They make music that makes people want to dance — or “Get up and love somebody,” as lead singer and guitarist Aaron Ross calls it. Whether breaking into song and dance on the streets of Paris, storming stages with Congolese musicians in Brussels, playing to thousands at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival or serenading abuelitas in South America, the charming sextet is able to reach across cultural barriers and connect with people of all stripes, on levels equally rhythmic and emotional.

The video for their 2007 feel-good party anthem “When the Night” made it to #6 on the Much More Music countdown in 2008, and was optioned for a recent episode of 90210. “Delivered”, a surreal banjo ballad that conjures up images of a jungle river baptism, earned them the award for Best Roots Song at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards, which are judged by the world’s largest independent music organization.

Founding members Aaron Ross and Geordie Hart are lifelong friends who formed their first band in fifth grade. They discovered their mutual passion for Latin music and culture during a musical odyssey through Cuba and Mexico as 20-year-olds — so much so that many of Ross’ viscerally poetic lyrics are written and sung in Spanish. Recently, African influences have begun to make their way into the Boom Booms’ groovy stew.

The group’s many influences include the Buena Vista Social Club, Gregory Isaacs, The Budos Band, Manu Chao, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Damian Marley, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Ray LaMontagne, Tabu ley Rochereau and Paul Simon.

Their latest album, ¡Hot Rum!, is fresh on the market after a year in the pipeline. It can be purchased at a competitive price on iTunes. Aaron Ross’ previous release, Butterfly Man (2007), is also available on iTunes.


The Boom Booms are:

Aaron Ross - vocals and Latin-friendly nylon guitar
Geordie Hart - stand-up, sit-down and strap-on bass
Sean Ross - vocals + ukulele + cavacino
Tom Van Deursen - black, sexy electric guitar
Theo Vincent - ragin’ percussion + drumkit
Richard Brinkman - drums that he keeps deep in his pocket.