“We played a show just so we could steal Uli,” spat Ozomatli’s Wil-Dog Abers out back this night at some shady sound studio somewhere in North Dallas, TX.  “Ozomatli’s always been… kind of a competitive band. Our roots go back to where Uli was in two bands.” Wil-Dog continues speaking now of the “solo Ozo” Ulises Bella. “He was in our band and the band that we were opening up for at Viper Room.  And our whole purpose was to steal Uli from this band he had this allegiance with… and we did.” And I believe it.

For I had just spent the last 15 minutes in an alley shooting this Grammy Award winning mash-up of all things Latin, Reggae, and Rock, as they bust ass to put the finishing touches to an only gently off time version of “Thriller”.  No, this Los Angeles based cornucopia of world music was not trying out for a new, “Group Dancing with the Stars”. They were prepping a secret weapon for battle against one Talib Kweli, who they would soon face-off against and ultimately fall to in Red Bull’s Sound Clash.

This year Ozomatli turns 15 and is planning a HUGE celebration on Saturday December 18th. Stay tuned for all the madness.

Words and images by Dustin Downing