DON’T MESS WITH THE DRAGON - OZOMATLI
Ozomatli is known for stirring up a musical melting pot, and on its first studio album since 2004’s “Street Signs,” the ultimate live act is back in party mode. Funk jam “After Party,” cumbia “La Gallina” and feel-good merengue “La Temperatura” sound like the perfect tunes for crowding the living-room dancefloor. Even hip-hop track “Magnolia Soul” realizes Ozomatli’s signature blend of party and protest with a light touch, as an ode to the good times rolling again in post-Katrina New Orleans. Known for masterfully weaving funk, jazz, hip-hop and Latin styles, Ozomatli’s forays into pop-punk and reggaeton on this album are well-made but less riveting. It’s hard to stay completely original album after album, but Ozomatli does exactly that when it sticks to the sounds of Los Angeles it helped put on the map. Billboard
