Joan Garriga, serving as both accordionist and lead vocalist, steers La Troba Kung-Fú in sustaining the practice of fusing, updating, and pushing boundaries within Catalan rhumba. Following eight productive years and three widely praised albums alongside the established outfit Dusminguet, Garriga opted to launch his independent project in 2005. Pep Terricabres on drums, Flor Inza on percussion, Muñeco on piano and vocals, Mariá Roch on bass, plus Muchacho, Toti Arimany, and Marc Sampere supply the group’s blend of dub, cumbia, blues, boogie woogie, and further styles. The ensemble’s name references both the los travadores, or wandering minstrels of earlier times, and the kung fu-caliber command its players demonstrate on their instruments. Several months after forming, La Troba Kung-Fú issued its first EP, Dub-Filleti. Distributed solely online, the release contained a selection of original pieces together with their remixes. The band’s debut full-length album, Clavell Morenet, followed shortly thereafter; recorded in Spain and London, it appeared on the K Industria label. The album earned favorable attention and remained on European world music charts for months. Although coverage stayed limited outside Spain, repeated television appearances across regional stations during the summer and fall of 2007 helped build the group’s early profile.
