Band’s new Christmas release offers ‘festive’ feeling

Latin- ska-reggae veterans Mento Buru have released a new EP, “East Bakersfield Christmas.” ( Stream the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2HfdCi0GxU&feature=emb_logo.)

Mento Buru is a sevenpiece band from Bakersfield. “East Bakersfield Christmas” is its first- ever six song EP of reimagined holiday classics, and is titled in honor of the historic and culturally diverse neighborhood where the group formed and still resides.

“Christmastime is our favorite time of year, so we put something together guaranteed to lift spirits and dancing feet around the Christmas tree,” said lead vocalist Matt Munoz. … These songs were personally handpicked, arranged and performed with heart, soul and, of course, ska.”

Over the years, the band has shared stages with The English Beat, Los Lobos, Wailing Souls, Fishbone, Buck Owens and countless others, in addition to performing at The Roxy, Whisky a Go Go, The Viper Room, BB Kings venues, and headlining Old Spanish Days festival in Santa Barbara, just to name a few.

Made possible through a grant from The Hub of Bakersfield’s “Cash for the Arts” program, “East Bakersfield Christmas” is available at Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora and YouTube.

“When you watch the video, you’ll see a lot of people smiling. There’s a reason for that,” said drummer Cesareo Garasa. “The sessions went really quickly, around 20 hours over four days, and were inspired by not only what Christmas means to each of us, but the positivity and excitement we all felt as it all came together. There was a real festive, communal feeling making this EP and it shows.”