The band invited Palmieri, the legendary Latin jazz and salsa pianist, to play on Nade Te Tira, where his gorgeous solo piano lines set off a round of horn-blasted salsa fusion. Along with Palmieri, Hakmoun, Les Yeux Noirs, Chali 2na, and the Prague Symphony (who grace three tracks), Ozomatli are also joined by Los Lobos singer-guitarist David Hidalgo (Santiago) and the band's original DJ, Cut Chemist (Dejame en Paz). There's also the band's new MC (Jabu, formerly of 4th Avenue Jones) and guest drummer, Mario Calire (formerly of The Wallflowers).

Throw in a board mixologist who's worked with everyone from Justin Timberlake and NERD to Michael Jackson and Prince (Serben Ghenea), and engineers who've collaborated with the likes of Beck, Santana, Jack Johnson, and Cypress Hill (Robert Carranza and Anton Pukshansky), and you get what is easily the band's most vibrant and ambitious project to date.

"After eight years of being together," explains tenor saxophonist Ulises Bella, "our overall comfort level with ourselves and with our playing has really grown. The songs venture off to a lot of different areas. That's the beauty of Ozomatli, being able to do things really differently than everyone else."

Street Signs is both a mature testament to the band's nearly decade-long evolution and a fresh, dance floor-rocking reminder of their commitment to creating original music in the face of industry conservatism. "Saturday Night" is a "dip-dive-socialize" hip-hop block party. "Love & Hope" is an anthem waiting to happen with its English-language mix of Arabic strings and new-school Chicano funk-rock. "Dejame En Paz" is a papi chulo merengue fest that boils over into the mosh pit. The band even re-mixes itself (with the help of Ghenea and John Hanes) on "Ya Viene El Sol," turning its soaring concert sing-a-long into a piece of DJ heaven; a broken-beat electro cut-up of dancehall, batucada, and jarocho.

"Since we started, our perspectives have changed as our lives have changed," says Bella. "We just trust each other more now. Everyone gives everyone the space we all need. This band did not start, at all, to get a record deal. It started out of love for the music we made, and that's exactly where we still are."