Ozomatli on the air: Band gets their own radio morning show

Ulises Bella of Ozomatli sounded happy but worried: "It's going to be hard to get up in the morning. I mean I'm excited; this is good news. But being on the radio at 6 a.m.? That's hard for me. I mean, 6 a.m. is when I'm usually going to bed. But coffee and afternoon naps work miracles."

The miracle is that the morning show at KYSR-FM (98.7) here in L.A. (once a place you could listen to, augh, Danny Bonaduce and the shrill Jamie White) will soon be deeply eclectic — and especially crowded. The Grammy-winning L.A. band Ozomatli is taking over the rock station’s morning shift as of 6 a.m. on Aug. 20. Expect a seriously diverse playlist, considering the act made a name for itself with a singular Southern California hybrid of rock, salsa, hip-hop, cumbia, funk, dub, Middle Eastern sounds and soul.

The polyglot orchestra is also famous for filling the stage: There are six principle members at the moment, but the lineup has hit 10 before.

Ozomatli isn’t entirely new to the radio gig, of course. They started a Saturday night show called “OzoLocal” on KYSR in January and it clicked enough with leadership at the Clear Channel-owned station to be moved to the all-important weekday morning slot. On Monday afternoon, the members were meeting with a producer and going over their plans for the new program.

Bella, the saxophonist who plays a variety of other instruments (and sings backup), took a break from the session to explain that the show will be very much about place.

“All of us being born and bred here in Los Angeles but from all different parts, it’s about our connection to the audience and this entire community, as big it is,” Bella said. “It’s also about our crazy life. We’re going to do the show from tour, so from South Africa and China and wherever we go.”

How will Ozomatli's playlist fit with the station? KYSR shifted last year to a male youth-orientated rock sound and, according to their website, their most-played artists in recent weeks include the Offspring, Seether, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace and Puddle of Mudd. Bella said that Ozomatli will be “taking baby steps” as far as shaking up the sound.

“We’re not used to having bosses,” he said with a chuckle. “We will play the stuff that the station plays and then start expressing ourselves as it goes along. Some of our members will want to be playing some Qawwali from Pakistan or something. We’re going to have fun but we’re going to feel our way at first.”

-- Geoff Boucher

P.S.: The band will also be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Aug. 19 at Dodgers Stadium as the Colorado Rockies come to town. We would prefer to hear them play a funked-up version of the national anthem at Chavez Ravine, but hey, this is a start ...

Photo of Ozomatli by Jennifer S. Altman/Los Angles Times

Comments

[I, Slay The Dragon]

Wow. 2008....and this makes a grand-total of TWO (english-language) L.A. Radio
Stations with Latino hosts in Morning Drive??

Clear Channel? Too much, too little, TOO LATE.