Grammy winning Latino band Ozomatli to rock India

Chandigarh, Feb 7 (UNI) Los Angeles-based Grammy-award winning Latin hip-hop music group Ozomatli will rock India and Nepal during February 12-22.

Ozomatli will perform at the scenic Rock Garden here on the evening of February 14, the Valentine's Day, after appearing in the capital's The Ashok on February 13 as part of the tour sponsored by the American Centre and Span Magazine.

Addressing a press conference here, Robin D Diyalo, First secretary American Centre, told mediapersons that the Band has been selected to promote Indo-US ties as it represented the multi-cultural aspects of the American society.

The band's latest album ''Don't Mess with the Dragon'' will be launched in India by Universal Records this month, she said. The album was guided by venerable music producer K C Porter who is best known for ushering Rickey Martin and Carlos Santana to the top of the charts.

''We have chosen the unique locale of the Rock Garden as it also complements the creativity of the players,'' she said.

The event was aimed at exposing the Indian youth to the American culture, she said hoping to get a warm response from the college crowd here.

''The unique musicians have been deeply influenced by their ethnically diverse backgrounds. As cultural ambassadors from the United States, Ozomatli will reach out to South Asian young people through the common language of music,'' she said.

''Ozomatli'' has two Grammy awards, a Latin Grammy and two Billboard Latin awards under its belt. They have participated in US tours with Santana, the Dave mathews Band, Los Lonely Boys, Lenny Kravitz and others.

A mega international touring phenomenon, Ozomatli's eclectic hybrid sound defies musicial categorization and is defined by its members as ''the people's music''.

The band will play in Bangalore in collaboration with World Space radio on February 19 after returning from Kathmandu where it would participate in youth outreach and a concert performance on February 17.

UNI