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Twanguero Presents PanamericaTwanguero’s escapist and subtly nostalgic seventh album, Panamerica is true to its title. Already dubbed “a journey into North and Latin America” by Rolling Stone, this time Twanguero – aka Spanish-born, Los Angeles-based guitar maestro Diego Garcia and his band – consciously pursued a multi-cultural, genre-straddling Pan-American expression.
Released by Cosmica Artists + Records in September, the 10-track Panamerica is a largely instrumental, vibrant and virtuoso coming together of North American electric guitar and rock ‘n roll heritage with classical guitar-based bolero, cumbia, Tejano, ranchera and rhumba influences from Latin America, alongside hints of Hawaiian, surf, and country music. Filtering stylishly throwback vibes through the prism of Garcia’s very here-and-now creative curiosity, it’s a percussion-adorned album of what he calls “new nostalgia.”
“Los Angeles is like a sonic map of the Americas. In this city, you can find that crossover that I am chasing,” Garcia explained. “I moved here to experience that vision of North American music and South American, Latin, and Hispanic roots.”
Trained at Spain’s acclaimed Conservatory of Valencia since age 6, Latin Grammy winner Garcia has been dubbed a “fire-breathing guitar hero” by the media. Widely considered as among Spain’s finest guitarists, he was declared “the King of Twang” by Guitar Player magazine. Renowned for his poetic phrasing, fluid fingerpicking, rare versatility and signature “twang” tone, Garcia has collaborated with greats including Andrés Calamaro, Mercedes Sosa, Juanes, and Wyclef Jean, while also contributing to movie soundtracks and music for TV.
Just as his previous Twanguero album, 2022’s Carreteras Secundarias, Vol. 2, channeled the Costa Rican rainforest where it was composed, this time Panamerica captures the cosmopolitan, multi-genre vibes of its LA backstory. When Garcia’s initial plan to track the album at different studios across the Americas was nixed by pandemic restrictions, he retreated to a rented boat in an LA marina where he lived and composed the record for 18 months.
And the name of that boat? By pure coincidence, it was called the Panamerica. It felt like fate and only affirmed Garcia’s direction for his new record.
With a batch of new songs ready to present to his band, Garcia moved to nearby Culver City, literally living in his studio while tracking and co-producing Panamerica with a roster of world-class musician friends including vocalists Maria Ramos and Laliah Jay \[further contributors’ names TK\]. True to the traditions of his Valencia upbringing, Garcia would invite them over at weekends, barbecue for everyone and mingle on the patio, and only then record short, to-the-point songs in live takes, all together in the same room and on vintage instruments. This visceral, organic approach enhances Panamerica’s ultra-authentic and lovingly retro feel.
“The energy and love that everybody put in that same direction, just to get out what I was dreaming about,” marveled Garcia. “With this wonderful team of people, I achieved what I was looking for.”
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