Azteca (band)

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Azteca
General information
Genre (s) Latin rock , fusion
founding 1970, 2007
resolution 1976
Website http://www.myspace.com/aztecaband
Founding members
Coke Escovedo
Pete Escovedo
Percussion, vocals
Victor Pantoja
Lenny White
Paul Jackson
George Muribus
George DiQuattro
Flip Nuñez
Bob Ferreira
singing
Wendy Haas
Tom Harrell
singing
Errol Knowles
Mel Martin
singing
Rico Reyes
Neal Schon
Other members
Jules Rowell on "Azteca" (1972) and the Reunion concert (2007)
guitar
Jim Vincent on "Azteca" (1972) and the Reunion concert (2007)
Pat O'Hara only on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973)
guitar
Bill Courtial on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973) and the Reunion concert (2007)
Drums
John Brinck only on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973)
bass
Tom Rutley only on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973)
bass
Tony Juncale only on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973)
Mike Nock only on "Pyramid Of The Moon" (1973)
percussion
Sheila E.
Drums
Michael Shrieve
Trumpet
Mark Soskin from 1975
Keyboard instruments
Murray Low only at the Reunion concert (2007)
Flute, saxophone
Melecio Magdaluyo only at the Reunion concert (2007)
Trumpet
Mario Gonzalez only at the Reunion concert (2007)
Piccolo, saxophone
Alex Murzyn only at the reunion concert (2007)

The Latin Rock -Formation Azteca was formed in 1970 in the Chicanoszene of San Francisco ; Founders were the percussionists Thomas "Coke" Escovedo (1941–1986) and Pete Escovedo (* 1935). The lush ensemble mixed Afro-Cuban rock music in the style of Santana with soul, funk and jazz elements.

After the worldwide success of Santana , the record company CBS hoped for another commercial success. The group toured with Stevie Wonder and played in London with Weather Report and Earth, Wind and Fire . However, Azteca could never step out of the shadow of Santana. There was therefore no economic success. and it was difficult to hold a formation that size. Azteca finally broke up after two albums "Azteca" (1972) and "Pyramid of the Moon" (1973).

The band included numerous musicians who had performed with Carlos Santana before or after . But there were also plenty of links with other bands. So Victor Pantoja came from Tito Puente , Willie Bobo and Gabor Szabo . The brothers Coke and Pete Escovedo, Victor Pantoja, Rico Reyes, Wendy Haas , Mel Martin and Tom Rutley had some short guest appearances at Santana. Neal Schon came from Santana and later founded Journey . The teenage percussionist Sheila E (daughter of Pete Escovedo), Santana drummer Michael Shrieve, Don Grusin and others played some concerts with the band.

Reunion

In 1994 Paris Escovedo (the son of Coke Escovedo) tried to revive the band with the help of Victor Pantoja, Ray Carrion and Pete Perez (who then founded the group Aztlan ). On September 15, 2007, the band held a reunion concert at the Hollywood Key Club in Los Angeles. The recordings were released a year later on the CD From the Ruins (2008) and the DVD La piedra del sol (2008).

At the time of the reunion concert, the band members Coke Escovedo, George Maribus, Flip Nuñez, Rico Reyes and Pat O'Hara had died.

Discography

  • Azteca (LP / CD, 1972)
  • Pyramid of the Moon (LP, 1973)
  • From the Ruins (CD, 2008)
  • La piedra del sol (DVD, 2008)
Sampler
  • Chicano power. Latin Rock in the USA 1968–1976 (with extensive booklet) (2 CDs, 1998) with Azteca, Malo, Santana , Sapo, El Chicano and others

literature

  • Jim McCarthy, Ron Sansoe (preface by Carlos Santana): Voices of Latin Rock , Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee 2004 (English)
  • Hagen Rudolph: Carlos Santana and Band , Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2008

Individual evidence

  1. Jim McCarthy, Ron Sansoe Voices of Latin Rock , Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee 2004, ISBN 0-634-08061-X , pp. 148-153
  2. ^ Hagen Rudolph: Carlos Santana and Band , Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2008, ISBN 3-89880-930-7

Web links