Empanadas Ilegales have built a sound that fuses psychedelic Brazilian Tropicalia, Colombian cumbia grooves, and jazz-funk musicianship into a danceable, unpredictable live experience. As the band tours North American festivals this summer, they spoke about the organic development of their music, a defining career moment, and the practicalities of translating studio recordings to the stage.
An Organic Blend of Rhythms
The group draws from a wide palette: classic Colombian big-band cumbia of the late 1950s and 1960s, folkloric Colombian music, cumbias from Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina, Brazilian sounds, West Coast psychedelia, and jazz. “Since the beginning, we’ve created music that inspires us,” the band said. “Our goal has always been to make people dance while blending a ‘not-necessarily-commercial’ psychedelic mix of rhythms, sound effects, and textures.”
That instinct to merge genres while keeping Latin rhythms and roots intact has resonated across scenes. Empanadas Ilegales have found audiences in punk, jazz, folk, and indie circles, first in their home base of Vancouver and then beyond. “We try to play for everybody, and we’ve been incredibly lucky that people connect with the sound.”
A Milestone at the World’s Largest Jazz Festival
Growth, the band explained, has been gradual. “We’ve been at this for several years now, consistently releasing music and playing as many shows as we could. What started with local gigs around Vancouver has gradually grown into touring across Canada, and now we’re beginning to play internationally as well.”
One moment stood out. “Playing Place des Arts during the Montréal International Jazz Festival, the biggest jazz festival in the world, was when we all went, ‘Oh wow.’ It wasn’t necessarily the catalyst for our growth, but it definitely felt like a milestone and a moment where we reflected on how far the band had come.”
‘We’re All Empanadas’
Asked about the crisp, fluffy, or stuffed textures their name might suggest, the band pointed to a broader idea. “What we really celebrate is the fact that the empanada is universal. Every country has its own version. Whether it’s crispy, fluffy, or whatever, we’re all empanadas.”
They describe their sound as sitting between psychedelic cumbia, salsa, and tropical fusion, settling most accurately on Psychedelic Cumbia & Tropical Fusion. The sound was never designed on paper. “We were following our desire to connect more deeply with traditional Latin American music and its incredible diversity of rhythms and sounds,” they said. Being based on Canada’s West Coast brought influences from local jazz, experimental, and psychedelic rock scenes. “Those influences naturally blended with our musical foundation. Looking back, that approach probably explains why the music feels so alive on stage: it grew naturally through playing together.”
Double Duty on Stage
In the studio, the band’s philosophy is to make the best possible recording, often inviting additional musicians on congas, saxophone, and Colombian folkloric percussion like tambor alegre and tambora. An upcoming album even features a harp. Live, however, they operate as a five-piece: guitar, bass, drums, maracas/percussion, and trumpet.
To recreate the recorded textures, members take on extra roles. “Our trumpet player, Jocelyn, also plays a mini Korg synth, adding effects and mirroring melody lines while performing her trumpet parts. Both the guitar and bass players contribute psychedelic textures through their pedalboards, and our drummer also uses a microphone to interact with the audience and guide transitions throughout the set.”
Streamlined Logistics
The solidified quintet lineup has made touring easier. “Our latest five-piece lineup has actually made touring much easier… We now fit into a standard car! So thankfully, logistics haven’t been much of a problem.”
