The Latin Dead first emerged as a collective during our March, 2022 inaugural recording session at United Studios in Los Angeles. After two years of incubation, our idea of fusing the Grateful Dead’s music with Latin Jazz was realized when we brought together the minds of Musical Arranger/Producer Oscar Hernandez (Spanish Harlem Orchestra, founder), Vocalist/Guitarist John Kadlecik (Dark Star Orchestra, co-founder), and a slew of the worlds greatest musicians to reimagine, and reexamine the repertoire of the Grateful Dead.

With arrangements from Hernandez himself, Marty Sheller, Angel Fernandez and others, our adaptations of the Dead’s music venture into various Latin styles. It’s a natural progression as both music’s are polyrhythmic, danceable, syncopated, improvisatory and melodic.

Our ten-piece ensemble is based in Southern California, also drawing musicians from New York. Contributors currently include a pair of vocalists (Santana singer Andy Vargas and guitarist John Kadlecik, formerly of Dark Star Orchestra, Furthur, and currently of Melvin Seals & JGB), a brass section trio (Pete Nater, trumpet; Francisco Torres , trombone; Katisse Buckingham, Sax & Flute), drummer Andy Sanesi, percussionists Charlie Chavez & Brenden Tacon, bassist Rene Camacho, and bandleader Oscar Hernandez on piano.

The Latin Dead was conceptualized with a vision of playing for both Latin audiences, and the Grateful Dead / Jam Band community at large. We aim to introduce the music of each respective culture to the other — live on stage — with intriguing, unique combinations of the world’s greatest performers, pushing the music forward and beyond the boundaries of any one genre.

The Latin Dead is currently booking shows through 2023.