Ozomatli gets KYSR a.m. shift

The morning show at KYSR-FM (98.7) will soon be deeply eclectic -- and especially crowded in the studio. The six members of Grammy-winning L.A. band Ozomatli are taking over the rock station’s weekday morning shift as of 6 a.m. on Aug. 20.

The polyglot orchestra isn’t entirely new to radio. They started a Saturday-night show called “OzoLocal” on KYSR in January.

KYSR shifted last year to a youth-male oriented rock sound and, according to its website, the most-played artists in recent weeks include the Offspring, Seether, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace and Puddle of Mudd. Ozomatli saxophonist Uli Bella said Ozomatli would be “taking baby steps” as far as shaking up the playlist.

“We’re not used to having bosses,” he said Monday, chuckling. “We will play the stuff the station plays and then start expressing ourselves as it goes along. Some of our members will want to be playing some Qawwali from Pakistan or something. We’re going to have fun but we’re going to feel our way at first.”

Current morning host Lisa Foxx will shift to weekend duty.

-- Geoff Boucher