B-Side Players

Rate It! Avg: 4.5 (4 ratings)
  • Formed: San Diego, CA
  • Years Active: 2000s

Albums

Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia

All Music Guide:

B-Side Players are a septet led by frontman Karlos Paez and including guitarist Giovanni Mejia, bass player Gerry Guevara, saxophonist Regan Branch, percussionists Victor Tapia and Luis Cuenca, and drummer Ryan Moran. The son of a musician, Paez spent a good deal of his time growing up on the road and formed the band in 1993 in San Diego. The group built a local following and won several San Diego music awards for their blend of Latin, funk, rock, and reggae, and have toured with artists ranging from Ben Harper to Papa Roach. The group issued Movement in September 2001, which culled material from two self-released records, Renacimeinto and Culture of Resistence. The album included a guest appearance by Herbie Hancock drummer Mike Clark and a cover of the War classic "Spill the Wine."

Wikipedia:

The B-Side Players are a San Diego based band that incorporate the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil with the funk, rock, jazz and hip-hop rhythms of their homeland. The band also drops a bit of Cumbia, gritty street Samba, Son Montuno and Jarocho into the mix. Described as War meets Lenny Kravitz by way of Ben Harper, the players have expanded their sound by playing with the likes of Harper, Ozomatli, The Wailers, James Brown, War and some of Cuba's best bands. Formed in 1994, they are signed to Jazz label Concord Music Group.

Karlos "Solrak" Paez, the man behind the B-Side Players, grew up in a musical family. His father Ezequiel Paez is a trombone player and musical arranger who spent 17 years in Los Moonlights from Tijuana and 10 years in La Banda Del Recodo.

Current and Former Members

Karlos "Solrak" Paez - vocals, guitarDamian DeRobbio - bassLuis “The General” Cuenca - cymbals, drums, percussion and vocalsVictor Tapia - Congas and PercussionReagan Branch - SaxEmmanuel Alarcon - lead guitar, cuatro puertorriqueño, vocalsAldo Perretta - charango, tres cubano, jarana veracruzana, ronrroco, cuatro venezolano, kena, zampoñaRuss Gonzales - tenor saxMike Benge - TromboneMichael Cannon - drumsCamilo Moreno - congas and percussionJamal Siurano - alto saxKevin Nolan - trombone, trumpetAndy Krier - keyboardsOmar Lopez - bass