Ozomatli was formed in 1995 in Los Angeles. Over the years, they've gone through several lineups, ballooning to as many as ten members at one point.
Today, Ozomatli is back to six members, all of whom have been playing in the band since their debut album.
The band is known for its activist politics and vibrant sound — an intoxicating stew of funk, jazz, reggae, and hip-hop.
Members Ulises Bella and Jiro Yamaguchi described Ozomatli's influences in a 2007 interview with NPR:
"You drive down Sunset Boulevard and turn off your stereo and roll down your windows and all the music that comes out of each and every different car, whether it's salsa, cumbia, merengue, or Hip Hop, funk or whatever, it's that crazy blend that's going on between that cacophony of sound is Ozomatli, y'know?"
Ozomatli will visit southwest Colorado on Saturday, August 31. They will perform at the Four Corners Folk Festival, taking the stage at 8 p.m.
We spoke with co-founder Uli Bella recently. He discussed Ozomatli's origin story and the drama of Colorado's summer thunderstorms during their gigs.
Buy tickets to the Four Corners Folk Festival here.
