Songo

Carlos Palomares, a guitarist from San Francisco, laid the groundwork for the Latin funk outfit Songo back in 1997, although the ensemble only coalesced in 1999. Mexican singer and lyricist Hector "el Spider" Quintana joined at that point, fleshing out Palomares' compositions, which drew heavily from the guitarist's Cuban roots in their structure. The band's emerging local following stemmed from Quintana's resonant vocals paired with Palomares' precise, calculated guitar work, yet this notice was eclipsed by Palomares' role in the San Francisco disco cover group Superbooty. Throughout 1999 to early 2002, Songo maintained a busy touring schedule across the Bay Area and additional California locales with various supporting players bolstering their groove, and they issued the album Havana Soul during the summer of 2000. Challenges mounted when Valley Media, the distributor, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, severely impacting availability, and with Quintana's departure in early 2002, the band's prospects became uncertain.