Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival Opens with Live Performance by Ozomatli February 1

The Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival opens its 2023 edition with a full-length, live performance by Grammyâ-nominated and Latin Grammyâ winners, Los Angeles-based indie outfit Ozomatli, who are on the road supporting their latest release Marching On. They’ll be performing at The Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, located at 1 Pavilion Way, Woodway, TX 76712 on Wednesday, February 1^st at 7:00PM, to kick-off the Festival. General Admission tickets for the all-ages show are $30 and sponsor tables are $1500. Purchase tickets here.

Known for incorporating a wide array of musical styles – including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, hip hop, and others, OZOMATLI composed the music for the movie, HAPPY FEET 2, and recorded Ozomatli Presents Ozokidz, a family-friendly album. From 2011 to 2014, Ozomatli also served as the house band for stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias’ television show, Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution.  

“We couldn’t think of a more appealing and appropriate artist to open our Festival than Ozomatli,” said Festival Founder and Executive Director Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren. “While their music is family friendly, it doesn’t pull any punches. They are engaging, inspirational and true to the spirit of our festival: using diversity and the power of impactful storytelling to open hearts and minds. We’re lucky to share them with the Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival audience.”

Critical acclaim follows Ozomatli everywhere they go. Jon Murray of Hybrid Music Reviews, said of their album Don’t Mess with the Dragon, “There’s no lyrical subtlety with Ozomatli records. The song titles alone reveal their straightforward verses. The one consistent factor with Ozomatli is that the music is designed to make you dance. If you’re still trying to find that perfect summer record, you just found it.”

Produced by David Garza (Fiona Apple), their latest album Marching On, as reported by Grateful Web, “features the six core members: Asdru Sierra (lead vocals, trumpet, keyboards), Raul Pacheco (lead vocals, guitar), Willy (Wil-Dog) Abers (bass, vocals), Justin Poree (rap, vocals, percussion), Ulises Bella (saxophone, melodica, clarinet, guitar, requinto, keyboards, vocals) and Jiro Yamaguchi (drums, percussion).  Guests on the album include B-Real (Cypress Hill/Prophets of Rage) vocalist Gaby Moreno, Lisa Lisa of Cult Jam fame and the ladies of J.J. Fad.”

Finished during the pandemic, Grateful Web continues on Marching On, “No matter the circumstances, Ozomatli are driven: driven to make themselves, their music and the world a better place. And that begins at home—which, for Ozo, is music and lyrics. ‘The song is kind of like a sacred responsibility,’ concludes Pacheco. ‘It takes hard-core passion to push whatever the song is to the best it could be. I take it very personally.’”

Presented by GB Lindsey Family Charitable Fund, the 2023 Waco festival presents 31 feature, short, student and animated projects from around the world and right here in Texas at theaters across Waco.

Bookending and throughout the film programming are a wide array of special events, including a Celebrity Golf Classic, a fashion show, its “Champions Awards,” honorees, an awards program and numerous receptions.