Pacific Grooves Straight Outta Choc Quib Town

Choc Quib Town.

Courtesy of the artist

During SXSW 2010, KUT hosted dozens of acts over a four-day period. Artists from Austin, Texas, to Nigeria never failed to wow the KUT staff and audience with their virtuosity and the stories behind their songs. One group in particular made it impossible to sit still while enjoying their high energy show.

Choc Quib Town, a hip-hop act from Colombia's Pacific coast, mixes in marimba and other traditional instruments with turntables and keyboards, creating a world beat-infused sound. The joy they bring to their craft is evident and infectious. When they took to the stage for their set at the All Music is World Music showcase, even the bartenders were dancing while serving drinks.

Before their showcase, the band got us warmed up with a set in KUT's Studio 1A for the program Horizontes. As we listened to songs from the new album, Oro, we found out about the origin of the band's name, the different musical styles that influenced them, and how poisonous fish are a metaphor for politicians who tell tall tales.