Del Castillo, which combines elements of Rock, Latin, Blues, Flamenco and World music in their amazing palette of sound, announces a March 13 release date for their new album, Infinitas Rapsodias, a special 2-disc set that also includes a 5-track bonus DVD, all shot in HD. Infinitas Rapsodias will be distributed in North America by Sony/RED and in Europe by their label and distribution partners, The Music Agents GbR (Blue Label) / Soul Food. The band will kick-off the new release with an extensive world-wide tour, beginning with a European series of shows starting on March 3 in Zurich, and ending in Berlin on March 25.
Infinitas Rapsodias showcases five brand new Del Castillo songs, as well as newly-created versions of several tunes from previous CDs that have become fan concert favorites and have taken on a whole new life of their own with different arrangements and instrumentation. These include “Brotherhood,” “Vida,” “Porque” and “Perdoname.” Demonstrating their global appeal, the band has even included a new take on their popular song, “Maria,” only this time with a vocal in Italian.
The audio CD features the band with such favorite Austin artists as guitarist Monte Montgomery, singers Malford Milligan and Leann Atherton, and violinists/gypsy fiddlers Erik Hokkanen and Phoebe Hunt. It also includes a song featuring producer and pianist Carl Thiel, and closes with the powerful duet, “Amor Venme a Buscar,” performed by acclaimed German opera diva, Anna Maria Kaufmann, and Del Castillo lead singer, Alex Ruiz. Infinitas Rapsodias was recorded at Smilin’ Castle Studio in Kyle, Texas, and produced primarily by Rick and Mark del Castillo.
The high-definition DVD includes a behind-the-scenes, up-close-and-personal look at the making of the entire project. It also features a video for the new song, “Canta de Alma,” which was shot by the band while on tour in Europe in 2011 and directed/edited by Mark del Castillo. Other DVD tracks include three studio jam session performance videos of Del Castillo favorite cover songs: the Doobie Brothers classic, “Listen to the Music;” the Louis Armstrong chestnut, “What a Wonderful World” and a slamming guitar-driven rendition of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” with special guest guitarist Monte Montgomery.
Austin-based Del Castillo began as a CD project for family in 2000 by award-winning guitarist brothers Rick and Mark del Castillo. They’re joined by exciting and charismatic lead singer Alex Ruiz, plus Albert Besteiro on bass, Mike Zeoli on drums and Jason Murdy on percussion, who make up the band’s dynamic rhythm section. The music these six individuals create has a passion and energy that transcends any language barriers, which has resulted in Del Castillo becoming international touring stars.
Rolling Stone called Del Castillo “tumbling brilliance on nylon-string classical guitars” with “eruptions of technique and taste (that) conjure images of Eddie Van Halen fronting early Santana (with an assist from the Gipsy Kings).”
Del Castillo has become a symbol of the cross-cultural power of music, with their eclectic blend of Flamenco, Rock, Latin, Blues and World music having made the band into a world-wide favorite of fans all over the globe. Between the release of their first CD, Brothers of the Castle in 2001, and their 2009 self-titled release, Del Castillo, the band received an astonishing 23 awards, including SXSW/Austin Music “Album of the Year” Awards for Vida (2002) and Brotherhood (2006); “Band of the Year” (2003); ASCAP’s “Best Independent Group of the Year” (2005); and Austin Music Pundits “Best Live Act’ (2004).
For the past two years, Del Castillo has toured extensively in the US and Europe, both as a headliner and in support of such diverse artists as Styx, Los Lonely Boys, B.B. King, Don Henley, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Bela Fleck and Willie Nelson. They’ve performed at three of Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnics and Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. Other US and international venues they’ve played include the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland; California WorldFest; Austin City Limits Festival; Strawberry Music Festival; Tropical Heatwave Festival; Vancouver Folk Festival; Wendelstein Festival; Jazzfest Gronau and Bergen Fest (Norway). They’ve also performed on BBC Radio in London and Scotland.
Acclaimed film director Robert Rodriguez became a big fan of the band after attending one of their shows in 2002 and has featured their music in such films of his as Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City, Grindhouse and Spy Kids 3-D, even enlisting the group to perform with him at the premieres. Rodriguez was so impressed with Del Castillo that he wanted to record with them, so together, they formed CHINGON and recorded an amazing electric rendition of the Mexican classic song, “Malaguena Salerosa.” Director Quentin Tarantino loved it so much that he re-did the ending sequence of his Kill Bill Vol. II film to fit the song into his movie.
In 2008, the band’s two guitar virtuosos, Rick and Mark del Castillo, were selected by Gibson Global as two of only six guitarists in the world to launch Gibson’s new Les Paul guitar line, “Dark Fire.”
Del Castillo recently performed a beautiful, unique song with Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson and Los Lonely Boys on a CD benefitting The Hermes Music Foundation. The song, “Claro Que Se Puede” (“Yes We Can”) is featured on their website, www.delcastillomusic.com.
