles released worldwide, mainly in the Spanish and French speaking markets, overall selling more than 3 million units, including his own 1990 hit "YOU'LL NEVER FALL" from his Polygram Iberica solo debut CD "BENJAMIN", as well as, with the mega Spanish language international hit "LOCOMIA" for the former WEA haute couture boy band of the same name.

Back in Madrid, during one of his TV promotions for the above mentioned solo artist single, BigB was offered the chance to host a new music program for teenagers on Television Española. In this new medium, as a television host/co-host for five years of such popular and loved music programs as 'PONTE LAS PILAS" and "LOS PRIMEROS", the Nikelodeon spin-off "ZONA DE JUEGO", or the Christmas specials "TELEPASIÓN", BigB was able to develop fully his on-camera personality. He also gained extensive international exposure in the Spanish speaking world as these programs were beamed worldwide via satellite on TVE Internacional (Televisión Española). BigB has also co-starred in musicals, DJ-ed for radio, appeared in dozens of TV sketches, and has extensive experience in voice-overs and lead vocals for advertising.

Presently, after many years abroad, in addition to working on nationally syndicated shows such as Fox's JUDGE ALEX or CRISTINA'S COURT, and with both the English