SPELLBOUND
Spellbound was formed in the mid 1990s by founding members Paul ‘Pablo’ Thomas (guitars, keyboards) and Bobby Moon (vocals, percussion) from Los Angeles, California. As award-winning songwriters and producers, the duo have been performing and producing critically-acclaimed albums for over two decades.
Spellbound's own brand of original music blends elements of 1970s Funk & Soul, 80s Sophisti-pop, and 90s Brazilian, Cuban & Latin Dance influences with socially-conscious lyrics. In 2000 Thomas & Moon gave up the idea of a permanent line-up and opted to record and perform with a revolving cast of known artists and musicians that have included Question Mark (? and the Mysterians), Cuban vocalist Candi Sosa, the late Artie "Mr. Flute" Webb, Roger Manning (Jellyfish), the late L.A. Salsa artist Johnny Polanco (whose last studio appearance is on Spellbound's 2015 "Pase La Voz" album), and many more.
Spellbound to this day continues producing albums on their own Selfish Recordings label. Some highlights from their catalog include 1999’s "Funqueros" (“a jewel of magnanimous proportions” -Campus Circle Vol.9 #14), 2007's "Poolside Fiesta," which spawned their first video, "Hot Sauce" and 2018's "The Main Hustle," which added guests Margaret Young (vocals), Scott Martin (saxes) and Blewfoot (drums). This album includes the stand-out track "Blues From Camp Fema," which continues to be a favorite on various Spotify Playlists. Other peak moments in Spellbound's career have included an opening slot at the Hollywood Bowl Summer Concert Series in July 2002 and playing the last infamous Sunset Junction Concert Series in 2010. Also, in 2008 Thomas and Moon achieved another milestone by acquiring their own recording facility, Tripsville Studio in Los Angeles. Tripsville has been home to not only Spellbound creations, but also solo and side projects, including, Candi Sosa’s “Faded Blue Jeans” (2012), Thomas & Moon’s MP3 single “Poison In Our Skies” (2014), Bobby Moon’s "Private Message" album (2020) and Pablo’s "Neutron City" (2023).
Now to the present moment. Summer 2023 marked the release of Spellbound’s newest and greatest musical accomplishment to date, "Especial!" Featuring 9 Original Fusion Epics written & produced by Thomas & Moon. With the addition of a new horn section Juan Carlos Villaquiran (Saxes), Brian Beukelman (Trumpet), Humberto Ruiz (Trombone) and the return of Candi Sosa (Vocals, Congas, Guiro, Claves & Maracas) to the line-up, this is Spellbound's most Sophisticated musical creation to date.