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"HIP MAMA CD Reviews"

If you want instant credibility for a new release, count on music released by thr Verdad Y Justicia Label Group. Spigga’s new CD has this credibility going for it, but I was more impressed that the garage funk duo maintained the necessary perspective to pull off writing, producing and performing all the songs on the album. Even though I wince at the use of the word “fusion” when referencing food or music, that’s really what this is. The Mixtape resonates with a cohesive balance of many musical sounds and genres. So forget that word “fusion” and take in the slick blend of English, Spanish and Spanglish vocals that produces a thick, pop funk. With the last track, Rage Against the Machine’s “People of the Sun,” you get the idea the song is more of a tribute than a cover. Just as Spigga reconstructs this cover, this cd manages to take many genres and add a distinct Spigga signature to each song.

- HIP MAMA


"REVIEW - Spigga | 06105 The Mixtape"

It starts off sounding like a Hip Hop record but in turns into a funk / rock combination with a little reggae flavor. This Los Angeles based Funky Duo bring us 16 bilingual songs that range from laid back to the more danceable. It’s a highly enjoyable music collection with certain retro appeal and a wide array of themes. These two are just as comfortable singing about a U.S. Citizenship as they are about inviting friends to the cinema. Lyrics about very normal, every day occurrences in a delivery that’s not so typical. “Papa Knows”, “Don’t Silence Me” and “Moto” stand out even the the entire CD is generally very good. Spigga brings us material that is original and not hackneyed.
R.M.R.
- ROCKVIVO.com


"ADDReviews 06105: The Mixtape"

A really intriguing/confusing blend of Spanish and English-language rock, reggae, hip-hop, and house!. I like it.

- J-Sin
- ADDreviews.com


"Smothermagazine.com"

Smothermagazine.com
Latin hip-hop with rock, garage, and dance all spun into one twisted Hispanic vibe. Rhythmically its addictive with bouncy tracks and thick basslines that drip groove like an ice cream cone in 101 degree weather. With bi-lingual lyrics, the group appeals to people as diverse as each of their home countries—Ireland, Mexico, America, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The songs aren’t bad and could easily be your soundtrack for your next subway ride.
- Smothermagazine.com


"Radio and Records Top Latin Rock / Alternative songs of 2006"


RADIO AND RECORDS 2006
TOP LATIN ROCK / ALTERNATIVE SONGS

RANK TITLE ARTIST LABELS
1. “Carismatico” Babasonicos Universal Latino
2. “Llueve Sobre La Ciudad” Los Bunkers Nacional
3. “Sonido Total” Pinker Tones Nacional
4. “Nuestro Juramento” Cafe Tacuba Palm
5. “People Of The Sun” Spigga Supermercado 23
6. “Madre Hay Una Sola” Bersuit Universal Latino
7. “Don” Miranda EMI Televisa
8. “Heroina” Cabula Indepedent Love/V&J
9. “Mirando A Las Muchachas” M.I.S. Nacional
10. “Buick A Monterrey” Hummersqueal SourPop
- Radio and Records


"Can't fake the funk: Spigga comes to the Red Room"



Can't fake the funk: Spigga comes to the Red Room
AZ NITELIFE BUZZ 2006-12-08 Gerald Gay
Members of the bilingual funk rock group Spigga learned a thing or two about paying their dues last Monday night at the Red Room.
Of the 30-or-so people packed into the tiny, smoke-filled venue, not a single one was there to see the L.A.-based band.
Most were Red Room regulars, downtown faces in trucker hats, tattoos, piercings and stubble, celebrating a birthday of one of their own.
To add insult to injury, bar officials double booked the space. The California sextet had to wait an hour for local jazz trio Beatnik Dream Vacation to finish up its set.
Rather than kick up a fuss, the group — dressed entirely in red for the occasion — waited patiently, ordering up late night snacks and hanging out at the Grill, the Red Room’s adjoining 24-hour eatery.
It was only when the trio finished up and the last french fry was washed down with soda that the band proceeded to rock the joint with a fiery funk the likes of which the Red Room has probably never seen.

“We are Spigga and we are loud,” guitarist and keyboardist Jaswho, sporting dreads well past his shoulders, exclaimed right before the group exploded into the opening track, “Don’t Silence Me” off of its latest album, “06105: the Mixtape.”
What followed Spigga’s opener was a trip into the surreal, the country and Western bar scene straight out of “Blues Brothers” the movie.
Not only did the rowdy Red Room patrons take to the band and its brand of spanglish funk, they loved them, no matter how hard the rebellious twentysomethings tried not to.
For the first few songs, “Don’t Silence Me,” the ’80s New Wave throwback “Bionic” and guitar-laden “Lastnite,” bargoers largely ignored the group, attempting to talk over the rhythms of bassist John “The Master” Cornelius and Carla Pereira’s sensuous backup vocals.
By the time they hit their signature song and encore, “People of the Sun,” most of the crowd was up on its feet, including the bartender and cook from the Grill’s kitchen, forming an impromptu dance party between the venue’s tables and chairs.
The band even jammed on a song or two with KXCI music director Duncan Hudson and the rest of Dream Vacation as lead vocalist Giovanny Blanco passed on the occasional “Happy Birthday Sarah” to the evening’s special guest.
After a seven-hour trip from Las Vegas, Spigga received more love than they probably expected from a tiny little venue on a random Monday night in Tucson.
“It was crucial to the band to have some real fun and this town may pale in comparison to Phoenix,” Jaswho noted in his MySpace blog the next day. “But Tucson is like Austin, Texas, for me: A great place with great people.”
He added, “We will be back to this beautiful funky town.”
- AZ NITELIFE BUZZ


"Northeast In Tune Magazine Review - Spigga - "06105:The Mixtape""

"SPIGGA is multilingual (ooohh, sexy), with songs in English and Spanish and other idioms as soon as they can learn how to say "booty" in other tongues. SPIGGA's odd lyrical content can best be described as Maniacodepresivopsychosexual; Happy and ready to party one second and sad or angry and ready to kick your ass in the next. Who said sex and politics don't mix? A person who's never had arroz con pollo with corn bread, that's who."

That's an excerpt of how these cats describe themselves, and frankly, that's a pretty good description. Catchy, interesting as all hell, and often absurd, Spigga is a latin dance-machine that appropriates electro, punk-funk a la Red Hot Chili Peppers, indie rock, and whatever happens to float along the breeze from the cars passing by on their LA block.

Honestly, I can't say enough about these guys. I like to balance the positive and the negative in a review, but these cats are a funky sunshine stew that demands to be loved, and I can't really pick apart anything that doesn’t work with their style. They sound like LA in a nutshell - diverse, sunny, and funky.

Bottom line: I'll be rocking their music all summer at this rate. These cats are just fantastic, and I highly recommend them to anyone with an open mind toward unconventional styles and a playful attitude. This is perfect barbeque or party music, but you could just as easily rock it in the ride or at home. You need these cats in your life.
- Northeast In Tune Magazine


"Al Borde Review - Spigga -"

Spigga - 06105: The Mixtape • Supermercado 23
Ya nos habíamos tardado en reseñar este disco de Spigga, pero ¡más vale tarde que nunca!. La banda que durante bastante tiempo fue el "side project" de Giovanni Blanco y Jaswho? es ahora el proyecto de tiempo completo de dos músicos que siempre han creído en lo ecléctico como norma de vida a la hora de componer sus temas. Muuuuuy funky, pero también muy contundente, el disco está lleno de letras abstractas que a veces son en ingles y a veces en español y a veces en ambos idiomas simultáneamente y aunque hay temas como "Citizen" que invitan a mover frenéticamente la cadera, mucha de la música es perfecta para el "chill out" al que uno recurre en los días del candente verano.
Pero, encasillar a este trabajo de Spigga como un disco de baile sería demasiado fácil y temas como "Bionic" y "Lastnite" se encargan de romper agradablemente la ruta musical con temas que son ultra pop, pero interesantes al mismo tiempo. A los verdaderos fans de Rage Against The Machine quizá no les haga mucha gracia la versión de Spigga de "People Of The Sun", pero deberían darle una oportunidad al resto del disco y disfrutarlo con unas chelas a la orilla de la alberca.
Te gustará: Si eres fan de Sugar Ray.

(ENGLISH)
Alborde (Rompe el Celofan con Jesus “Pelos” Olvera)
We already have delayed ourselves enough in reviewing this disk by Spigga, but it's better late than never! The band that during a few years was the "side project" of Giovanny Blanco and Jaswho? is now the full time project of two musicians that have always believed in the eclectic as a way of life at the moment of composing their songs Very funky but also very solid, the disk is full of abstract lyrics that at times are in English and at times are in Spanish and at times in both languages simultaneously and although there are songs like "Citizen" that invite you to frenetically move your hips, a lot of the music is perfect for any "chill out" mood. Imagine relaxing at a resort on a scorching hot summer day. In all fairness, to classify the work of Spigga as a collection of serious dance music is way too easy. Songs like "Bionic" and "Lastnite" take charge of pleasantly breaking the CD's musical route with themes that are ultra pop but interesting at same time. The true fans of Rage Against the Machine might not like Spigga version of "People of the Sun", but they should give the remainder of the disk a chance and enjoy it with a few cocktails by the edge of the pool.
- Al Borde


"Hartford Advocate - "From the 860 to the 213""

From the 860 to the 213
Raised in Hartford, the members of Spigga represent the Capital City on the West Coast

by Adam Bulger - May 18, 2006
PHOTO COURTESY SPIGGA
Feature
Jason ¨Jaswho¨ Williams and Giovanny Blanco.
Feature


Spigga
May 18
Real Art Ways
56 Arbor St., Hartford
(860) 237-1006
May 25
Sully´s Pub
2053 Park St., Hartford,
(860) 231-8881

Giovanny Blanco is so deeply committed to the funk that ¨Fight the Power¨ by the Isley Brothers plays when you call his cell phone. Along with multi-instrumentalist Jason ¨Jaswho¨ (pronounced ¨Jay´s who¨)Williams, formerly of local reggae favorites Cool Runnings, Blanco forms half of eclectic groove-based duo Spigga. Based in California, the pair met while they were students at Hartford High School; their debut disc 06105: The Mixtape contains due tribute to the Capital City, both with its title and its CD booklet photo of Whitney Pizza. Their music, with lyrics that shift from Spanish to English at the turn of a beat, ranges from infectious, high-energy funk to lounge-ready hip-hop electronica.

And their Spanish language, G-Funk cover of Rage Against the Machine´s ¨People of the Sun¨ is too fierce, laid back and hilarious to go through life without hearing. Seriously.

Advocate : You´ve got a black dude in the band and you´re Latino. Does the name Spigga mean what I think it means?

Blanco: (Laughs.) Yes and no. Spigga was a weird nickname thrown at me in high school because of my singing. I was more of a soul freak. I loved old funk. Then later, when we were making it official, we tried to think of a way to stand out. We knew that on a visual level, that´s what people were going to be thinking. ... Spigga in Spanish means a flow, where life comes from, where water comes from.

A: Is that blend of ethnicities reflected in your music?

B: People see Jay´s dreads and they think they´re going to hear reggae. They look at me and they see something different. For us, with our music, it´s about saying, ¨Just sit back and shut the fuck up.¨ Our favorite artists are the Princes and David Bowies of the world. The guys that did all kinds of music in their own way.

When I got to LA I realized there were a whole bunch of Latin people doing something other than your typical salsa, merengue, or now reggaeton. Back then I saw people doing rock music in Spanish and I was floored.

When I first got to LA I went to a party in far out East LA. It was like Colors or something, with all these cholos with bald heads and plaid shirts around. There was a metal detector at the door -- and it was a house party. There was a DJ in the back who was screaming, ¨All right you motherfuckers, you ready to get down?¨ I was expecting Dr. Dre or Snoop Dogg or some shit and he busts out the Smiths. And you see all these hard-core gangsters swaying along to Morrissey. I felt like I was shot in the head.

A: You guys have a good-time vibe going through your music.

B: Music ... can serve a purpose for all moods. I think inherently, everyone wants to have a good time.

A: With your singing, how much is English, how much is Spanish?

B: It´s cut right down the middle. It just comes out that way.

A: Does that affect who comes out to your shows?

B: Initially, the people who show up are Latino. But the people that respond the most are across the board. The indie crowd always comes back to us.

A: The music is very gringo-friendly.

B: Gringo friendly! I like that. I´m gonna use that. Spigga: We´re gringo friendly.

A: What are your shows like?

B: We have a full band, which, when we play on the East Coast, includes other people from Hartford like John Cornelius on bass and Carla Pereira, who sings with us. We lean more toward the funk rock things. We try to keep people moving. We try to keep people on their feet. We like to extend songs, mix it up. We´re open to experimentation and improvisation on stage. You might hear a Black Sabbath tune -- we flow with the crowd.

A: So this is a big Hartford homecoming.

B: This is the first time we´ve come back [as musicians]. Jay and I are out West, but every time we get together we talk about Hartford. Hartford is such a weird place because when you leave, initially you think that Hartford could be anywhere. But I missed the people the most, and then I missed particular places and what they meant to me. On the inside of the CD jacket, there´s a picture of Whitney Pizza [on South Whitney Street, Hartford]. Jay and I grew up a block away from there. That place was really significant for us. I drive down Park Street and it´s crazy. I have so many good memories of being in Hartford. Hartford High. Downtown, Pratt Street. It´s really the feeling of those places. There´s nowhere like it.

A: What´s next for you guys?

B: Right now we got this East Coast tour. Then we go to Texas for a few shows. After that we´re coming back in August. We´re doing this big conference in New York, called the LAMC, the Latin American Alternative Music Conference. This year we were picked to play one of the showcases. We´re working on the next album, and we have plans to go to Mexico in the fall. ... We´ve never played in a Spanish-speaking county as a band.

- Hartford Advocate


Discography

Discography

Singles:

1st People of the Sun (2006)
2nd Papa Knows (summer 2006 release)
3rd Bionic (spring 2007)

LP:s

06105: The Mixtape (supermercado23 records/Navarre Corp. Distribution)
Tributo a Rage Against the Machine - Various Artists (Verdad y Justicia Records)
Ruta 100 - Various Artists (Nacional Records)
Lo Mejor - Various Artists (ASCAP Comp)
LAMC 2003 Latin Alternative Comp - Various Artists (Nacional Records)

Photos

Bio

Led by modern day renaissance man Giovanny Blanco (host/producer @ LATV, former frontman of Latin punk merrymakers Viva Malpache as well as of the award winning New England industrial rockers Liquid Circus) along with producer, live P.A. performer and house music master Jaswho? (Soulmine Records and East Coast Reggae outfit Cool Runnings), SHU-SHO (then known as Spigga) first made waves in 2006, playing the LAMC in New York (along with Latin Alternative greats Gustavo Cerati, Amigos Invisibles and Los Tres), and recording their bilingual cover of "People of the Sun" for the new Rage Against the Machine tribute album 'Tributo a Rage Against the Machine en Espanol'. The track was selected as the first single for the album and subsequently became the #5 song for 2006 on Radio & Records Latin Rock/Alternative chart.

"People of the Sun" can also be found on SHU-SHO's debut album (as Spigga), "06105:The Mixtape", a collection of lo-fi, funk-pop-rock ditties that recall Prince, Beck, Ween and Jose Jose in their groove, style and melodic flavor. The album was recorded mostly in Oakland, CA (at Soulmine Studios) with Blanco supplying almost all of his vocal tracks via email or snail mail. Jaswho? comments "It's all about using all our available resources to make the album that WE wanted to make from beginning to end, 100% pure SHU-SHO". Out now nationally on Supermercado23 records (distributed by Navarre Corp.) and available on iTunes, Amazon.com and CDBaby.com, '06105: The Mixtape' is converting unsuspecting listeners into SHU-SHOheads, regardless of their native language. Because for SHU-SHO, it's all about the vibe.

The album has already become an indie favorite for a growing number of music supervisors, with songs landing on FX Networks' The Shield and UPN's South Beach, as well as the upcoming film 'First Snow' (out March 23rd), starring Guy Pierce and written and directed by Mark Fergus (Oscar-nominated writer for last year's "Children of Men"). When asked to describe his group's appeal, Blanco comments "It's quite simple: we're a taco truck version of Hall and Oates. Ghetto Muzak. We're making music for iPods that ache to be boomboxes."

SHU-SHO is currently in the studio recording the score and songs for the movie "Cornelius", an indie comedy drama directed by Blanco and starring Jaswho?. About a man recently released from a mental institution who tries to make amends with the outside world, the film was written by Sarah Thorp ('Twisted', 'See Jane Run') and will premiere in late 2008.

Making people move from coast to coast with over 100 shows the past several years (including a riotous set at SXSW 2007 and sold out shows in the Spring of 2008), SHU-SHO live is rounded out by the rolling thunder of Troy "Big Coston" on the drums, the dirty funk of Darren "D-Lolk" on the guitar, the finesse and style of Carla Pereira on backing vocals and SHU-SHO's Godfather on the bass, Sir John Cornelius.

A little electronic, a little rock and a whole lotta funk in english and spanish, 'cause two tongues are better than one.

Don't you want to be a part of the show? Which show? SHU-SHO!

Contact: Giovanny blanco
213-804-3268
smtwentythree@yahoo.com

PERFORMANCE HISTORY
11/30/2005 - LATV LIVE @ the LATV Studios - WEST LOS ANGELES, CA
12/09/2005 - Red Devil Lounge - SAN FRANCISCO, CA w/Orixa
12/13/2005 - The Red Zone with Cha Cha on Indie 103.1 FM LOS ANGELES, CA
12/16/2005 - Little Pedro's Blue Bongo - LOS ANGELES, CA w/Torino
02/01/2006 - UPN's new show SOUTH BEACH (1 song)
02/09/2006 - JC Fandango's - ANAHEIM, CA - Rage Against the Machine Tributo Tour
02/10/2006 - The Westchester Bar and Grill - WESTCHESTER, CA - RATM Tributo Tour
02/11/2006 - The Dome - BAKERSFIELD, CA - RATM Tributo Tour
02/12/2006 - Argus Lounge - SAN FRANCISCO, CA
02/13/2006 - Balazo Gallery - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - RATM Tributo Tour
02/15/2006 - House of Blues - HOLLYWOOD, CA w/Pastilla and Los Olvidados
02/20/2006 - Si TV's "THE DROP" - LOS ANGELES, CA
02/24/2006 - Café Abuelita Coffee House & Bookstore - INDIO, CA - RATM Tributo Tour
02/25/2006 - Hard Rock Cafe - TIJUANA, MX - RATM Tributo Tour
02/26/2006 - La Cueva - RIALTO, CA - RATM Tributo Tour
04/08/2006 - Argus Lounge - SAN FRANCISCO, CA
05/04/2006 - Knitting Factory - HOLLYWOOD, CA w/Torino
05/05/2006 - Super Secret Show - LOS ANGELES, CA
05/06/2006 - Pounders - LAS VEGAS, NV
05/16/2006 - Nacotheque @ The Delancey - NEW YORK CITY, NY
05/17/2006 - The Fire - PHILADELPHIA, PA w/ Strangers Vibe
05/18/2006 - Real Art Ways - HARTFORD, CT
05/19/2006 - Tazza Cafe - PROVIDENCE, RI
05/20/2006 - D'Antiguas - JACKSON HEIGHTS QUEENS, NY
05/21/2006 - The Grog and the Tankard - WASHINGTON DC
05/23/2006 - The Lucky Dog Music Hall - WORCESTER, MA
05/24/2006 - The Middle East - CAMBRIDGE, MA w/Scuba
05/25/2006 - Sully's Pub - HARTFORD, CT
05/26/2006 - Warehouse Live - HOUSTON, TX w/Chango Jackson
05/27/2006 - ME TV LIVE - AUSTIN, TX w/Crisantes a