Locarno

Equal parts reverent and celebratory, the spirit of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) reverberates through the “Mexican-flavoured party starter” that is Vancouver’s Locarno. Undeniable grooves have made them festival favourites throughout North America, but like fellow stylistic cross-pollinators Los Lobos, Locarno keeps adding new layers to their traditional roots. Led by Tom Landa on vocals, guitar, and the 8-stringed jarana, the band’s early Afro-Cuban and son jarocho folk-inspired sound has exploded outwards to include influences from African soukous, Mexican marimba music, Venezuelan joropo, Brazilian forró, and a host of bold, idiomatic Latin styles.