Panama-born, Chicago-based drummer Daniel Villarreal is involved with myriad musical projects. He coleads the groups Dos Santos, Valebol, the Los Sundowns, and Ida y Vuelta; he’s collaborated extensively with grab-bag marching band Mucca Pazza, sibling duo Wild Belle, and soulful psych-pop singer Rudy De Anda; and he’s a familiar face on Pilsen’s DJ circuit. At the intersection of all those endeavors is his debut album, Panamá 77, released last May on International Anthem. Working with plenty of colleagues from his various projects, Villarreal cocomposed 11 lush, hypnotically motivic instrumental tracks, many of which undulate with psychedelic organs and synths.
Villarreal’s affinity for the organ runs deep: his father was an organist in a touring conjunto band, and it was the first instrument Villarreal learned as a boy. (“Patria,” the only cover tune on the album, was written by Panamanian organist Avelino Muñoz, whose family taught Villarreal’s father.) But Villarreal dedicated Panamá 77 to his late grandmother Ofelia De León, who helped raise him while his parents worked in nearby Panama City. She’s the namesake of the album’s second song, which is buoyed by surfy solos from guitarist Nathan Karagianis (a Dos Santos colleague) and an organ groove by Cole DeGenova (who’s also collaborated with a long list of artists, including Chance the Rapper, Lupe Fiasco, and Meshell Ndegeocello).
For this show, Villarreal will be joined by Danjuma Gaskin on congas and the same musicians who recorded “Ofelia” and “Patria”: DeGenova on keys, Karagianis on guitar, and Gordon Walters on bass. As they did at the Panamá 77 release show at Thalia Hall last July, the quintet will play the record in its entirety with help from a few surprise guests.
Daniel Villareal Thu 2/2, 7:30 PM, SPACE, 1245 Chicago, Evanston, IL, $15-$22, all ages