Listen: Los Amigos Invisibles - A 'Commercial' Breakthrough

From NPR Music:

The hit Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles began as an underground group of Caracas musicians who played a mixture of funk, disco and Latin grooves. But, unlike many of their counterparts on the local music scene, they opted not to take common cues from salsa or hard rock. Instead, they focused on making music similar to what they heard from the U.K., home to bands they admired as part of the so-called acid-jazz movement: Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai, among others.

The band recently stopped by NPR for a performance and conversation with host Michel Martin.

"We're a party band first and foremost," keyboard player Armando Figueredo says. "Some people have called us Latin funk or dance funk."

The band got its big break in 1997 after a move to New York, where it caught the ear of David Byrne, former frontman for the influential American rock group Talking Heads. Byrne immediately recognized the group's wide appeal and signed it to his record label, Luaka Bop.

So far, it looks as though Byrne's assessment was right on the money. Los Amigos Invisibles has recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is titled Commercial. The project is a noticeable departure from its previous music, which had no shortage of catchy hooks and pop arrangements. LISTEN TO THE STORY HERE