Local band Mama Llama reflects on the group's history ahead of their final show on Saturday

Mama Llama, a Spokane garage-jazz band, is preparing for its final show on Saturday after years of building momentum locally since 2019. The duo’s history traces back to Isaac Murcar (lead singer and pianist) and Austin Hagel (guitarist), who’ve known each other since middle school and became close friends in 2014 after joining a cover band. Through the pandemic they released music via livestreams, including performances from Hagel’s backyard and at Neato Burrito, as Murcar began writing songs alone before sending parts to the rest of the group. Their debut EP, “Who Would I Belong to if Not You,” arrived in early 2021. A 2023 album, “Who is Mama Llama,” was largely recorded live together, reflecting an experimental sound they call “garage jazz” or “frantic bossa nova,” with “The Mama Llama Movie” accompanying the release.