LA RUMBA

Strolling in Melbourne's Bourke St. mall on any one day is remarkable. Besides the glittery shop displays, there are strips of cafes in the alleyways and tram passengers waiting fashionably in their seasonal garments. Perhaps the show stealer amongst all these distractions are the wonderful performers that never fail to take a passerby away to a place where the world stands still for a while - a moment to feel the sound vibrations that takes one back into the roots of the soul where peace overshadows pace.

One of such performance is La Rumba, a Latin infused Melbourne band. I work in the mall, and sometimes when I am on my break I would follow the rhythmic beckoning to a different place on earth - well, at least that's how I feel when I hear these guys! A tight band, with a steady bass-line that is never too intrusive and fingers that move rhythmically with the grace of a ballerina's feet this band is fronted by a set of vocals that will turn your head faster than your lips can manage to say the exhilarating "wow' that races through your veins!

As with many of the other premier acts in the mall, they have graced many of the popular circuits around town and still enjoy the freedom and spontaneity of playing on the streets. So, many of you may have seen these dynamic boys in one place or another. Now, let's take a glimpse of their timeline and get to know a little more about the soul behind 'La Rumba'.

Pictures from top: Jarrod Rojo, Michael Rahab, Jaime Francisco Carrasco & featured guitarist, Nathan Slater.

1. How did you guys get together?

La Rumba was the brainchild of Michael Rajab and Toby Hack who had years of experience playing together and apart in different groups. They decided to go on their own and involve other musicians. La Rumba started off as a real gypsy band with anyone who turned up on the night playing. Initially we also had a drummer, trumpet and piano accordion! Jaime and I (Jarrod) joined and it was then narrowed us four as the core lineup with an occasional percussionist.

2. What are your backgrounds and would you like to tell us something that you think is particularly interesting about it?

Jarrod Rojo (Lead Vocals)
Born and raised in Melbourne, La Rumba's voice, Jarrod has enjoyed the rock side of the music scene and headed well known cover bands (The Reckoning, The Children Of…) With a yearning for the big stage rising above all else Jarrod has gone back to his Spanish roots and is now front and centre with La Rumba, booming his earthquake style he is so renowned for.

Michael Rajab (Guitar/Backing Vocals/Cajon)
Michael was born surrounded by music. With a father, a professional Lebanese drummer, and a mother possessed with flamenco, Michael's family influenced him greatly. This was the beginning of a life-long love of Arabic and flamenco music. In his 20's he turned his attention to the guitar and using his percussion background, fused the sounds of flamenco guitar with Arabic and gypsy rhythms and has never looked back.

Jaime Francisco Carrasco (Bass/Vocals)
Jaime is a multi instrumentalist with over a decades experience in the music industry. Migrating from Chile with his family at a young age he soon discovered a passion for the music of his Latin American heritage and quickly began forging a career along this path. In his late teens he began touring around Australia and overseas. He has collaborated on many albums and has consistently performed in all major world music festivals on the circuit.


3. Describe your style and tell us why it appeals to you.
Rumba Flamenca is a vibrant style of music unlike any other that people can’t help but be amazed by including the ones who play it! Its fun, loud, creates joy for all who hear it and relies on minimal musicians to make a big impact. It’s one of the most simple and raw forms of music with no artificial influence which is why I think it has the appeal that it does. It's just like we are deep down, raw and simple!

4. Every musician has gone through some form of struggle to get to where they are. What are some of your toughest battles?
I guess for me (Jarrod) the toughest battle musically is the constant one that faces all musicians with the amount of work available and the importance placed on music culture in Australia. Due to Australia being a very young country culturally, it makes it hard to make a living out of it without the country having large traditions and culture steeped in music. It affects musicians playing at venues who would rather pay a DJ to play because it’s cheaper but they just can’t create the same atmosphere. I’ve been working fulltime in other industries for 17 years and have only been able to live off music full time for the past 12 months due to street performing. I have been playing in bands on weekends for most of my life but one or two gigs a week generally isn’t viable to live off unless you’re in the corporate scene or have built a large fan base to which most musicians still can’t unfortunately make a living from.

5. Tell us about the happiest experience that you have had as a musician.
I (Jarrod) don’t know if I could pinpoint the happiest experience I’ve had. I’ve had some pretty unforgettable experiences with moments in music and played with some of the most amazing musicians I have seen or met! If I was forced to pick one, I’d probably say being able to get back to my roots and begin to understand my history more was and is still the most satisfying but I think being a musician and being able to enjoy and feel music itself is the happiest experience of anybody’s life!


6. What is the core message that you as a band would like to send out?
La Rumba is all about energy and having fun which reflects how life should be!!


7. If there is one truly useful advice that you can give to anyone in the world what would it be?
Don’t ever give up your dreams of creating and sharing music, life would be boring without people like you who dare to do so!! Music is different to every individual who hears, plays and appreciates it so there is an audience for you out there somewhere!!

Inquire about their album CD at:

www.facebook.com/La.Rumba.Gypsy.Flamenco

www.larumba.com.au

Press contact: management@larumba.com.au

Booking agent: bookings@larumba.com.au

JUDGMENT - IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF CHOOSING SIDES.

Have you ever had to choose sides? Have you ever strangely ended up choosing to be possessed by a particular appliance, a brand of car, a type of job or even a lifestyle which isn't the one you had planned to afford in the first place and all just because a salesman, girl/boyfriend or parent was so good at convincing that it is for you? Have ever chosen to believe in a lie you were told to tell because you needed to be convincing enough to keep your job or your family appeased? If you answer yes to any one of these two questions then you have been a victim and/or a perpetrator of some of the most extensive lies that has kept the world enslaved in confusion and dissatisfaction, tracing back beyond the duration of civilization.

A lie grows and grows like your nose Pinocchio!

Ask yourself if you have supported this way of life just by not actively being aware and taking charge of avoiding it? And then ask yourself if you're a part of the problem?

In all my travels, I see a plight that is plaguing the world around me. I see a world in chaos and confusion whereby each individual is selling the other an empty dream. A dream of finely woven clothes made of nakedness to be draped upon the stupidity of blind faith and vanity... whereby each, proudly dressed in nothingness are too afraid to be ridiculed by the other for not wearing the latest line of 'new clothes' marked by the 'Emperor'. Everywhere I go, communities are frozen with inability to voice out the truth for fear of losing their jobs and their family's approval. What we have here is an emotional condition so viral that our youths are unsuspectingly embracing the disconcerting belief that lies are compulsory and that truth is a democratic decision determined by a ruling majority. We now live in a society whereby our children are liken to believe in upholding the law only when dealing with authorities whilst proclaiming crime as a natural progression to a hard life when faced with criminal intent.



Do not mistake me for a pessimist or even a doom prophet, for I am mostly a man who enjoys staying out of trouble and one whom chooses to focus my wonderful time on this earth admiring the many great things about this world. However, this is one occasion where I am not going to sit here and list all its wonderful talents coupled with its obvious good intentions. I need to maintain this stance because I can go on and on and make a big impression on pointing out its beauty and attributes for days on ends, but right now if I do not highlight upon the desperate lack of clarity which each of us are so in dire need of at this point in our evolution, then I fear that a lifetime of weariness wouldn't be enough to get us to its destination.



So, sadly today I look out into the world and sadly I say to you that this is your world. A world where black is sometimes white and white is often gray. A world ruled by survivors who thrive on the two faced hypocrisy of relative truths while only a handful of humble inhabitants reap from the liberation of absolute truths. This world needs to wake up and realize that its very own population is a part of this whole mess. Your collective persistence on playing both sides of right and wrong to your own gains is a limitation that keeps you from advancing towards a more wholesome and fulfilling life of honesty and integrity.

Truth be told, to survive in a multi-layered society in all it's complexities we have to observe that there is a time for everything... However, let it be noted that despite all the facade which we carry around with us in our everyday dealings, you need to maintain with utmost clarity, your own personal truths and integrity. You need to know where you as an individual stand with your core values. And truth is that the time comes, and it indeed has, to give up the folly of youth gracefully and finally with definite strokes, to draw the lines clearly.

The day comes to make up our minds and put together a set of principles which is sound and stable; something we can be proud to pass on to the next generation. It's time to take sides as to what is good and bad, right and wrong and black and white without sitting on the grays. To inspire and be an example for our fellowmen - in these bleak times - who are so ever in need of light and guidance.

There comes a time when we will say that this is wrong and thus is right. And not be wishy-washy with our way of life. And to be able to make this stand is a mark of a mature and wise being. Heed my words that righteousness, as often misunderstood, is not the work of a proud and boastful man but on the contrary it is the making of a man of great courage, integrity and conviction.




Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela are such men to name a few. Men who are ready to be put on trial, and questioned and battered and bruised for the sake of righteousness.

I am not one who is great enough to take on the world in my stand for righteousness. I avoid conflict in the world by staying out of its way. But if I am confronted, as safely as I can keep my close ones and myself, I will stand up and speak my truth with passion and courage.

So, to you my friends whom I feel safe and secure enough to speak truth, I will say this... Do not misunderstand my commitment to your well-being as false pride or blasphemous. I take pride in the the integrity of my being and I so proudly share my truth with you.

I feel you trust my intentions so I beg of you once more to take heed my words and give it real value and depth of thought. Do it intelligently, question it if you must but all I ask is that you give it full attention and consideration before you decide to take or leave what I have to say.

My concern is this: If you stand on the fence and see everyone's point of view unbiased, you will achieve nothing and continue to be yet undefined for the duration of infinity. Consider this: There will always be food that is edifying and that which is poisonous. There will always be actions and decisions that will benefit the soul and that which will weaken the spirit to pain. There will always be good people to strengthen your life and those with lack of integrity to mislead you. We must each make these judgment for ourselves and our kindred each day courageously. And so I implore you to execute these judgments. Judge your surrounding, judge your company, judge your actions, judge your intentions, judge your desires. Do this and make your decisions about your life and where you are going with it. Remember, judge others fairly that ye shall be fairly judged upon.

If you will continue being a people-pleaser, one who refuse to take a risk in committing upon good judgments, you will be lost in the mass of confusion that is the current state of the world which has neither heads nor tails, going back and forth in a circular waste of time. This childish meandering is inconsistent with your true will and results in a detour from your real achievements (which if I may remind you, is foremostly, one of self-empowerment.)

I have taken the dare to state my personal judgments and I hope that I have exemplified a good enough life for you to believe in my righteousness. If you consider me arrogant and hypocritical, if you believe that I am playing God and that I am without authority to speak truth, then it is with regret that I have to accept your truth has finally taken a different route from mine.

Our journey together will continue if you still have faith that my intentions and actions are on par with all that which is goodness. Make the judgment. Make the choice.



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