Banana Mundo have just released their debut album "Hola" with a sold out show in New Plymouth and are now hitting the road for 3 shows around the North Island.
First stop is at the Hawke's Bay Latin Dance Club in Napier on Friday 9th April, followed by a late gig at the Havana Bar in Wellington on Saturday 10th April and on Sunday the 11th April they play at the Newtown Festival in Wellington.
Banana Mundo is a collective of musicians from around the world. Members from Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, France, Switzerland, England and New Zealand bring together an infectious worldly mix of upbeat Latin and Afro Beat tunes.
Hailing from New Plymouth, the west coast of beautiful New Zealand, the band features French keysanova Severin Thiebaut on hot salsa flavoured keys, the brassiliant English tenor and soprano trombone player Tombone Roberts, local west coast kiwi legend Robin Wells on jazzy sax, genio de la guitarra (guitar genius) Andres Duran from Uruguay, the hottest accordion player in all of the west Naomi Kuttner, “máquina de percusionista” aka “the love rhythm” Argentinian percussionist Nico Paladini and the world's tallest man from Venezuela en la batería (on drums) Christian Jacobsoni Rangel.
The explosive 8 piece band Banana Mundo is fronted by the musical swiss army knife Andre Manella on bass, clave, percussion and lead vocal.
You can expect lots of dancing to this irresistible contagious mix of Latin and afro beat.