RECOMMENDED READING - LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES (REVISED EDITION)

If you buy one book related to The Eastside Sound, this is it. I first reviewed this book back in April of 2011 when I owned the first edition. I recently purchased the revised second edition and felt that because it is the most important written document of this genre of music that it was worth a second look.

I have used this book as a chronological guideline in putting this site together and find myself fascinated every time I read and re-read it.

"Land Of A Thousand Dances" was first published in 1998 and the revised second edition was published in March 2009. The revised edition has an expanded introduction and discography and features more photographs as well as a new cover.

Authors David Reyes and Tom Waldman took their love of this music and the interviews and stories told by the artists, managers & producers who made this musical history and turned it into a masterful lierary work. From the pre-rock era in Southern California through East L.A.'s very own Los Lobos, the stories of this magical and historical genre of rock & roll are here for you to read.

The book is available through Amazon and other fine book retailers. Please pick up a copy. You won't be disappointed.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Soley for historical & educational purposes.

KEEPIN' THE MUSIC ALIVE - UPCOMING SHOWS

If you are looking for some shows/concerts with great live entertainment, here are a few to put on your concert calendar before the new year:

My good friends at the East L.A Revue have put together a fabulous show at my favorite venue, Nick's Taste Of Texas in Covina, California. Not only will you get a great show with a large dance floor but the food they serve is to die for. Do I need to mention the "killer" adult beverages.

On October 20, 2012 you will be treated to some of the finest in Latin rhythms, soul, salsa, rhythm & blues, funk, jazz & oldies but goodies. Performing that night are Tracy, CA's very own Kool Katz Band. Also on the bill are The Recessions Band from Los Angeles. You will also enjoy the "old school" sound of Freddie G & The Smooth Response Band. Special guest musician Dale Villavicencio from Tierra will also be on stage.

The show is hosted by "The Al Capone Of The Microphone" Frankie Firme and my main man "The Suave Grooves" dee jay Chico Manqueros, both from the East LA Revue.

Please support The East LA Revue and have yourself a wonderful night.

On Saturday night November 24,2012, Nicks Taste Of Texas brings back a band that mixes the Eastside Sound and the Westside Sound, Los Fabulocos. Also on the bill are The Blazers and special guest, Moonlight Trio..

On December 1, 2012 Radio station Hot 92.3 presents their Winter Wonder Jam Concert. It is the 3rd annual Chicano Soul Legends Live In Concert show at the Gibson Ampitheater in Los Angeles, CA. This years line-up includes:

THEE MIDNITERS With Special Guest

Little Willie G

El Chicano

Joe Bataan

Malo with Jorge Santana

Rene Y Rene

Ralfi Pagan Tribute

The Latino's

Big Jay McNeely

Joe Bravo

Tierra

I have attended the previous two shows and I can tell you that you won't want to miss this one. The set performed by Little Willie G alone is woth the price of admission. Added to this years show are Big Jay McNeely and The Latinos. Get your tickets early!!

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Soley for historical & educational purposes.

KEEPIN' THE MUSIC ALIVE - EASTSIDE STORY

Here's an event you won't want to miss!! Come & celebrate the music of  Etta James, James Brown, Brenton Wood, The Chi-Lites, Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations, Billy Stewart, Mary Wells, The Flamingos, Barbara Lewis and many more  this Sunday September 30, 2012.

ArtDontSleep & Mochilla present: East Side Story

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble:

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Kamasi Washington, Fanny Franklin, Jimetta Rose, I Ced, Allakoi Peete, Elizabeth Lea, Gabe Noel, Gene Coye, Katisse Buckingham, Marcel Carmago, Sam Gendel, Surya Botofasina & Will Artope.

Specia Guests:
Mayer Hawthorne
Coco O. of Quadron
Bilal
James Gadson

Myron & E

Hosted By: Abraham Beltran

DJ Sets by: Ruben Molina & Soulera5150

The Mayan Theater: 1038 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA., 90015

 (213) 746-4674

EASTSIDE RARITIES - MARY LOU ZUETTA & THE VELVETEENS "OH BABY" & "COME BACK"

Band Members:

Johnny Valenzuela Jr (sax, trumpet)
Danny Valenzuela (drums)
Danny Espinosa (sax)
Poly Rodriguez (guitar)
Freddy Unzetta (piano)
Mary Unzetta (vocals)


It is really hard to put a value on a record when only a handful of copies are known to exist. Such is the case for Mary Lou Zuetta & The Velveteens "Oh Baby" and "Come Back". Collectors of the Eastside Sound, doowop collectors and soul collectors would be very proud to have this piece in their collection.

The Velveteens were an instrumental band from Pomona, California (see my post under EASTSIDE LEGENDS) lead by Johnny Valenzuela. In 1960 they recorded "Dog Patch Creeper" and "Johnny's Jump" released on the Emmy label (Emmy 1005).

Johnny & The Velveteens began looking for female vocalists for the group and discovered Mary Unzetta with a group of young musicians at the Los Angeles Fairgrounds. They had a rough song which they worked out some chord and lyric changes and came up with "Oh Baby"

The group took the song to Paul Buff who ran Pal Recording Studio in Cucamonga, California where The Velveteens had recorded their first single. "Oh Baby" and "Come Back" were released on Paul Buff's Emmy label (Emmy 1007) in February, 1961 as Mary Lou Zuetta & The Velveteens. Both sides of this record are excellent teen doowop and have the flavor of Rosie & The Originals "Angel Baby"

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes.

RECOMMENDED READING - CRUISING FOR COMMUNITY: YOUTH CULTURE AND POLITICS IN LOS ANGELES 1910-1970

I haven't bought a copy of this one yet but I have skimmed through a pdf file of this book and it looks to be anothe fascinating and informative read.

"Cruisin For Community: Youth Culture And Politics In Los Angeles, 1910-1970" was written by Matthew Allan Ides. Published by ProQuest, UMI Dissertation Publishing on Sptember 11, 2011 and coming in at 430 pages the book does include a section on the musical, cultural & political events in East Los Angeles during the height of the Eastside Sound.

Here is Amazon's review:

"Cruising for Community" examines youth culture in Los Angeles from the Progressive era of the early 1900s to the civil rights, antiwar, and counterculture movements of the 1960s. During this period, youth culture developed as a product of the triangular relationship of the state, the market, and youth subcultures. From early hot rodders to post-industrial punks, youth subcultures provided young people a means to develop local music, dancing, sports, and fashion. Through subcultures, young Angelinos like Jewish socialists and Chicano activists struggled to create a more just and multicultural city. L.A.'s suburban sprawl and corresponding social structures coordinated subcultures, and youth culture was expressed spatially. Cruising---parading without permit---represents young Angelinos' appropriation of the street to forge belonging, friendship and new identities. Whereas many historians have claimed that generations are essential to historical change, this dissertation identifies instances of collaboration as well as resistance across age groups. Local middlemen saw the profitability of youth subcultures and through co-optation placed locally generated products on the national market. Concurrently, adult youth experts lobbied to manage youth culture as a way to ensure social stability and common civic identity. This sometimes resulted in draconian policies such as the closing of cruising strips; at other points, youth experts encouraged collaboration, leading to organizations like adult-sponsored car clubs. The mobilizing power of youth culture was recognized by progressive youth leaders, who supported groups of young Angelinos in challenging the social inequities found within their communities; political demonstrations and school walkouts appropriated the city's structures to critique inequity, creating the means for a shared political identity. While cruising represented a balance between the market, the state, and young people, other alignments alienated youth---often along class, race, ethnic, and gender lines---and denied them autonomy with dramatic consequences, such as the Zoot Suit Riot and Watts Uprising. "Cruising for Community" gives an analysis of local youth culture that accounts for its evolution, attendant subcultures, and role in 20th century American history. As such, the dissertation connects cultural studies of youth with American urban history, critically contributing to investigations of modern youth, youth culture, and politics.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Soley for historical & educational purposes.

BEHIND THE RECORD - CANNIBAL & THE HEADHUNTERS "A NEW BEGINNING"

Editor's Note:

In response to comments posted by Robert Zapata and a very enlightening telephone conversation with Mr Zapata I have edited some of the text of this post. Comments & corrections are always welcome as I want to get the story right. Many thanks to Robert Zapata for bringing the truth to light.

For more information please visit Mr Zapata's site found here:

http://www.cannibalandtheheadhuntersmusic.com/

Let me begin by saying that this compact disc, Cannibal & The Headhunters "A New Beginning" is not the Cannibal & The Headhunters that you may know or remember. None of the original four members of the band appear on this release nor did any of them have anything to do with it. It is however, still, Cannibal & The Headhunters, a reformed band led by Headhunter's drummer Robert Zapata and performing and recording in the memory of Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia who was the leader & charismatic performer of the original band. This is the way Frankie would have wanted it.

The original Cannibal & the Headhunters did not disband in 1967 as authors and critics would have you believe. Richard Lopez and the Jaramillo brothers (members of the original group) were replaced by George Ochoa and Eddie Serrano.  In 1969 Cannibal recruited sixteen year old Robert Zapata (drummer & singer) when Cannibal changed the format from strictly a vocal group to a band structure consisting of musicians and singers. Cannibal had always wanted his own band and now he had one.

Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia never gave up his vocal group background but as he grew older his musical style evolved into more of the rhythm and blues and rock & roll genres. After all, music went through a lot of changes in the late 1960's  and Frankie wanted to leave his mark.

In 1968 Tommy Lozano joined the band for a short time and singer David Castaneda was added to the band.

In 1983, for personal reasons, Frankie stopped performing with the band and turned the it over to Eddie Serrano & Robert Zapata and the group continued to perform under the name Cannibal & The Headhunters. Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia passed away in 1996.

Eddie Serrano died in a motorcycle accident in August 1998 and  Robert Zapata became sole leader and manager of the band.

In the late 1990's there was a renewed interest in the Eastside Sound generated by articles, books and websites (a major inspiration for my website). Yo Yo and Rabbit Jaramillo and Scar Lopez reformed and started performing again as Cannibal & The Headhunters. Now there were two groups out there performing under the same name and whether critics like it or not Robert Zapata and his band members continued in the tradition and memory of the music that Frankie had laid down.

In May of 2000 Joe "Yo Yo" Jaramillo passed away leaving only Rabbit & Scar to carry on. They recruited the multi-talented Greg Esparza to sing lead vocals.

In April 2006 the Robert Zapata led "Cannibal" group released a compact disc called "A New Beginning" He recruited black singers to be the up front vocalists. Cannibal & The Headhunters were a true legendary Eastside band  and although many believe that any band without at least one of its original members should not use the original name I am of the opinion that in this case that they are wrong.  Robert & his band carry on the memory of Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia and for that they should be commended.

After recording and touring with this band Zapata replaced the black singers with Charlie Munoz as their lead. The band continues to perform as Cannibal & The Headhunters..

Here is the April 3, 2006 release of Cannibal & The Headhunters "A New Beginning" released by the independent Pomegranite label.

Their version of "Land Of 1000 Dances" does lack Frankie's spectacular vocal and charm but the song is a definite Eastside anthem and you will enjoy hearing it. The cover version of "Help Me Rhonda" is totally out of place here but was a rushed addition to the CD. Covers of "Sh-Boom", "I'll Be Around" and the"Buzz Buzz Buzz Medley" are very good and continue Frankie's vocal group influence. There is one track not to be missed. "Fly Away" is a sweet soul stunner and worth the price of purchase. Please seek out this CD and listen for yourself.

The music and memory of Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia should never be forgotten and thanks to Mr Robert Zapata it never will.


NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical and educational purposes.

VINYL CLASSICS - CANNIBAL & THE HEADHUNTERS - LAND OF 1000 DANCES

Hot off the heels of Cannibal & The Headhunters' number 30 national hit single, "Land Of 1000 Dances", Rampart Records released an album with the same title (Rampart RM 3302). The album would make Billboard's Hot 100 in June 1965. The album was recorded at Stereo Masters in Los Angles and was produced by Eddie Davis and Faro Productions.

Track List:

Side A

Land Of 1000 Dances
The Boy From New York City
My Girl
Don't Let Her Go
Searchin'
Out Of Sight

Side B

Devil In Disguise
Shotgun
Strange World
Here Comes Love
Get Your Baby
The Fat Man

The "Land Of 1000 Dances" album is a great mix of funk and soul. The tracks are comprised of cover versions of hit records and covers of songs written by singer/song writers of the Eastside Sound.

The national hit single "Land Of 1000 Dances" is the opening track followed by cover versions of "The Boy From New York City", "My Girl", "Searchin" and "Out Of Sight" and Max Uballez & The Romancers' "Don't Let Her Go"

Side B includes a cover version of "Shotgun" and two songs written by Chick Carlton "Devil In Disguise" and "Strange World" which was previously recorded by The Majestics (Atlantics). The band's second single "Here Comes Love" written by Larry Tamblyn is my favorite track. "Get Your Baby" was written by Wayne Edwards and Randy Thomas of The Mixtures and was previously recorded by The Premiers, The Blendells and Mark & The Escorts. The last track, "The Fat Man" is an original credited to Max Uballez, Billy Cardenas and Frankie Garcia.

The album was reissued by Date Records, a division of Columbia/CBS in 1966.

On their album, Date changed the track list to include their two single releases "La Bamba" and "Zulu King" (Date 1516) and "Land Of A Thousand Dances" and "Love Bird" (Date 1525)

Track List"

Side 1

Land Of A Thousand Dances

Boy From New York City

My Girl

Don't Let Her Go

Searchin'

Side 2

La Bamba

Zulu King

Shotgun

Love Bird

Headhunters' Dance Party

Both the Rampart & Date original vinyl releases are high on collectors want lists. The album is also available on compact disc and some include bonus tracks.


NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!!

Solely for historical & educational purposes.