BEGOÑA BANG-MATU – I’m Thinking About You – CD

Label: Brixton Records
Code: BR-020-CD
Format: compact disc, album
Release: 19/03/2006

Begoña Bang-Matu was born in Madrid into a family with roots in Equatorial Guinea. From a very early age she was exposed to music and, although there were no professional musicians in her family, she was always encouraged to sing and study music. Her career officially began with the R&B band ‘La Noche de la Iguana’ – a brief but highly rewarding experience, as it introduced her to the music scene. In September 1993, after nervously sitting an audition, she became the lead singer of the Madrid-based ska band “MALARIANS”, thus becoming the first Spanish woman to sing classic ska. With the Malarians, she recorded two albums, “Mind the Step” and “Hotel Caribe”, before the band split up in 2000.

The band RAMICCIA, whom she had met whilst the Malarians were on tour in Italy, had also been captivated by Begoña’s talent, and this mutual rapport led to the album “Ramiccia meets Begoña”, recorded in 1999. During this period, she also collaborated on a few albums with POTATO, and following the break-up of the Malarians, she accepted an offer from the band from Vitoria-Gasteiz and moved there. With POTATO, she recorded three albums as a vocalist and songwriter. She was also part of the live band for the legendary LAUREL AITKEN and took part in the recording of his album “Laurel en español”. In 2002, she took part in the recording of “Inkomunikazioa” by FERMIN MUGURUZA and, throughout 2003, was a member of his live band, KONTRABANDA. Other groups with whom she has collaborated include: Amparanoia, Arpioni, Skalariak, Skaparapid and PROYECTO SECRETO. She balances all this with her work as a jazz singer, recording and performing with the “Jazz entre Divas” project. In 2001, she recorded “Magia Negra”, her first album as a bandleader with BEGOÑA BANG-MATU & LA ORQUESTA KINGSTON, accompanied by jazz musicians and former members of Malarians.

After taking a break to recharge her batteries in 2005, she returned to the studio and recorded her second album, “I’M THINKING ABOUT YOU”, released by Brixton Records in 2006. On this album, Begoña Bang-Matu establishes herself as an excellent jazz vocalist, performing smooth ska-jazz and reggae with strong influences from soul and gospel. But she is also a songwriter, the album’s producer and the frontwoman of a band offering one of the most interesting musical experiences on the modern ska-reggae-oldies scene. Check it out and see for yourself.