The Latin American collective Yerba Buena was organized by producer and multi-instrumentalist Andres Levin, a native Venezuelan who'd appeared on records by Marisa Monte, Arto Lindsay, Aterciopelados, and Tina Turner, as well as helming the critically acclaimed Fela Kuti tribute Red Hot + Riot. Yerba Buena arose from Levin's wish to bring together a band capable of melding forms old and new, learning from each other in the form of a school.