A mix of Celia Cruz salsa with James Brown funk, the beating heart of Tony and the Kings are seven ultra-talented members: Antonio Rivera (vocals, guitar, percussion) with Eddie Garcia Jr. (drums), Danny Naval (congas, percussion), Matt Pyatt (bass), Robert Smiley (sax), and Charles Gardner (keys).<\/p>\n
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Tony & The Kings performing live from the Grove.<\/p>\n
Screenshot \/ YouTube \/ Tiki Tumbao<\/p>\n
The collective was officially formed in 2022, but the musicians go way back. They had played together for years in different bands and eventually made the mutual decision to embark on a project of their own.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the coolest thing about this band,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cWe were all in agreement before we even started. We\u2019ve all been in bands where others are running the show and deciding what we\u2019re gonna do, but with us it\u2019s very collective.\u201d<\/p>\n
They have all individually toured around the world and have spent the past three years giving performances around the U.S. and Miami\u2019s most iconic venues, including the Arsht Center and at the SOMI Art Festival.<\/p>\n
For Tony and the Kings, there\u2019s nothing like performing at home<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Spanglish was a music genre it would be us,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cSo when we play outside of Miami, it\u2019s different. Here in the city, our genre clicks right away for people. They know exactly what we\u2019re doing, and that\u2019s when the dancing starts.\u201d<\/p>\n As musicians who were born and raised in Miami, they aim to create a night of giving back to the community with their upcoming show. The Gramps Getaway team partnered with the band to make it a free show for all.<\/p>\n Tony & The Kings performing at Zeyzey, an iconic Miami venue in Little Haiti.<\/p>\n Instagram \/ tonyandthekings<\/p>\n The detail makes it that much more valuable. Considering the iconic Gramps venue in Wynwood<\/a> is closing at the end of the year, Gramps Getaway has the potential to become a new spot for locals to enjoy fresh, new music.<\/p>\n \u201cGramps Getaway fits the vibe of our music well. It feels like more of a local Miami thing. Wynwood isn\u2019t as local as it used to be, so this venue feels like a good fit,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n Tony and the Kings have long covered songs in their own distinct style but have since begun to put out original music. The event will celebrate exactly this, serving as a release party for their upcoming single, \u201cSon Con Soul,\u201d which will be released under legendary Miami DJ Travis Acker\u2019s label Tiki Tumbao<\/a>.<\/p>\n Acker had been involved with the musicians even before they became their own band, which happened around the same time as he started the record label.<\/p>\n With Tiki Tumbao, Acker aims to mainly release music made by South Florida musicians, to cultivate and push out local artists.<\/p>\n Acker will be spinning vinyls for the opening set, which will also feature a performance by Lula Rios of Elastic Bond<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a special night. You\u2019re not only supporting a local act and community members, but also a newer spot that everyone could be going to,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n