Spam Allstars

Sometimes a song comes along that so uniquely rocks your pants off that you wonder how you ever did without it. Miami-based Spam Allstars’ highly danceable “Ochimini,” on their new album, Introducing Spam Allstars, is one of those songs. With its catchy vocal melody line, insistent drumming, sassy horn parts and driving, repetitive bass, the song, at 8 minutes, 54 seconds, cannot be accused of being too long. And unlike that chopped-up, pink, meat concoction called Spam, this musical Spam deserves nothing but praise for the end result of its unique blend of ingredients. The Allstars include DJ Le Spam on turntables, samplers, guitar and bass; former Shakira guitarist Adam Zimmon; timbalero/vocalist Tomas Diaz; saxman/vocalist AJ Hill; sexy and talented Cuban flautist Mercedes Abal; New Jersey sax player Steve Welsh; Chad Bernstein on trombone and vocals; and Lazaro Alfonso on congas. Guest artists who drop in include Phish keyboardist Page McConnell and James Brown horn player Pee Wee Ellis. While the sound on every song on this album is undeniably fresh and infectious, the band also pays tribute to the Afro-Cuban and Caribbean traditions that came before them.