by Chad Campbell, senior producer
So there I was, sitting at my desk, mired eyeball deep in the production of our documentary The Mirage of War: A Day in the Life of the Army’s National Training Center. It was very early in the morning, I was the only one in the office and I needed a little break from simulated death and destruction in the desert, so I started going through the stack of books and CDs that had been piling up on my desk. I got to The People by a new band called Rey Fresco and I was blown away by the sound.
I took off my headphones and turned up the speakers and smiled in amazement at the first two cuts. I immediately wrote an email to the publicist to arrange a chat with Bob. After sampling the CD, Bob’s review was “it’s different!” The lead instrument is a 36-string homemade Veracruz harp, plucked by Xocoyotzin Moraza (more easily known as “cho-ko”) who also has a degree in ethnomusicology from UCLA. Roger Keiaho is the lead singer. He’s from Fiji and brings raggae and R&B influences to the band. The drummer, Andrew Jones (also known as Jenkins) is self-taught and makes his own drums out of fiberglass. Shawn Echevarria is the bassist who as Bob puts it, “looks like a bouncer” but seems more like a gentle giant. The four members of Rey Fresco met and became friends ten years ago at Ventura High School. Click here to see a short video where they tell their own story. Rey Fresco’s CD has been playing in my car for six weeks now and I hope you enjoy the music as much as I do. If you’re still not convinced, check out the video for the album’s second track, All in Awe.
haha their album ‘The People’ has not left my car also. I listen to iit everywhere I go! I saw them live in Ventura on Halloween and they were absolutely incredible live. Best performance I have ever seen/ They are so refreshing and different from everything else that is out there I cannot get over it! If you havent listened to these guys, CHECK THEM OUT. you will not regret it.
I saw these guys open up for Toots and the Maytals in SF at the Fillmore and FELL IN LOVE with them and their sound and Roger’s voice. They are going to go far, I am so glad you like them and are spreading the word. Their debut album is fabulous. It grows on you too, the more you listen to it, I have found. I had to tell the boys after their show how great I thought they were, get ready for more deranged fans boys! Keep it up. Victoria
Yeah guys!