The Lucky Band - Buenos Diaz album cover
We are not alone in being big fans of Lucky Diaz, who, along with his wife Alisha Gaddis and others have been turning out earworm after earworm of kid-friendly music for a decade. We’ve known them as Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, but now, it’s time for The Lucky Band.
On April 5, the Lucky Band releases their latest album, Buenos Diaz, and while the name is new, the irresistible urge dance remains the same. Eleven tracks of bilingual pop joy — if “Pan Dulce” doesn’t cause you to dance enough to burn off the calories gained by eating one of the Mexican pastries the song celebrates, I’ll be very surprised.
As for the refresh, Diaz says that after 10 years making music for kids, “it was time to make some change… All of the artists we admire — both musical and visual — change up their work from time to time. If we don’t change, then we might as well be bank tellers.”
Diaz cites his and Gaddis’ 3-year daughter Indiana Maven as an album inspiration. He says his now-15-year-old daughter Ella helped inspire the first albums, and now he’s again “inspired every day.” “We know [a song] works if she likes it.” And clearly life with a couple of natural performers has rubbed off on her — “We are raising a vaudevillian,” he says. “She has a massive bag of costumes, with many red dresses and now new shimmery silver clothes to go with our new look.”
Diaz also mentioned raising Indy (his daughter) bilingually, “constantly mixing [up] languages and code-switching.” Diaz also wrote some of the songs together with his mom — they, to, “switch back and forth from English to Spanish all the time.”
Finally, that cover — a world-premiere right here! — is courtesy of longtime Diaz collaborator Micah Player. Inspiration ideas include “outer space, with rocket ships, and The B-52 always.” Diaz goes to say, “I can’t even imagine creating an album without his involvement.” I think Lucky Diaz listeners will recognize their aesthetic immediately.
As for the photo below from Jeff Newton, Diaz says simply, “We were going for 'Jetsons meets Daft Punk,’ and I think we got there.”
I agree.
The Lucky Band. Photo by Jeff Newton
Photo by Jeff Newton.
