LAURA SOSA AND PA’GOZAR
Laura Sosa is on fire! Her Latin band plays a mix of styles including bossa nova, salsa, and Latin jazz. This mixture of intoxicating energy is sure to catapult her and Pa’Gozar to the stratosphere. Quiet on the Set Magazine recently caught up with her at a concert performance.
QOTS: Tell me, how long have you been singing, and when did you first discover you could sing?
Laura: Well, I’ve been singing for the past fifteen years professionally. I started singing when I was eight years old. My father used to sing. We would sing every night. It started as a tradition. Every day I would come home and do my homework. Then, I would go and sing with my grandfather. I moved to Italy when I was fifteen. I started taking classes so I could get better. Then I began singing with some bands, and that’s really how it all started.
QOTS: How long has your band been together?
Laura: We have been together for three years. The name of our band is Pa’Gozar.
QOTS: What does Pa’Gozar mean?
Laura: Pa’Gozar means “to have fun” in Spanish. More loosely translated, it means “to party”.
QOTS: In your bio, you said you wanted your band to transcend cultures and new frontiers. What do you mean by that?
Laura: We want each member to bring their own culture into the music. We have people from Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo. Although we play Latin music, (and that’s a very general term) each of them comes with some tradition and some special knowledge about their own cultures and styles. My goal is to fuse all those sounds to come up with songs that have a unique flavor and style that comes from those cultures.
QOTS: Your music is a melting pot of cultures and sounds from all over then.
Laura: Yes, different Latin styles like Salsa, Merengue, and also Afro Cuban music.
QOTS: What is your favorite style of Latin music?
Laura: I like a lot of Afro Cuban and Soul Cubano. I like those a lot. I enjoy a mix. I want our CD to be a mix of different styles and sounds.
QOTS: When do you anticipate your CD to be released?
Laura: Our CD will be released in the fall. Hopefully, it will be done in September.
QOTS: Will there be any guest singers/musicians on this project?
Laura: We don’t know yet. We really want to focus on the musicians and our sound right now, we’re not ruling it out though. We do know we want to put out a good, quality project. I would love to get Arturo Sandoval. (laughing)
QOTS: Tell us, do you have a favorite singer, musician or band?
Laura: I like a variety. As for Cuban singers, I like Albita. As far as jazz singers, I love Rachelle Farrell. Oh my God, that woman amazes me. I could go see her a million times and she will always come up with a new note. Her highs and low keys…and what she can do with her voice is simply unbelievable. She’s so impressive. She’s a great piano player as well. She is my favorite.
QOTS: Good luck with the band and your upcoming project. We’ll be looking for you in the upcoming months. Laura Sosa and Pa’Gozar, thank you.
