Today we’d like to introduce you to André Reyes, Jr.
Hi André, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Stranded in the City was originally formed by my brother, Antonio Reyes on drums and vocals, and myself, André Reyes, Jr. on keyboards and vocals, in 2011. It had gone through many different members over the years until its current nucleus was formed between 2016 and 2017 with the additions of Timmy Keith on guitar and Matt Elton on bass. Michael Harris II, the saxophonist, is the only other original member who remains besides my brother and me, and we are honored to have Densil “DJ” Malabre on percussion as well. When available, the band is rounded out by Zach Rich on trumpet and trombone.
My brother and I were born into a Mexican American family that was deeply rooted in music. Our Reyes family had musical roots that ran back as far as our great-grandfather, who played guitar, and then on to our grandfather (saxophonist) and both our uncle (guitar/bass) and our dad, André Sr. (keyboardist/drums). We were grateful to grow up in a family that explored our genres of music, and that helped shape us into being well-rounded musicians and take our music to different levels with flavors from not only Latin music, but blues, jazz, pop, funk, soul, and any other genre you can think of. Our mom, Stephanie, has always been the glue to our band, bringing our members in and treating them like her own sons. Our parents were always offering food or other amenities to help our bandmates and us grow so we can focus on our music and obtain as many opportunities as possible. Our journeys in life have been able to help us travel and connect with these musicians that have helped us form a band we are proud of and can continue to grow with and call our brothers. Our parents and our community watched us grow and their support and influence helped mold us into the men and musicians we are today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t always been smooth. When you want the best out of each other, sometimes that causes friction. We have had brothers come and go in this band for many different reasons, but most of them still remain very close and are still family. You always have to remember this is still a business along with being a passion and a way of life, so you have to bring your professionalism and work ethic first because it’s about everyone in the band, not just you. You have to carry our equal weight so we can all grow together. You have a career that the community and those around you watch and some look up to you, so you need to carry yourself a certain way and be the best you can be to be a positive role model for those around you.
We are brothers, family, we go to war for one another. We’ve had differences and arguments because we spend almost every day together growing, learning, being family. We’ve gone through each other’s personal struggles, we’ve gone at it with one another to push each other to be the best we can be. This lineup has lasted so long because we all know at the end of the day, we are helping each other reach the same goal and we are a family. We all realize that no matter the argument or disagreement, we have the best intentions at heart.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are a band based out of the Argentine community in Kansas City, Kansas.
We are proud to be rooted in the Mexican- American community and be a representation of our neighborhood and our community. Our community has been the backbone of our success, and we couldn’t be more thankful to have them in our corner in everything we do. We are the newest generation of Latino musicians here, and we are proud to have the Mexican American community in Kansas City Kansas and Missouri support us and try to make us one of the faces that represent our community and culture in the KC area. We take pride in supporting our community also and being able to give back in every way we possibly can.
We have been known for our original takes on Classic 70s and 80s funk, soul, and Chicano rock songs, but most recently our original music has really started to get a lot of attention. Our music is a representation of us and the community we grew up in. We use our platform and our sound to keep bringing relevance to that style. We feel our mix of Chicano rock, blues, funk, and the connections to jazz and hip hop give us a sound that sets us apart and really defines us and who we are as a band. Coming from different backgrounds and meshing in our to be a family and create our sound.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My brother and I were always heavily involved in music. Our dad plays music, and all his closest friends were musicians. We were constantly emerged in rehearsals, shows, community festivals, any type of opportunity to be around music. Our grandmother and grandfather always made sure we practiced every day after school and took us to any jazz or classical concert we had time for in order to help us learn. Or course I had an interest in other things like video games and playing sports, but nothing ever got in the way of music. It was my natural second nature, effortless. I was social and outgoing and always loved to hang out with friends as well. I think being able to be sociable as a kid helped me be outgoing and make so many connections as an adult.
One other big thing growing up was the influences of all our “uncles.” Our dad’s best friends and his brother were all musicians, and they all grew up as we did. They were constantly hanging out, rehearsing, challenging each other to be great, and being brothers. Those men all influenced us from a young age to be great musicians and show us the ropes. Without them, we wouldn’t have had the drive and determination we had to carry the torch and be the next set of Mexican-American musicians in Kansas City to take it to the next level and really try to put our community on the map globally.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: strandedinthecityband.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/stranded_in_the_city
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/StrandedintheCityBand
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCEzS3k3hUpqnGwDqfbbmCkg
Image Credits:
Cynthia Ammerman
Valissa Abarca
