Sounds normally associated with Los Angeles: The whirl of helicopters, the
      shrill of police sirens, the blaring of car horns. But that's all hype and
      Hollywood. There is another sound that fills the streets of this sprawling
      urban Mecca and it's an amalgamation of hip-shaking Latin rhythms,
      bass-heavy hip-hop beats, streetwise rock riffs, and funky soul grooves.
      Even a gorgeous redirection of wind can be heard weaving its way through
      the organized chaos, calming its paroxysmal energy. Collectively, that
      sound is called Fredalba.

      "Los Angeles is such a big part of what our music is, not unlike the Chili
      Peppers or Ozomatli," says singer-Fredalba visionary Eric Balfour. "There
      are so many influences here, from punk to Latin to rock to electro, that
      shapes who we are as musicians. This city shapes our style in every way. I
      wanted our sound to be L.A."

      Uptown Music for Downtown Kids, Fredalba's Piller Records debut, could not
      be the product of any other landscape. Fredalba has pulled off the unique
      feat of sounding like something as abstract as a city with convincing
      clarity. The sextet's seamless merging of sounds and cultures into one
      coherent and focused style is the product of a longstanding vision held
      dear to Balfour's heart from a very young age. "I grew up in an
      environment where the artist was held at the highest pinnacle," remembers
      Balfour. "To create art and create music – that was one of the most
      respected things you could do. That shaped a lot of how I view the world
      and had a lot to do with me wanting to become a singer."

      Fredalba grew out of that vision. Assembled over time through friends of
      friends, the band converged through a common love of music, culture, and
      energy. That recipe has birthed Uptown Music, a sonic companion to
      Possibility Through Positivity – the band's credo. "This band is about raw
      energy," says Balfour. "And bringing it to you when you see us live so it
      inspires you and it motivates you to get up, move, and do something."

      Rough and tumble rock tracks ("Storm"), urban hymns ("Uptown Music"), and
      soaring anthems ("Shine") insure that Uptown Music flows freely through
      Fredalba's world of hip-hop, rock, and Latin rhythms, but it’s the flute
      crisscrossing this beautiful union that truly sets the band apart. "Eric
      was interested in what it would sound like," says flautist Charmian
      Callon. "We had no idea if it would sound good, but it sounded really
      great. I think it opens a lot of people's eyes and ears to a new vibe. Of
      course, anybody in the jazz and classical world is familiar with the
      flute, but the majority of the population is not. A lot of times when they
      see it in a rock band, they are skeptical. But they are always pleasantly
      surprised."

      As will all those that enter Fredalba's world: An eclectic mix of sonic
      art and culture corralled into a funky, energetic burst of uplifting
      might. Just like…chicken? "For me, chicken is chicken," says Balfour. "It
      just depends on what you put on it. Ours is definitely a sweet, tangy
      barbeque sauce that's a little bit spicy and has a really good after
      taste."

      Eric Balfour
      Vocals

      Tiffin "ROOSTER" Roley
      Guitars

      Blair Shotts
      Drums
      Charmian Callon
      Flute, Keyboards

      Paul Trutner
      Bass

      Grady Reinagle
      Turntables