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Grupo Pagan

Saturday,May 9 at 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
$22 – $27
Genre bending group, Grupo Pagan, has been performing together for over twenty years. Theirs is a high energy blend of Latin and rock music, with jazz sprinkled throughout like spice in the musical stew. Edgar Pagan’s unique lead vocals create a sound that belongs only to Grupo Pagan. His vocals hypnotize and give the group their signature sound. This album was produced by 4-time GRAMMY winner, Jimmy Haslip.“As a producer Jimmy was perfect, as we found him to be very connected with our vibe and desire to meld world-sounds and rhythms to create and deliver fresh, positive, energetic, and inspiring music,” Edgar Pagan praised their album producer.From the very first blast of rhythm, harmony and energy on the opening title song, “Power,” I became a fan of this group. No wonder they have shared world stages with Spyro Gyra, Tela Fleck, Wayne Newton, The Average White Band, Tom Scott, Ambrosia, Earl Slick, Stanley Turrentine and Charo, to list just a few. They bring the “Power” and tenaciousness of a group that is talented and original.Their infectious song with powerful lyrics, “Human” quickly becomes one of my favorites on this spirited and exciting production. Another one of my favorites is “Tito (Remix).” It’s another Edgar Pagan original composition. Not only can he sing and compose, he is a multi-instrumentalist who plays bass, guitar and cajon.I was fascinated by the diversity of his compositions. A song he calls “Oye Ese Ritmo” that translates to “Hey, that Rhythm” should get lots of airplay. This song has a laid-back groove, whose rhythm immediately makes me want to jump up and dance. Pagan’s hypnotic voice sings, “dark is the night, let’s make it right, show me the light, loves in the air. Let the music move you. Let’s dance!”Grupo Pagán offers an album of original music that encompasses funk, blues, jazz, African and Latin rhythms, world music flavor and the unique lead vocals of composer and bassist, Edgar Pagan. The talent of each member of this group will both captivate and entertain. They offer timely insights into today’s society, wrapped in hum-along melodies with percussive excitement.The GRUPO PAGAN ensemble includes: Edgar Pagan, bass/lead vocals/composer/percussion; Jimmy Haslip, additional bass/keyboards/cuatro/percussion/background vocals/producer; Rhonda Paduano, backing vocals/percussion; Bill DiCosimo, keyboards; Jose Varona, drums/backing vocals; Emedin Rivera & Joshua Dekaney, drums/ percussion; David Donley, Jimmy Branly, & Luis Conte, percussion; Este, hand drums/chants; Jim O’Mahony, Jeff Richman, & Adam Fisher, guitar; Irv Lyons Jr., guitars/backing vocals; Joe Driscoll, rap/beatbox; Shane Patterson, drums/percussion program; Daniel Pardo, flute; Melissa Gardener, horns; Jack Brown, vocals.
https://www.makingascene.org/grupo-pagan-featuring-edgar…/
Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil
https://jazzsensibilities.com/…/grupo-pagan-power-review/
From Icrom Bigrad:
For over two decades, Grupo Pagán has been moving dance floors and turning heads with their high-octane blend of Latin rhythms, jazz fusion, funk swagger, and blues grit. They’ve shared stages with everyone from Spyro Gyra and Bela Fleck to Lou Gramm and Stanley Turrentine, and that history of versatility and collaboration pulses through every bar of their latest release, POWER! Produced by four-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Haslip, the album is a 10-track program of Latin groove architecture with rhythm, harmony, and form connecting bodies to beats and spirits to melody.
The title track, “Power,” wastes no time setting the agenda. Edgar Pagán’s bass lines hit with authority and bounce, his lead vocal carried on a wave of syncopated percussion from Joshua Dekaney and Jimmy Branley, with Este’s hand drums and chants adding ceremonial fire. Bill DiCosimo’s keyboards and Rhonda Paduano’s backing vocals sweeten the attack, while the rhythm section locks in a pulse that feels danceable with Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
“Milagros” romantic mood and descending harmonic figure brings introspective energy without losing motion. Pagán’s vocals are earthy and personal, paired beautifully with Jimmy Haslip’s cuatro, a timbre that brings an intimate, folkloric quality to the tune. Jim O’Mahony’s guitar lines and DiCosimo’s warm keys add depth, while Dave Donley’s percussion keeps the undercurrent alive.
“Oye ese ritmo” lives up to its title, a pure rhythmic invitation. Pagán steps out on bass, guitar, and cajón, while Haslip’s keyboards shift the harmonic backdrop from earthy to urbane in texture. The track’s momentum is grounded in Latin rhythms, jazz fusion, and funk swagger. The way Grupo Pagán can keep people’s feet on the floor while lifting listeners out of their daily headspace is on display here.
“Sol” offers a composition of seamless fusions of Latin groove and jazz fusion sheen. Haslip’s synth textures create a wide sonic horizon, while Daniel Pardo’s flute lines float in melodic currents. Jose Varona’s drums and Donley’s percussion keep the earth element strong, anchoring Pagán’s vocal in a bed of movement. The result is airy yet substantial, providing a warm-weather track you can meditate and dance to.
Across the album, there’s an unshakable sense of ensemble chemistry. “Peace, Love, and Unity” distills Grupo Pagán’s mission statement into a single cut, the vocal interplay between Pagán and Jack Brown radiating sincerity over Haslip’s bass and keyboard work. “Give to Receive” turns Melissa Gardiner’s horns loose in the mix, their bright punches dancing around O’Mahony’s guitar and Dekaney’s drum work. Pagán’s vocals are colored perfectly by Rhonda Paduano. The lyrics are positive and upbeat. “Camila Vida Mia” closes with a composition that fuses Latin, groove, and funk. Irv Lyons Jr.’s guitar and backing vocals add just the right amount of heart to Pagán’s lead.
What makes POWER! resonate is the genre-melding fluency. Every player here serves the song first as Haslip’s production captures the core truth of Grupo Pagán. This is a band that understands groove as a conversation between cultures, instruments, and intentions. Whether you’re drawn to the deep percussion dialogues, the snap of the funk backbeat, or the way a vocalist can drift over a Timba pulse, this record delivers something vital and joyous.
VIDEO:
Grupo Pagan – POWER
https://youtu.be/616bBrt26AA
Grupo Pagan – Joe Driscoll rap
https://youtu.be/oAiNDVJwChs
Grupo Pagan – HUMAN
https://youtu.be/51Vz8YPR0uc
Grupo Pagan – 443 Live Stream Capture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppy7-0XKMXU&t=1350s

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