Guarandinga Dance Party

Guarandinga’s signature blend of Latin AfroPop integrates hip-hop, rock and Venezuelan folklore with gritty East Bay funk over a solid foundation of Afro-Caribbean beats. Award-winning Singer/lyricist Rowan Jiménez and bassist/producer Jeremy Allen are joined by five remarkable musicians to create Guarandinga’s multidimensional music: vocalist Kenya Moses, drummer Brian Andres, guitarist Chris Carter, keyboard/synth player Cava Menzies, and electro trumpeter Henry Hung. They take inspiration from across the musical spectrum; their influences range from recognizable artists (Yerba Buena, Bomba Stereo, Anti Balas) to genres and eras that don’t initially appear to fit together (hip hop, alt-latin, rock, early electronica, and dancehall). It is this chemistry and Guarandinga’s Afro-Venezuelan roots that makes this band’s original music provocative and infectious. Their unique blend of seemingly disparate sounds would lead one to describe the band as defying categorization. Guarandinga is Oakland, California’s latest sonic awakening – their music creates the perfect platform for the Spanish & English wordplay of Jiménez’s soulful lyrics. Jimenez received notoriety as founder and lead vocalist for the Bay Area’s Latin alternative band OriXa, which received a California Music Award for “Outstanding Latin Album” and the ASCAP Latino Award for “Best Independent Group”. Featuring:
Rowan Jiménez – vocals, percussion
Jeremy Allen – bass, vocals, cuatro, percussion
Kenya Moses – percussion, vocals
Chris Carter – guitar
Brian Andres – drums