Latin Soul Syndicate - Adventures of Johnny Loco

With members of SANTANA, CONSOLIDATED and MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO The Latin Soul Syndicate is a band that arose out of the friendship between Happy Sanchez, Mark Pistel and Karl Perazzo. In the late '70s, Happy and Karl became friends while playing around the salsa scene in their native San Francisco. Karl went on to play percussion with SHEILA E's band, and in 1986, Happy opened up a rehearsal/recording studio, working with local bands as a musician and producer. In the early '90s Karl was asked to join SANTANA. At the same time, the industrial/hip-hop group CONSOLIDATED, which included Mark Pistel, was becoming popular on the local scene. By the late '90s, Happy had started a record label and hired Mark to produce and engineer some of his artists. In 2000, Happy brought in Mark and Karl to help on a project, and the three discovered how much fun they had working together. After leaving his band LOS MOCOSOS in 2002, Happy decided to put a musical group together with Mark and Karl. He called it the Latin Soul Syndicate. MEMBERS KARL PERAZZO has played drums and percussion since the age of 2. He started playing in his parents' band at age 7, and went on to play with the best musicians in pop, jazz, rock and Latin music. He is currently a member of SANTANA, with whom he has recorded three albums, including the 15 million-selling 'Supernatural'. Other artists Karl has recorded and played with include MALO, CAL TJADER, DIZZY GILLESPIE, ANDY NARREL, RAY OBIEDO, TOM COSTER, PETE ESCOVEDO, LOS MOCOSOS, SHEILA E., PRINCE, MARIAH CAREY, and PAQUITO D'RIVERA. Karl is also featured on the latest JOHN LEE HOOKER album. Karl has performed on an array of TV shows, including American Bandstand, Soul Train, The Super Bowl Half Time Show, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, David Letterman, the Grammy Awards and the American Music Awards. He was the first percussionist to be invited to sit in with the house band on The Arsenio Hall Show, with whom he played several times, including Arsenio's 100th show. MARK PISTEL is best known as a founding member of the left-wing dance/hip-hop outfit CONSOLIDATED. He has collaborated frequently with MICHAEL FRANTI and the DISPOSABLE HEROES OF HIPHOPRISY ('Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury') as well as MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO ('Subliminal Sandwich'). Mark has produced and remixed a wide variety of artists including GRACE JONES, BUSH and 900 FT. JESUS. He released an eponymous solo album in 1997. HAPPY SANCHEZ is a San Francisco native who has played music since the age of 13. After studying for three years at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Happy began playing bass in the local salsa scene, where he met Karl Perazzo. Around this time he discovered a passion for recording, and worked hard to develop his skill by buying a Tascam 4-track and recording anyone who would let him. In his early 20s, Happy discovered the underground hardcore-punk scene in San Francisco, and recorded bands like FLIPPER, FRIGHTWIG and the TOILING MIDGETS. In 1987, he was asked to join the popular band RED 7, unfortunately right before they broke up. However, he inherited a large amount of the band's equipment, which allowed him to open up a rehearsal/recording studio. In 1994, after eight years of recording, producing and managing artists, Happy started Aztlan Records, the first independent Latin alternative record label in the U.S.A., successfully releasing 25 CDs. In 1998, Happy formed the band LOS MOCOSOS with some of his old buddies from San Francisco's Mission district. Their release 'Mocos Locos' received excellent reviews and a lot of radio support. The band played at South by Southwest and toured throughout the United States. LOS MOCOSOS were also part of the Watcha Tour, the first Vans Warped tour dedicated to Latin alternative bands, and played venues like New York's Central Park, the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival.