Get ready to meet Eso Eso, the dynamic band taking the Latin music scene by storm! In this Q&A, we dive into the world of their performances, which effortlessly blend traditional Latin rhythms with a modern flair.
What inspired you to create a Latin fusion band?
We all enjoyed the music and had a good line up of musicians we connected with, initially having members comprising of AIM students and musicians outside of AIM. We all fit the criteria well as we had a passion to perform a range of styles, with a couple of us being of Latin American decent. Those of us who weren’t as familiar with Latin music, specifically Cuban salsa, gained exposure through our Collaboration class with Chris Fields, which also helped bring along some members who joined further down the road. Most importantly, we wanted to do something new. That’s when we realised the Latin scene in Sydney was fading. So, we made it our mission to revive it. Bring youth back into the Latin scene and shape the next generation of Sydney Latin fusion.
What’s the most exciting part about musical mashups? Have you found any favourite genres that you like to mix together?
The most exciting part is, when you go through the history of the genres, you realise that anything could be considered “fusion”. Salsa was created from mixing Spanish instrumentation with African Rhythms. We wish to be authentic to original sounds whilst also searching for our own sound to be the next part of that musical history. We think that is pretty exciting! Of the mashups we have done, one of our favourites would have to be adding a samba section to a Celia Cruz (famous salsa singer) song, “La Vida Es Un Carnaval”. Our bassist (Aiden Portugal) brought up the idea during a rehearsal and we stuck with it. It makes our sound unique.
What’s been the best moment so far in your band’s journey?
Our best moment so far has been selling out at Lazybones Marrickville (renowned music venue) on our first night playing there, performing alongside the band Pacifika Soul. The support we received from the audience and venue was a memorable experience for us.
What do you love most about performing together?
As cheesy as it is to say, we’ve found a family through this band. Everyone loves and supports each other, and we are all genuine friends outside of the band. It makes it easy when you are performing, and you look around to see your best friends around you. Everyone is passionate and hardworking, and that chemistry makes our band and sound stand out.
