The Good Herb

There are only two places on Earth with the right mix of ethnic and urban influences to spawn a band like Yerba Buena: Miami and New York. This Latin-leaning, multiculti seven-piece actually has roots in both cities, though Manhattan has served as its home and launching pad for world domination...

By Jonathan Zwickel

September 22, 2005

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

There are only two places on Earth with the right mix of ethnic and urban influences to spawn a band like Yerba Buena: Miami and New York. This Latin-leaning, multiculti seven-piece actually has roots in both cities, though Manhattan has served as its home and launching pad for world domination through infectious, rambunctious, globe-humping Spanglofunk. And it ain't nothing but a party for these guys: Their debut album, President Alien, got a Grammy nod in 2003, and its just-released follow-up, Island Life, brims with the same saucy, sexy energy and anthemic songwriting. Both discs dip deep into the bucket of Caribbean and African rhythms, but guitarist/bandleader/visionary Andres Levin -- who's worked with artists as diverse as Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, and David Byrne -- mixes in the right blend of rock, hip-hop, and reggaeton. Island Life indeed -- in Yerba Buena's world, Manhattan lies right next to Cuba, and its skyscrapers overlook tropical beaches.

Yerba Buena plays at 9 p.m. Friday, September 23, at the Polish American Club, 1250 NW 22nd Ave., Miami. Tickets cost $25. Call 305-635-2240.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.