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Grupo Fantasma and the glamourous life
When Prince heard this Austin band, he put them on the road to the Super Bowl
By Michael Corcoran
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, February 04, 2007

You can't have a fairy tale without a Prince and in this one the kissed frog is an Austin band called Grupo Fantasma.

Once upon a time — Friday night on Miami's South Beach to be exact — the powerhouse cumbia funk band backed the artist currently known as Prince at a pre-Super Bowl party for CBS affiliates. The pint-sized musical giant, who'll perform at halftime of the Super Bowl today, joined the 11-member Grupo on their song "Chocolate," did one of his newer songs then led a 20-minute jam on Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" that had the lucky 500 guests dancing wildly.

This was without Prince and the band ever rehearsing, as the notoriously spontaneous Minneapolis mega-star merely sent Fantasma a disc of songs he'd be possibly do and they worked them up in their chilly St. Elmo Rd. rehearsal space. From South Austin to South Beach, with funk.

In the past two and a half months, Grupo Fantasma, which formed in Austin in 1999 (coincidentially, a Prince LP title), has become a Prince pet. His Purple Majesty not only flies them to Las Vegas every Thursday to play his 3121 nightclub, but he brought them along as the house band at his Golden Globes party Jan. 15 . Prince almost never has an opening act, but he put Grupo on the bill at his concert Wednesday near Miami.

"It's really a trip," said Fantasma guitarist Adrian Quesada. "We were all thrilled just to see him in the audience (at 3121, which is in the Rio hotel and casino), but to play with one of your idols... that just blows us away."

How does something like this happen — a band whose three albums have sold a combined 18,000 copies and who still tour by van — becomes the current go-to band of one of music's greatest icons?

The big wheel of fortune started rolling when band manager Mike Crowley sent a copy of "Grupo Fantasma Comes Alive," recorded live at Antone's for $500, to Prince's promoter Paul Gongaware. The two have been friends since the '70s when they worked together at Concerts West in Seattle. Gongaware passed the CD on to Prince, who was looking for groups to play "Latin Night" at his club.

"When Mike told us that Prince was going to listen to our record we were like, 'Yeah, right,'" said Quesada, a native of Laredo, like four other original Grupo members. But Crowley got a call three days later telling him that Prince liked the record and wanted the band in Vegas to play on Thanksgiving night, when the regular band couldn't make it. With a Spanish song on his most recent album, Prince's ever-expanding musical palette has been embracing more Latin sounds of late. And he's a longtime fan of the Earth Wind & Fire/ Tower of Power big horn funk sound that Fantasma has perfected since it formed eight years ago as a spinoff of two Austin bands with Laredo ties.

At the first gig at 3121, Grupo members were energized to see Prince at the side of the stage dancing. The next day Gongaware called to say Prince was so impressed he offered them the Thursday gig in Las Vegas for the remainder of 3121's limited run, which is expected to end in March.

Prince's guitar is always there behind the amps, always in tune, ready for him to join the jam whenever the spirit takes him. But during Grupo's first six Thursdays at 3121, Prince remained a spectator. The band members had not even met him.

Then, during a set on Jan. 11, Prince stepped out of the shadows, asked "Is it cool?", then strapped on the ax for a Jimi Hendrix-like flight. After only a minute Prince put down the guitar and disappeared in the wings.

Apparently, Fantasma passed the audition, because Crowley got a message a couple days later: Get Grupo to Los Angeles within 24 hours. About all the band knew was that it had something to do with a Golden Globes party. In L.A. they were sent to the Presidential Suite of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where drums and amps and mics were placed in a corner.

Another band might've been deflated by the cramped, stageless set-up, but the Fantasma members were jazzed. "This is our bread and butter," Quesada said to his bandmates at the afternoon soundcheck. Grupo Fantasma was born playing house parties, with all 11 players tucked into a corner, while dancers dodged the horns. This suite would do just fine.

Then Prince walked in. He thanked the band for coming on such short notice and asked if they knew certain songs. "You hear all these stories about how (shy and reclusive) Prince is, but he was just a nice, genuine guy," said Quesada. After a few minutes of musical shop talk, it started to dawn on the band that they'd be backing Prince that night.

"We didn't have time to be nervous," said Quesada.

Prince's Golden Globe party was one for the ages, with Marc Anthony singing a couple of 1960s salsa standards (with Jennifer Lopez dancing right in front), plus Mary J. Blige and Will I. Am from Black Peas also sitting in with Prince and Grupo Fantasma.

Crowley said the band has taken their lucky break in stride. "Nobody is under the delusion that we've got it made now," he said. This is a humble, hardworking band enjoying their time in the purple limelight for what it is. Whether Prince is simply going through a Latin funk phase before moving on to his next musical fixation has no bearing on all the fun the grounded and giddy Fantasma is having now.

Thursday has become Grupo Fantasma's favorite day of the week, with anticipation starting to creep in around Wednesday afternoon. The band has been known to play past 3 a.m. at their 3121 gig. Then they pack up and head home on a 6 a.m. flight back to reality.

"We've had some dead nights up there (in Las Vegas)," said Quesada, "but even when the crowd's not happening, we're still playing for Prince."

mcorcoran@statesman.com; 445-3652



Photos: http://www.austin360.com/...grupo.html

Older Articles on Group: http://www.austin360.com/...007/01/16/

http://www.austin360.com/...006/11/28/

4 more info, always check out:

Http://www.thebumpsquad.com

&

Http://www.myspace.com/thebumpsquad

pix from the article (the additional links j7 posted from the main article are good reads too):


The Austin band Grupo Fantasma, performing last weekend at Huston-Tillotson University for a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, got a dream gig: playing at Prince's Las Vegas club, 3121. Members include, from left, Leo Gauna, Gilbert Elorreaga, Gene Centeno and Dave Lobel. Ralph Barrera/AMERICAN-STATESMAN


Prince invited the Austin band to play backup at a pre-Super Bowl party Friday in Miami. Wilfredo Lee/ASSOCIATED PRESS


With Prince, center, Grupo Fantasma members Adrian Quesada, left, Greg Gonzalez and Rodolfo 'Kino' Rodriguez had 500 guests dancing wildly at a pre-Super Bowl party for CBS affiliates held Friday in Miami's South Beach area. RPGough/DODD TECHNOLOGIES

This summer he was hunting for a latin group in Minneapolis.

Grupo Fantasma is the real deal. Saw them at 3121 and I was completely blown away. Such musicianship and funkiness. I highly recommend catching a show if you have an opportunity.

cool

I may have to go see these guys next weekend at Antone's. They fly back to Austin and play on Friday nights. What a schedule!