Schedule

Saturday, August 13 at 10 pm (Jazz After Dark)
Sunday, August 14 at 5:30 pm (Main Stage)

We are over la luna to have Grupo Fantasma perform in Telluride Town Park. Formed in 2000 in Austin, Texas, the band has won acclaim for its invigorating energy, passionate take on the Latinx experience in America, and outstanding musicianship. In 2011, they earned a Grammy award for their album E! Existential, and have reaped accolades from scores of devotees from the Wall Street Journal to NPR to The Guardian.

Though they come from Latin music traditions, the group defines their music more broadly, embracing the country in which they live. “We maintain that regardless of language, our music is ‘American Music’ because we are from here,” the band said in an artist statement. “Our music is a product of our circumstances and we can still celebrate ethnic and cultural heritage while asserting our identity as Americans and sons of this country.

With a live show that has been described as “incendiary,” audiences can expect, as NPR once enthused, a show that is “seamless whenever and wherever they’re on stage.”

Their latest album, American Music: Vol. VII on Blue Corn Records, further expands their collective musical vision with sounds as far-flung as Turkish guitar psychedelia, Colombian and Indian instrumentation, Tex-Mex influences, and guest spots from members of Red Baraat and Ozomatli.

Among their renowned collaborations and appearances as backing band, they count Spoon, Los Lobos, Maceo Parker, GZA of Wu-Tang Clan and Prince, who said of Grupo Fantasma, “Real musicians playing real music.” And those musicians are: Jose Galeano (timbales, vocals), Kino Esparza (vocals, hand percussion), Beto Martinez (guitar), Greg Gonzalez (bass), John Speice (drums), Matthew “Sweet Lou” Holmes (congas), Gilbert Elorreaga (trumpet), Josh Levy (baritone saxophone) and Mark “Speedy” Gonzales (trombone).

We are beyond proud to welcome them to our festival stage.