Karlos Paez born July 22, 1972 and raised in Tijuana, Mexico by his mother Refugio Mujica from Tecate, MX and Father Ezequiel Paez from El Recodo, Sinaloa. His father Ezequiel Paez is a world-renowned trombone player and musical arranger who spent 17 years in Los Moonlights from Tijuana and 10 years in La Banda El Recodo. Paez, Sr. still composes and arranges music for Banda El Recodo, Los Recoditos, La Arrolladora Banda Limon de Rene Camacho, Diana Reyes, Rey Sanchez, Nico Flores, Ezequiel Peña, Banda Astilleros, Banda el Recreo, Banda Carnaval, Pedro Infante, El Coyote, Patricia Navidad, Banda La Costeña, & Marisela.
 

While he was still in grammar school, Karlos heard the music of Bob Marley & Carlos Santana; he started playing guitar, trombone, trumpet, and began to write songs. He met the musicians that would become the first incarnation of The B*Side Players in an African Drumming class at Southwestern Community College in San Diego in 1994. “We were all playing with bands in the local funk, punk rock, and acid jazz scene in the early 90s,” Paez recalls. “When we started playing together, our sound was different because we brought an Afro-Latin edge to the music.”

Karlos Paez has recorded and collaborated with Akwid, Poncho Sanchez, DJ Dus, Fred Wesley, Big B, War, Asdru & Raul Pacheco of Ozomatli, Quetzal, Brian Jordan, Harold Todd, Mike Clark & The Headhunters, RYMO of Slightly Stoopid, P.O.D., DJ Unite, Elijah Emmanuel & The Revelations, Hyena & Gilbert Castellanos.

 

After 18 years, Karlos Paez is still touring and recording with the B*Side Players but has made time to produce and create many other musical projects. As the creator, lead singer and songwriter of Maiz, Chula Vista Soldier Club, Black Market Discipes, Sonido De La Frontera and Solrak and the New Aztec Empire, Karlos Paez celebrates his first solo record Music, Culture, Love. With the help of San Diego’s most talented musicians and producer/musician Bryan Stratman, the record delivers organic, soulful, cosmic grooves with conscious lyrics inspired by the MUSIC, CULTURE, and LOVE of Karlos Paez.