Chicano Zen - Spiritual & Cultural Art for Meditation, Home Decor, and Gifts - Perfect for Yoga Studios, Living Rooms, and Mindful Spaces

Product Description Charanga Cakewalk and Michael Ramos follow up their critically acclaimed debut album LOTERIA DE LA CUMBIA LOUNGE with the new and exciting sounds of CHICANO ZEN. With its unique fusion of Cumbia, Bolero, Dance and cinematic sounds - and featuring guest stars Lila Downs, Patty Griffin, Martha Gonzalez (of ‘Quetzal’) and Ruben Ramos - Charanga Cakewalk once again delivers an album full of charm-filled musical gems. Amazon.com Austin-based Miguel Ramos has created one of the most incongruous chill grooves ever. Who could have imagined that cumbia, merengue, Tejano and even flamenco-from-afar, when tossed with Caribbean rhythms plus electronica and beats, could still burn, but like dry ice? Traditional instruments like accordion, Celso Duarte's glorious harp, and Max Baca's baja sexto (twelve-string bass), plus other plucked strings and assorted shakers merge with Spanish-language vocals, the latter provided by Mexican superstar Lila Downs, Ruben "El Gato Negro" Ramos, folk-rocker Patty Griffin, Martha Gonzalez from the group Quetzal, and Texas singer-songwriter Davíd Garza. But these are underpinned by subtle drum 'n' bass and assorted lounge interpolations. Although sufficiently hip to enchant the most exacting club denizen, the tunes retain a festive playfulness and defiantly un-cool degree of passion; only in Brazil have such wildly disparate elements been so successfully fused with no loss of integrity on either side. The subject matter ranges from Morricone-laced memories of childhood cinema excursions, to a Lawrence-Welk-like polka tribute to the bandleader's mother, to an elegy for a deceased victim of police brutality, but the album flows like a hallucinatory, edgy-cozy tone poem. --Christina Roden Review "Startlingly hypnotic...like some strange cross between Manu Chao, Los Lobos, Air and Antonio Carlos Jobim...scintillating and seductive..." -- BBC From the Artist CHICANO ZEN is a collection of music that reflects my surroundings and inspirations. I’ve tried to draw on the things that matter to me. In the process I’ve come to realize that these things are important to all of us. Yes, I am Latino, Chicano, Mexican. But I’m also a member of the Human Race. I’ve studied different religions and philosophies and at their core, they are all very similar. The idea of ‘Zen’ for instance, breaks it all down into simple basics. Whatever we consider ourselves, does it really matter? Whatever higher power you place your faith and trust in, whether it be God, Buddha, Allah, The Great Spirit….again, does it really matter? As different as we may like to think we are, we are of the same tribe. Someone once asked me if I ever wonder what the Supreme Being looks like. He said, "Look into the eyes of someone in need." In that spirit, enjoy Chicano Zen. Peace, Michael Ramos. About the Artist Coming from a tightly-knit family that embraced music in its daily regimen, it is no wonder that Michael Ramos, founder of Charanga Cakewalk, chose music as his life's passion and vocation. Michael says, "I'd always understood in some strange way, the workings of music and the relationships between notes and rhythm." Even though money was hard to come by, musical instruments and lessons always managed to appear. Throughout his youth Michael played in various classical orchestras, garage bands and jazz ensembles. Eventually, Michael began traversing the country in vans with various young rock bands. Moving to Austin, Texas, Michael would find his musical roots all over again. He eventually achieved his goal of becoming a top recording session player on the scene in Austin and it was time to expand his horizons once again. After drawing attention from national recording and touring acts, Michael was asked to become a permanent member of the band "The BoDeans", of which he became an integral member for six years. He also toured and recorded with "The Rembrandts", a stint which included playing on their multi-platinum CD "L.P." During this time Michael also began a long running working relationship with John Mellencamp both in the studio and on tour. Another notable studio appearance was with Paul Simon on his "Capeman" soundtrack. He also began a friendship and working relationship with singer-songwriter Patty Griffin. "During this very busy period of my life, between recording sessions and touring schedules, I'd always revert back to the Latin music I loved growing up.... Perez Prado, Tito Puente, and Santana, to name a few. I'd always respected Santana for melding Latin and rock music together. I often wondered how I might do that, as well". In 2001, Michael produced the title track for Patty Griffin's Grammy nominated CD, "1000 Kisses". "Patty was always encouraging me with my recordings and compositions and the fact that they were very Latin based. The song 'Mil Besos' has always been one of my favorite Spanish standards, so I suggested we record it. The response I got from that tune, plus the fun we had doing it made me realize that I could write and record an album of my own". This led to the his latest project, Charanga Cakewalk, and the soon to be released CD "Chicano Zen" for Triloka Records. Currently, Michael is planning his upcoming tour with Lila Downs in April and May 2006. He also continues to produce and compose in his studio, "The Cumbia Lounge", as well as in his virtual "Cumbia Lounge" touring studio. See more