EASTSIDE BANDS - THE LEGGERIORS

From Los Angeles, California, The Leggeriors were another Eastside band in the early 1960's

Members Of The Group:

Sal Padilla (guitar)

Bobby Hernandez (lead guitar)

Johnny Gonzales (vocals)

Ernie Castillo (vocals)

Richard Bernal

Danny Dominguez (drums)

Frank Uballez (drums)

Frank "Burns" Quemada (bass)

Phil Ruiz (tenor)

Hector Contreras (piano)

In 1963 they recorded "Flame Of Love" and "Justine" which were released on the Goliath label

(Goliath 1351)

"Flame Of Love" had been recorded by the Los Angeles vocal group, The Atlantics which featured a young Barry White. "Justine" was a Don & Dewey song they recorded in 1958.

There is a recent video of Sal Padilla perfrming in Riverside, California which you may view here:

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

EASTSIDE BANDS - THE BLUE SATINS

THE BLUE SATINS

Eastside band, The Blue Satins hailed from the North East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights, California.

The band members were:

Mike Gomez (vocals)

Louie Lopez (vocals)

Pete Ventura

Raul Suarez (lead guitar)

Frank Estrella

Frank Mezquita (bass guitar)

Bobby Loya (trumpet)

Charles Lueras (sax)

Robert Perez (sax)

John Betancourt (drums)

From 1963 to 1967 The Blue Satins were one of the hottest bands on the Eastside scene. They performed at some of the biggest venues and dances all over Southern California.They performed on many of the local television shows including 9th Street West, Shebang, and the Lloyd Thaxton Show. A deal was in the works for a spot on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and a recording contract was also in the works when members of the band as so many of the Eastside bands were called to serve their country in the armed forces.

In 1963 the group recorded "You Don't Know Me" and "My Wife Can't Cook" for the Scarlet label

(Scarlet 501)

Both songs are covers. "You Don't Know Me" was a big hit for Ray Charles and "My Wife Can't Cook" was a hit for Lonnie Russ.

You May Listen To The Blue Satins "You Don't Know Me" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCBmuq_N3tE

You May LIsten To The Blue Satins "My Wife Can't Cook" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHsyck4HJ4


You May Listen To The Blue Satins singing "Help Yourself" at the Salesian High School Rock & Roll Show Here:

The Blue Satins on television Spanish language station KMEX-TV

In 2004 the band reunited & performed at the Fairplex Sheraton Suites in Pomona, CA. The band put out a compact disc entitled "Blue Satins - Revisited"

The band does an excellent job on Frankie & Johnny's Eastside classic "My First Love" and is worth buying the CD for this track alone.

When I last received an e-mail from Frank Mezquita there were still copies available. If you are interested in the CD please visit this wesite:

http://www.latinofestival.com/thebluesatinsband/thebluesatinseventpage.htm

or send Frank an e-mail at lapdfrank@aol.com

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

VINYL CLASSICS - RITCHIE VALENS

Ritchie Valens (see my post Eastside Legends - Ritchie Valens) was the first major star of the Eastside Sound. He was also the first to record an album.

Discovered by producer/label owner Bob Keane, Ritchie entered Gold Star Studios in July 1958 to record some songs he had demoed for Keane. The result was a twelve track masterpiece showing the versatility and different styles of Ritchie's musical talent.

The album was released in March, 1959, one month after Ritchie's tragic death on Del-Fi Records (Del-Fi 1201). The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard album charts.

Four singles were released from the album including the double-sided smash "La Bamba" and "Donna"

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!


Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

VINYL CLASSICS - THE ROMANCERS - LET'S DO THE SWIM

On the strength of the success of their first album "Do The Slauson", The Romancers went back into the Del-Fi studios and cut a second instrumental album entitled "Let's Do The Swim". The Swim was another 60's dance craze made popular by Bobby Freeman.

Max Uballez and his band mates recorded twelve instrumental tracks which were release on Del-Fi's Selma label in 1963 (Selma 1501).

The Romancers became know as one of East L.A.'s premier dance bands and would go on to record five vocal singles for Eddie Davis' Linda Records.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

VINYL CLASSICS - THE ROMANCERS - DO THE SLAUSON

The Slauson was a popular dance on the Eastside in the early 1960's. The r&b group, The Olympics and Round Robin had their own Slauson dance records.

Due to legal issues with Magic Circle Records, Max Uballez, leader of The Romancers wrote an instrumental song, "Slauson Shuffle". From their a five hour recording session yield the twelve tracks released by Del-Fi Records in 1962. The album was entitled "Do The Slauson" (Del-Fi 1245).

The band members were:

Max Uballez (rhythm guitar)

Andy Tesso (lead guitar)

                                                              Chris Pascual (bass)
                                                        Manuel Mosqueda (drums)
                                                            Armando Mora (tenor sax)

The instrumental tracks feature a solid "chunka chunka" rhythm guitar and an innovative lead on the Fender Telecaster. Add to that an excellent tenor sax and you have a strong & steady sound. "Slauson Shuffle" and "All Aboard" were released as a single (Del-Fi 4225). "Huggies Bunnies" "Patricia" and "Mint Julep" are cover versions.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical and educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

EASTSIDE BANDS - THE ROMANCERS

EDITOR'S NOTE:

My most sincere gratitude goes out to Max Uballez for correcting some of the text & helping me get the story right. Max is working on a  Romancers compilation CD scheduled for release in the coming months.
For more information on Max, The Romancers and CD releases please visit his site by following this link.

http://makzrecords.com

Early Group:

Max Uballez (guitar, vocals)
Richard Provincio (guitar)
Andy Tesso (guitar)
Manuel "Magoo" Rodriguez (bass, vocals)
Chris Pascual (bass, vocals)
David Brill (drums)
Manuel Mosqueda (drums)
Joe Whiteman (sax)
Armando Mora (sax)
Bobby Marty (sax)
David Bajorquez (sax)
Jimmy Pascual (guitar)

Linda Records group:

Max Uballez (guitar, vocals)
Bobby Hernandez (guitar, vocals)
Manuel "Magoo" Rodriguez (bass, vocals)
Ralph Ventura (sax, trumpet & vocals)
Manuel Mosqueda (drums, vocals)
Cesar Valverde (sax)
Johnny Diaz (guitar & vocals)

The Romancers were the first East L.A. band  to record an album and were a huge influence on the Eastside Sound from the early to mid 1960's. They were also the first East L.A. band to work with the team of Billy Cardenas & Eddie Davis.

The early members of the group lived in the Lincoln Heights district of East Los Angeles and they attended Lincoln High School. The Romancers met Billy Cardenas when Billy asked the band to perform at a party at Billy's home. Billy took an immediate liking to the group and especially lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Max Uballez who sounded very much like Ritchie Valens.

Billy called Bob Keane (Del-Fi/Donna Records) who had recorded Ritchie Valens and got Max an audition. There, Max Uballez recorded a song he was working on called "You'd Better" For some reason Keane decided not to release it or perhaps took too long in deciding so Billy took Max & The Romancers to Magic Circle Records in Santa Monica, CA and re-recorded the tune. The promotion man at Magic Circle decided to use the name Maximilian on the single's release. The song got immediate airplay on radio station KFWB.

Released in 1962, Maximilian 'You'd Better" with rocker, "Butterball" (written by Billy Cardenas) on the Magic Circle label (Magic Circle 4226).

Bob Keane decided he wanted to keep Max on his label so Billy & Max returned to Del-Fi where Max cut two tracks released under the name Max Uballes on his Donna label (Donna 1377) in 1962 "Rock Little Darlin' is a Ritchie Valens tune. "Shirley" is a teen sound & was written by Jimmy Foster who also recorded the tune for Del-Fi.

The release of this record caused legal problems with Magic Circle and Max was unable to record as a vocalist because of the contract his mother had signed.

This prompted Max to write two instrumentals "Slauson Shuffle" and "All Aboard" which were release in 1963 on the Del-Fi label (Del-Fi 4225).

After the session Keane asked the group if they had any more songs. They wrote seven more songs and did three covers and an album was put together in five hours time. The album was called "Do the Slauson" and it was released on the Del-Fi label (Del-Fi 1245) in 1963.

This album will be reviewed in the Vinyl Classics section.

The success of "Do The Slauson" prompted Del-Fi to release another Romancers instrumental album. "Let's Do The Swim" was released in 1963 on Del-Fi's subsidiary label Selma Records (Selma 1501)

This album will be reviewed in the Vinyl Classics section.

In 1995 Del-Fi would release the album on compact disc as "The Slauson Shuffle" and includes tracks from both of their albums (Del-Fi DFCD 71252-2).

This CD is currently still available and is a must for all Eastside Sound collectors.

By this time The Romancers were honing their skills and gaining popularity in the East Los Angeles area. A girls social club called "The Romancerettes" was formed and they helped promote dances at the local halls. The sound they created would influence other east L.A. bands such as The Premiers, Cannibal & The Headhunters, The Atlantics & The Blendells and Max would write songs for these groups.

The Romancers became the house band at El Monte Legion Stadium but would have a falling out with manager, Bill Cardenas. Many of the band members left with Max and continued on their own. Eddie Davis saw The Romancers play at the Rainbow Gardens in Pomona and he asked them into his studio to record. The group now consisted of Max Uballes on guitar & vocals, Bobby Hernandez on lead guitar, Johnny Diaz on guitar, Cesar Valverde on sax, Magoo Rodriguez on bass & vocals and Manuel Mosqueda on drums & vocals.

The Romancers first single for Eddie Davis' Linda Records would be " Don't Let Her Go" and "I Did The Wrong Thing" released in 1964 (Linda 117).

In 1965, The Romancers would record "My Heart Cries" and "Tell Her I Love Her" released on the Linda label (Linda 119). "My Heart Cries" is a remake of the Etta & Harvey tune and is a true Eastside classic

For their third single on the Linda label The Romancers recorded "Do You Cry" and "Love's The Thing" also in 1965 (Linda 120)

In 1966, The Romancers would release their fourth single for Eddie Davis & Linda Records "She Gives Me Love" and "Take My Heart" (Linda 124)

Also in 1966 The Romancers would release their fifth and final single for the Linda label. "She Took My Oldsmobile" and "That's Why I Love You" (Linda 125)

Also in 1966, The Romancers would re-release two of their songs as The Smoke Rings. "Love's The Thing" and "She Gives Me Love" would be released on the Dot label (Dot 16975) and on the Prospect label (Prospect 101)

The Romancers had a fine body of work. They have been labeled a garage band by most music collectors and therefore their records are highly collectible and of great value.

One other note on The Romancers, they were the backing band on The Heartbreakers song "Everytime I See You" with Frank Zappa on lead guitar. (See The Heartbreakers in Eastside Legends section).

Max Uballez would go on to form another band, Macondo on the early 1970's.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROMANCERS PLEASE CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE WRITTEN BY MARK GUERRERO FOUND HERE:

http://www.markguerrero.com/19.php

ALSO PLEASE CHECK OUT RUBEN MOLINA'S BOOK "CHICANO SOUL - RECORDINGS & HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN CULTURE"

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes and for listening pleasure.

VINYL CLASSICS - THE MIXTURES "STOMPIN AT THE RAINBOW"

Hailing from Oxnard, California, The Mixtures were one of the first multi-racial and cross-cultural bands in the greater Los Angeles area. Their music was a mix of Latin rock, R&B and surf/instrumental stylings. A profile of the group is featured in my Eastside Bands section.

Recorded on February 12. 1962 at the Rainbow Gardens in Pomona, California "Stompin' At The Rainbow" is the Mixtures caught at thier best. A few of the cuts, "Rainbow Stomp Part 1", "Rainbow Stomp Part 2" and "Turkey Time" were studio recordingS with a live sound added at the time of mixing but the rest of the tracks were recorded live by recording engineer, Wally Heider.

The album features some of the Mixtures original tunes and some great covers. The group is introduced by disc jockey Bob Eubanks and the band goes into some instrumentals with rockin' guitar riffs:  "Peter Gunn Theme" "Surfers Stomp" and The Peppermint Twist"". Medley" features Chick Carlton (whom we will feature later) singing a medly of rocking Little Ricard tunes, "Jenny Jenny" "Lucille" "Good Golly Miss Molly" "The Girl Can't Help It" and Don & Dewey's "Justine". For all the slow-dancers, Del Franklin's "That's All I Ask" is an outstanding track.

"Stompin At The Rainbow" was released on March 19,1962 on Eddie Davis' Linda Records (Linda 3301).


In 2010, Minky records re-released "Stompin' At The Rainbow" on vinyl and on compact disc. This is the complete Mixtures which includes the "Stompin' At The Rainbow" album and the 6 Linda Records singles.  (MKY2)

Copies are still available via this link:

https://www.midheaven.com/item/stompin-at-the-rainbow-by-mixtures-cd


NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & Educational purposes.