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El Chicano
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
El Chicano was an American brown-eyed soul group from Los Angeles, California, whose style incorporated various modern music genres including rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz, and salsa.[1] The group's name came from the word Chicano, a term for United States citizens of typically Mexican descent.
Key Information
History
[edit]El Chicano, originally formed by Freddie Sanchez under the name The VIP's arose during a period of increasing Chicano consciousness in America. Their initial hit, "Viva Tirado", was a jazzy soul rock rendition of Gerald Wilson's original song about a bullfighter. The song did very well on Los Angeles radio and remained #1 for thirteen straight weeks. Other notable tracks recorded by El Chicano are the funky "Tell Her She's Lovely" as well as a cover of Van Morrison's 1967 hit "Brown Eyed Girl".
Original members of El Chicano include Bobby Espinosa, Freddie Sanchez, Mickey Lespron, Andre Baeza, and John De Luna. The lead singer for some years was Ersi Arvizu. During the 1970s, new members Rudy Regalado, Max Garduno, Danny Lamonte, Brian Magness, Jerry Salas, and Joe Pererria joined the group.[1]
On their 1970 album Viva Tirado the group covered Herbie Hancock's jazz standard "Cantaloupe Island". The song was one of nine on the album, which included the hit single "Viva Tirado" that went gold.
El Chicano continues to be active with a combination of original and new members. They performed on the 2009 PBS pledge break special, Trini Lopez Presents 'The Legends of Latin Rock' , along with Thee Midniters, Tierra, and Gregg Rolie (of Santana and Journey).[1]
Latin percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr., formerly of Santana,[2] recorded with the band from 2010 to 2012.[3]
Original keyboardist Bobby Espinosa ‒ noted for playing Hammond organ on some El Chicano tracks ‒ died on February 27, 2010.[4] Former percussionist Rudy Regalado, who spent twelve years with the band, died on November 4, 2010.[5]
Members
[edit]- Ersi Arvizu, lead vocals – 1970
- Eddie Avila, drums (2010–present)
- Andre Baeza, congas – 1970
- John De Luna, drums – 1970
- Bobby Espinosa, organ – 1970; died February 27, 2010
- Max Garduno, congas
- Danny Lamonte, drums
- Mickey Lespron, guitar – 1970
- Brian Magness, bass
- Joe Perreria, bass
- Rudy Regalado, timbales – joined c. 1971; died November 4, 2010
- Walfredo "Wally" Reyes, Jr., drums, congas (2010–2012)
- Joseph Baeza, congas (2011–2013); died October 18, 2016
- David "Chango" Chavez, congas (2015–present)
- Jerry Salas, lead vocals, guitar – joined in 1973
- Rudy Salas, vocals – 1970; died December 29, 2020
- Steve Salas, vocals – 1970; died February 10, 2022
- Freddie Sanchez, bass – 1970 [6][7][8][9]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]| Year 1970 and 1971 | Title El Chicano - Sounds Like The Navy Live | US[10] | US R&B[10] |
US Jazz[10] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Viva Tirado | 51
|
19
|
8
|
| 1971 | Revolución | 178
|
—
|
17
|
| 1972 | Celebration | 173
|
—
|
—
|
| 1973 | El Chicano | 162
|
—
|
—
|
| 1974 | Cinco | 194
|
—
|
—
|
| 1975 | The Best of Everything | —
|
—
|
—
|
| 1976 | Pyramid of Love and Friends | —
|
—
|
—
|
| 1998 | Painting the Moment | —
|
—
|
—
|
Main singles
[edit]| Year | Title | US[10] | US R&B[10] |
Easy Listening[11] | AUS[12] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | "Viva Tirado – Part I" | 28
|
20
|
10
|
—
|
| "Eleanor Rigby" | 115
|
—
|
—
|
—
| |
| 1971 | "Cubano Chant" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| 1972 | "Brown Eyed Girl" | 45
|
—
|
—
|
87
|
| "Satisfy Me Woman" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
| |
| 1973 | "Last Tango in Paris" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| "Tell Her She's Lovely" | 40
|
98
|
22
|
54
| |
| 1975 | "Baretta's Theme" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| 1983 | "Do You Want Me" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| 1984 | "Let Me Dance with You" | —
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "El Chicano Music : Official Website". Elchicanomusic.com.
- ^ Santana: Sacred Fire, Live in Mexico (DVD video). Island Def Jam Music Group. 1993. OCLC 47982489.
- ^ "Walfredo Reyes Jr.: Photos". Walfredo Reyes, Jr. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ "CRN-live.com El Chicano band member joins elite group in Rock and Roll Heaven". Archived from the original on July 29, 2012.
- ^ Moncada, Les (November 7, 2010). "Latin Rock Timbalero Rudy Regalado Dies at 67". Worldmusiccentral.org.
- ^ World Music Central November 7, 2010
- Larry Chavana, bass (1981–1984)
- ^ LA Music Awards Jerry Salas
- ^ Mark Guerrero El Chicano: Latin Rock Pioneers by Mark Guerrero
- ^ The Cuban History.com WALFREDO REYES, Jr. Musician, “Santana” conga drum player. (born in Havana) ** Walfredo Reyes, Jr. músico, congas. (nacido en La Habana)
- ^ a b c d e "Awards by El Chicano". Allmusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 85.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 62. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
External links
[edit]- El Chicano discography at Discogs
- El Chicano at IMDb
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
El Chicano
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
El Chicano was an American Chicano rock and brown-eyed soul band formed in East Los Angeles in the late 1960s by bassist and leader Freddie Sanchez, originally under the name The VIP's.[1][2] The group, featuring key members such as keyboardist and vocalist Bobby Espinosa, guitarist Mickey Lespron, and percussionists Rudy Regalado and Andre Baeza, pioneered a fusion of rock, funk, jazz, blues, soul, and Afro-Cuban salsa influences that resonated deeply within Mexican-American communities.[3][1]
Their breakthrough came with the 1970 instrumental single "Viva Tirado," an adaptation of a Gerald Wilson jazz composition, which peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the R&B chart, earning a gold record certification.[3][1] Signed to Kapp Records and later MCA, El Chicano released over a dozen albums between 1970 and 1985, including Viva Tirado (1970), Revolución (1971), and El Chicano (1973), while achieving five gold records, a 1970 Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Performance, and recognition as Billboard and Cashbox's top jazz group that year.[1][2] As the first Chicano band to perform at the Apollo Theater in 1970, they played a defining role in shaping Latin rock's early sound, drawing parallels to contemporaries like Santana and influencing subsequent generations of Latino musicians through their emphasis on cultural heritage and rhythmic innovation.[1][3]
Formation and Early Development
Roots in East Los Angeles
In the late 1960s, East Los Angeles hosted a burgeoning Latin music scene characterized by the fusion of rhythm and blues with Mexican-American cultural elements, including echoes of pachuco boogie traditions and the rhythmic styles associated with lowrider gatherings.[4][5] This environment, often termed the Eastside Sound, emerged from local venues and community events where bands experimented with soul-infused grooves tailored to the tastes of working-class Mexican-American youth.[6] El Chicano originated within this milieu, initially coalescing as a group that reflected the spontaneous, venue-driven performances common in neighborhood halls and car club meetups, prioritizing instrumental dexterity over lyrical narrative.[7] The scene's influences drew from broader Latin jazz and rock fusions, with local acts adapting R&B harmonies to incorporate conga rhythms and brass flourishes, fostering a distinct brown-eyed soul variant that emphasized emotional ballads and danceable instrumentals.[8] Verifiable community events, such as East LA revues and sock hops, served as proving grounds for these hybrids, where bands honed sets blending Motown-inspired vocals with tropical percussion, often without formal industry backing.[9] This grassroots experimentation arose organically from the area's dense Mexican-American population, which by the 1960s exceeded 80% in key Eastside neighborhoods, enabling self-sustaining networks of musicians through familial ties, shared venues, and informal collaborations rather than reliance on external promoters or subsidies.[6] Such demographic concentration facilitated causal pathways for musical innovation, as concentrated talent pools in under-resourced communities incentivized internal resource pooling—rehearsing in garages, pooling equipment, and performing at quinceañeras or lowrider cruises—to cultivate proficiency without broader institutional support.[4] This self-reliance mirrored the era's lowrider subculture, where customized vehicles and synchronized music selections underscored communal ingenuity, directly informing the percussive drive and harmonic layering that defined emerging groups like El Chicano.[8]Founding Members and Initial Sound
The core founding members of El Chicano included Bobby Espinosa on keyboards and organ, Freddie Sanchez on bass, Mickey Lespron on guitar, Andre Baeza on percussion, and John De Luna on drums, with the group evolving from the earlier East Los Angeles ensemble The V.I.P.s, which formed around 1965.[10][7] Ersi Arvizu contributed as an early lead vocalist, adding vocal elements to the instrumental core during initial development.[11][12] In early 1969, the members began focused rehearsals in Los Angeles, adopting the name "El Chicano" to evoke Mexican-American ethnic identity through their musical output, distinct from broader political connotations.[7][13] This rebranding from The V.I.P.s emphasized their roots in local Chicano scene experiences, prioritizing organic genre fusion over explicit activism.[14] The band's initial sound emerged from experimentation blending rock structures, jazz improvisation—particularly Espinosa's Hammond B-3 organ tones and Lespron's Wes Montgomery-inspired guitar phrasing—Latin percussion rhythms from Baeza, and soul-funk grooves influenced by prior East L.A. groups like Thee Midniters.[7][15] These elements stemmed directly from the founders' collective background in regional R&B and Latin-infused acts, fostering a mid-tempo, instrumental-heavy style that highlighted rhythmic interplay and organ-driven leads without rigid adherence to any single genre.[10][16]Rise to Prominence
Breakthrough with Viva Tirado
El Chicano released their debut album Viva Tirado in 1970 on MCA Records, following a deal secured after generating local buzz in East Los Angeles.[13] [1] The self-titled instrumental track, a cover of jazz composer Gerald Wilson's earlier composition honoring a Mexican bullfighter, propelled the band to national attention through unsolicited radio airplay on stations picking up the record organically.[17] [18] This single, released as "Viva Tirado - Part I," debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 11, 1970, climbed to a peak position of number 28 on May 23, 1970, and remained on the chart for nine weeks.[19] [20] The album's recording emphasized the band's fusion of Latin rhythms—including mambo influences—with rock instrumentation, horns, organ, and percussion, capturing their East L.A.-rooted sound without external producers dictating the process.[21] This approach highlighted self-directed production, drawing from Wilson's original big-band jazz framework while adapting it for a rock-oriented ensemble.[22] The track's structure featured driving conga patterns, electric guitar riffs, and brass accents, contributing to its crossover appeal on both Latin and pop radio formats.[23] The immediate commercial impact established Viva Tirado as a landmark instrumental hit led by a Chicano band, succeeding on musical execution amid a landscape dominated by vocal-driven rock and soul acts, rather than engineered marketing tied to ethnic identity.[7] Its chart performance reflected broad listener engagement, evidenced by sustained weeks on the Hot 100 and regional dominance in Los Angeles markets prior to national spread.[24] This breakthrough underscored the viability of genre-blending Latin rock without reliance on lyrical narratives or political framing.[25]Expansion and Touring
Following the breakthrough success of their 1970 debut album Viva Tirado, which achieved gold status and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200, El Chicano expanded their reach through intensive touring that propelled them from regional East Los Angeles gigs to national stages.[1][7] The band's live performances capitalized on the instrumental's radio airplay, fostering word-of-mouth buzz that secured bookings at prominent venues and festivals across the United States.[7] In 1970, El Chicano marked key milestones in their national expansion by performing at the 9th Annual Ohio Valley Jazz Festival on August 15 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, showcasing their appeal to broader jazz and rock audiences.[26] That same year, they became the first Chicano band to headline the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, a venue synonymous with breakthrough acts, which underscored their crossover viability and drew diverse crowds attuned to the energetic interplay of their horn-driven sets.[1][7] These outings, supported by MCA Records' ongoing contract that facilitated subsequent releases like Revolución in 1971 and Celebration in 1972, linked high-energy live shows directly to sustained fan engagement, as evidenced by repeat bookings and growing attendance without reliance on promotional subsidies.[3] By 1971-1972, the band's touring circuit had broadened to include appearances with established artists such as Stevie Wonder and Santana, amplifying their visibility through shared bills at major halls and outdoor events.[1] This period's empirical success—reflected in consistent venue upgrades and festival slots—highlighted market-driven demand for their performances, where audience turnout and post-show acclaim via radio requests reinforced their trajectory independent of institutional backing.[7]Musical Style and Contributions
Genre Blending and Innovations
El Chicano pioneered a synthesis of Latin percussion-driven rhythms with jazz improvisation, rock guitar structures, and soul-inflected grooves, distinguishing their sound from contemporaneous pure salsa ensembles or straight-ahead rock bands. This fusion is evident in their adaptation of Gerald Wilson's 1962 jazz composition "Viva Tirado," reimagined as a 1970 instrumental hit featuring congas, timbales, and horns propelling a mid-tempo groove alongside electric guitar riffs and Hammond B-3 organ solos.[7][3] The track's structure layers Afro-Cuban-derived percussion patterns with Wes Montgomery-inspired jazz guitar phrasing, creating rhythmic density that prioritized groove extension over strict dance metrics typical of Tito Puente-influenced mambo or cha-cha arrangements.[27] Innovations in their approach included rhythmic layering techniques, where Latin clave patterns interlocked with rock backbeats and funk basslines, enabling prolonged improvisational sections that expanded beyond standard verse-chorus forms. For instance, "Viva Tirado" sustains a hypnotic pulse through interlocking conga and timbale fills, allowing organ and guitar to trade extended solos— a departure from the tighter big-band jazz of Wilson's original or the riff-dominated rock of East LA contemporaries like Cannibal & the Headhunters.[18] This method amplified Latin elements via electric instrumentation for arena-scale appeal, empirically broadening Chicano music's reach as evidenced by the single's No. 28 Billboard Hot 100 peak in 1970, contrasting with niche salsa recordings' limited crossover.[7] The band's genre blending also incorporated soul vocals in later works, blending bilingual phrasing with horn charts reminiscent of R&B horn sections, yet rooted in East Los Angeles' cultural hybridity rather than Detroit's Motown formula. Such techniques empirically set El Chicano apart by fostering causal interplay between percussion-led propulsion and melodic freedom, influencing subsequent Latin rock acts without diluting ethnic specificity.[28][3]Signature Elements and Techniques
El Chicano's sound was defined by the prominent role of the Hammond B3 organ, played by Bobby Espinosa, which provided swirling, bluesy tones that anchored their Latin rock fusion.[1] This instrument's versatile drawbar settings allowed for layered textures blending jazz improvisation with rock drive, as evident in tracks like those on their 1971 album Revolución, where it intertwined with guitar lines to create a jazzed-up psychedelic edge.[29] Complementing the organ were bold horn sections, featuring trumpets and saxophones that delivered punchy, melodic brass riffs, enhancing the band's rhythmic propulsion without overpowering the core groove.[30][28] Percussion elements formed another hallmark, with congas, timbales, and trap kit drums layered to produce dense, infectious Latin grooves that evoked traditional Mexican rhythms fused with funk and soul influences.[7][31] In performance and recordings, these were arranged to maintain a mid-tempo pulse, as in their instrumental hit "Viva Tirado," where the percussion's fiery interplay supported extended solos, contributing to the band's technical craftsmanship in balancing complexity with accessibility.[7] Vocal contributions, when present, featured soulful leads with tight harmonies and occasional bilingual phrasing in English and Spanish, reflecting the Mexican-American musicians' natural cultural bilingualism rather than performative elements.[28] This approach integrated phrasing seamlessly into the melodic structure, as heard in songs with Spanish-titled tracks like "Ahora Si," prioritizing musical flow over thematic messaging.[32]Band Lineup
Core Original Members
The core original members of El Chicano, drawn from the East Los Angeles group initially known as the V.I.P.s, consisted of Freddie Sanchez on bass and vocals, Mickey Lespron on guitar, Andre Baeza on congas, John De Luna on drums, and Bobby Espinosa on organ and vocals, with the lineup solidifying around 1965 and recording their debut album in this configuration.[7][13] Sanchez founded the precursor group and provided foundational bass lines that anchored the band's rhythmic drive, blending Latin and funk elements for commercial appeal.[1][33] Espinosa, joining in 1965, contributed organ work and vocals while handling production, arrangement, and composition duties that shaped the band's early sound, emphasizing jazz-infused Latin rock cohesion.[34][35] Lespron's guitar playing drew from Wes Montgomery-style leads, adding atmospheric jazz flecks that enhanced the ensemble's melodic texture.[7] Baeza's congas and De Luna's drums supplied the percussive pulse rooted in Afro-Cuban influences, enabling the group's tight, talent-driven unity that propelled their breakthrough.[7][13] This original quintet's instrumental proficiency and collaborative synergy fostered a distinctive Chicano rock identity, prioritizing empirical musical fusion over stylistic fragmentation.Lineup Changes and Stability
Following the initial success of their early albums, El Chicano experienced several personnel shifts in the 1970s as the band expanded its sound and touring commitments. In 1973, vocalist and guitarist Jerry Salas joined the group, providing lead vocals for the hit single "Tell Her She's Lovely" from their self-titled album El Chicano, which reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.[33][1] Other additions during this decade included timbalero Rudy Regalado, conguero Max Garduno, drummer Danny Lamonte, and bassist Brian Magness, reflecting adaptations to sustain momentum amid growing popularity.[7] These changes introduced fresh dynamics but maintained the band's Latin rock fusion, with core instrumentalists like organist Bobby Espinosa and bassist Freddie Sanchez anchoring continuity.[7] After a period of reduced activity following their 1985 album You Baby, El Chicano reunited in the late 1990s, culminating in the 1998 release of Painting the Moment on Thump Records. This project featured the return of original guitarist Mickey Lespron and organist Bobby Espinosa, alongside Sanchez, marking a deliberate effort to recapture the band's heritage after over two decades of separation.[36] The album's production emphasized instrumental tracks and salsa-influenced pieces, demonstrating resilience through selective reunions rather than full-time operations.[37] The band's longevity stemmed from the steadfast involvement of founders like Freddie Sanchez, who assumed leadership after Espinosa's death in 2010 and Regalado's passing later that year, enabling occasional performances and recordings into the 2000s.[1] This core commitment, independent of commercial pressures, allowed sporadic activity—such as festival appearances—without rigid lineups, prioritizing musical integrity over constant personnel flux.[7] By the 2010s, Sanchez continued steering a rotating ensemble, preserving El Chicano's essence amid inevitable transitions.[1]Discography
Studio Albums
El Chicano's debut studio album, Viva Tirado, was released in 1970 on Kapp Records, peaking at number 51 on the Billboard 200 chart and remaining on the chart for 17 weeks.[38] The band followed with a prolific series of releases on MCA Records, including Revolución in 1971, Celebration in 1972, El Chicano in 1973, and Cinco in 1974.[7] Between 1970 and 1985, El Chicano issued ten albums through MCA Records (including the Kapp debut under its umbrella), reflecting consistent output driven by the core members' instrumental and compositional talents without reliance on major external production shifts.[1] Later studio efforts included Painting the Moment in 1998 on Thump Records, marking a return after an extended hiatus.[37]| Album | Release Year | Label | Peak Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viva Tirado | 1970 | Kapp/MCA | 51 (Billboard 200)[38] |
| Revolución | 1971 | MCA | - |
| Celebration | 1972 | MCA | - |
| El Chicano | 1973 | MCA | - |
| Cinco | 1974 | MCA | - |
| Painting the Moment | 1998 | Thump | - |