THE EASTSIDE SOUND - A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK (PART 2)

In part 1 of The Eastside Sound - A Retrospective look I traced the roots of The Eastside Sound from th late 1940's to the early 1960's.

I defined the term "Eastside Sound"as a hybridization of musical styles, genres and influences played and sung by young artists in Los Angeles and it's surrounding areas. Those Musical styles, genres and influences included traditional Latin music, Jazz, Big Band, rhythm and blues, vocal group harmony and popular music.

Part 2 chooses to begin with the rise of Ritchie Valens as a rocker,a ballad singer and one whose popularity would make a big splash in the music scene before his untimely death.

In the early 1960's the course and culture of rock & roll music would change at home and abroad. The existing sound would continue to evolve and new musical influences would come into play.
This musical evolution would most notably give rise to the Eastside Bands.

The new musical influences causing the music to evolve would come from many sources,

Teachers like Bill Taggert, Salesian High School's teacher and musical director inspired artists like The Ambertones by introducing them to jazz & big band while Johnny Gamboa whose music had been influenced by his parents and grandparents moved away from traditional jazz and rhythm & blues to playing what was popular on the radio.

Bands like The Leggeriors honed their craft by imitating songs in their record collection.

DooWop and rhythm & blues would continue to inspire artists like Cannibal & The Headhunters.

The Beach Boys and the surfing craze would influence bands like Mickey & The Invaders.

The British Invasion would have its greatest effect on the Eastside Sound with the Beatles influencing Mark & The Escorts and The Beatles along with Rolling Stones influencing Thee Midniters as well as garage bands like The Romancers and Thee Counts.

Christian Youth Organizations (CYOs) in many  areas offered more in way of education and after school activities. They offered inspiration for advancement in learning music and sponsored battle of the bands. Those battle of the bands would give rise to competition and to practicing and honing their skills. They also sponsored school dances and church activities and social events. One such inspired band was Thee Enchantments. Promoters like Johnny Jay would find venues around the LA area for bands to play.

Eastside record owners and producers like Eddie Davis and Eddie Torres gave local talent discovered and developed by people like Bill Cardenas a chance to go into the studio and put their music on records. Cardenas and Max Uballez started youth social clubs where the bands could play.

Local disc jockeys like Casey Casem, Dave Hull, Art Laboe and Huggy Boy along with their radio stations would play and promote the music as well as sponsor dances and concerts.

The entire East Los Angeles area and surrounding communities became a hot bed for musical talent and the excitement generated paved the way for the Eastside Sound to become a vital part of the history of rock & roll music and to have a lasting effect on our generation and generations to come.

This excitement in music in the youth would lead to a new movement in the late 1960's. The movement towards a political awakening and new musical influences for the turbulent times to come.