HOMEMADE COMPILATIONS - PURA RAZA AZTLAN VOLUME 1

I picked this one up for five bucks from a street vendor while roaming Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. Turned out to be the best five bucks I've ever spent.
Released in 2000 on PRA Records and printed in Spain (gotta be a homemade compilation), this CD features 23 tracks of pure Chicano Soul. The Eastside Sound is well represented here with Willie G, Thee Midniters, Salas Brothers & Perez Brothers. Also included is the Westside Sound with likes of Sunny & The Sunglows and the Royal Jesters.
  Track for track it's hard to find a disc with so many great tunes. If you don't have a copy I recommend you hunt one down. I still see copies avalable at auction & set sale prices.

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Soley for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

CHICANO ROCK

Found this interesting piece while on one of my many internet surfing expeditions. I have never seen a copy for sale but it's on the Rockstar label out of Germany and is probably worth the hunt.
  It is a wonderful collection of tunes featuring the Eastside Sound and includes many Eastside classics.
Thee Midniters, Little Ray, Little Julian Herrera, Rene & Ray. Nice!!

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Soley for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

CHICANO POWER! LATIN ROCK IN THE USA 1968-1976

Released in 1998 on Soul Jazz Records, these two CDs contain 17 tracks by Latin bands throughout the U.S. who fused rock, jazz, and Latin music in the late 1960s and 1970s. The title is a trifle misleading; although Mexican-American bands from Los Angeles and San Francisco are well represented on the set, it also includes Puerto Rican-American artists and groups from New York and Miami. There are also a couple cuts from the Peruvian band Black Sugar, included to illustrate the influence of U.S. Latin rock in Latin America itself. At any rate, it's a great collection of a genre that, other than the hit records by Santana of course, is largely overlooked by mainstream rock history and poorly represented on reissues. It should be noted that the tracks by larger ensembles with several horn players and percussionists can sound rather more like salsa music with a rock influence, rather than the other way around (not that that's a bad thing). Cuts like Black Sugar's "Viajecito," for instance, could fit well on a salsa radio station but for the obvious touches of contemporary rock, usually in the guitar. In "Viajecito," for example, there's a wild "Shaft"-like psychedelic guitar that runs through the entirety of what otherwise is a fairly standard Latin pop-jazz song; Tierra's "Sun God" kicks off with crazy synthesizers reminiscent of those heard on Pink Floyd's "On the Run." The influence of Santana is felt mightily throughout, particularly in the more rock-oriented bands, like Miami's the Antiques, whose "Chauca" is like early Santana with a dash of the Yardbirds, and a real highlight of the collection. The Santana comparisons are not always coincidental: Carlos Santana's brother Jorge Santana played guitar in Malo, and onetime Santana member Coke Escovedo founded Azteca. At its best, this collection, like early Santana, is an intoxicating mix of rock, R&B, psychedelia, jazz, and Latin music; even at its least impressive, it's still pretty enjoyable. Santana themselves are represented by the song that's probably the apex of the whole musical movement, "Soul Sacrifice." There's a 40-page booklet with information on the groups and the sociopolitical factors that gave birth to the style.
  This two CD set is still available through the usual internet retailers. Please pick up a copy & support the artists and labels.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Soley for historical, educational and listening enjoyment.

RECOMMENDED READING - VOICES OF LATIN ROCK

While the Eastside Sound was taking shape during the mid to late 1960's with artists like Thee Midniters, Cannibal & The Headhunters, Salas Brothers & Little Ray, a new sound was being born in Northern California, specifically in San Francisco's Mission District Barrio.
  In the heat of this politically charged, psychedelic era, this barrio became a veritable incubator for a new breed of bands that fused burning acid guitar to a base of boiling Latin percussion. This sound came to be known as Latin Rock (Chicano Rock)
  Author Jim McCarthy takes an in-depth look at the roots and rise of this explosive music. Artists, Santana, Malo, Azteca, Dakila and Sapo are among tthe artist profiles. The book features exclusive interviews and over 800 photographs.
  I highly recommend you picking up a copy of this book if you are into any of these artists or a fan of Latin Rock.

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Soley for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

EASTSIDE SOUL CLASSICS 1963-1977

This one may be hard to find but absolutely worth looking for. Released in 2004 by Gordo Enterprises and Rampart Records on the Barrio Gold Record label out of Tokyo, Japan. I was able to get a copy through Music Camp Entertainment which has a website but it's in Japanese so you will need to translate their page.
  Some of the tracks are available on other compact discs but are presented here in the best possible re-mastered sound. There is a great booklet with liner notes but they are in Japanese. Some rare photographs are included in the booklet. Get yourself a copy of this rare gem.

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Solely for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

BROWN EYED SOUL: THE SOUND OF EAST L.A. - VOLUME 3

Released in 1997 by Rhino Records this is the third in a series of three compact discs featuring tunes that were popular on East LA. radio stations. Comes with a booklet containing rare photographs and liner notes about each track. This disc is still available and well worth seeking out.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Solely for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

BROWN EYED SOUL: THE SOUND OF EAST L.A. - VOLUME 2

The second of three volumes released by Rhino records in 1997. More rare tracks and tunes requested on East L.A. radio stations. Some great ballads on this one. Still available so pick up a copy & help support the artists and record label.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Soley for historical, educational and listening pleasure.