Reviewed by Oscar Moreno, photos courtesy of Vicente Mercado and Sam Totah
In LA this past weekend there was a fantastic concert sponsored by a major local radio station celebrating 35 years of broadcasting featuring the Doobie Brothers, WAR, The Stylistics, and The Four Tops. I love those bands, who doesn’t? So many hits, wonderful performers all, and thank goodness various incarnations of these groups have continued to tour throughout the decades.
Celebrating simultaneously within those same 35 years of historic proportions across town at The Key Club on the Sunset Strip within cruising distance of the Roxy, The Whisky, and the Viper Room, was something more unique and truly special: at long last the highly anticipated Azteca Reunion, an event that most would agree was very unlikely to ever occur. For aficionados in attendance who have enjoyed the perennial tours of Santana, Malo, El Chicano and others, this was the culmination of a quest for a long sought-after missing artifact of the complete Latin Rock treasure.
These days if it’s not an entertainment event in an over-hyped, cavernously cold arena/ sports stadium, or activity featuring the troubled souls of young Hollywood, then it is deemed not newsworthy. The Key Club, the former site of the legendary rock club Gazzarris that back in the ‘60’s featured the Doors, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and Van Halen in the 70’s, in its current form provided an intimacy to be savored by those fortunate to attend.
While for fans this band reunion was a dream come true, this surely must have had added meaning for the Escovedo family in the memory of founder Coke Escovedo. With all due respect to them, however, if not for the brave young visionary, Daniel Meza, this evening most likely would never have occurred and for that we should all be thankful. The idea that this young man has taken on a project for the purpose of producing a DVD documentary is astounding especially when considering Azteca was defunct before he was born. There should be no question about his respect and admiration for Latin Rock: he has put his money where his lens is.
After a loving opening tribute by Coke Escovedo’s son, Paris, a fine timbalero in his own right, for the first moment in three decades in front of an audience Azteca’s surviving members took the stage while the faint opening strains of La Piedra Del Sol, the opening salvo from the first release filtered through . Featuring a new horn section including Pete Escovedo Orchestra stalwart Melecio Magdaluyo on sax and flute ,two keyboardists (Don Grusin was not en la casa), the Original Azteca assumed the stage.
With the familiar sight of Pete Escovedo leading on timbales, an elderly but full-of- fire Victor Pantoja on congas (also featured prominently on the Carlos Santana/ Buddy Miles Live LP) and Bill Courtial on guitar, these gentlemen if not for their musical gifts could easily be considered exemplary spokesman for fine haberdashery.
Of course, Azteca could not be Azteca without the presence of the beautiful and elegant Wendy Haas. Her gorgeously distinct, identifiable voice charmed from the outset. To the delight of all, like an angel, her signature vocals cut through well and clear providing the identity one would expect if Azteca was ever resume the stage again. Having met her briefly before the show in the presence of her loving and supportive family, she was gracious, engaging, considerate, and thrilled to be participating after so many years. Though her involvement with Azteca is now relegated to her distant past, she has not slipped in all this time. Her contributions to Santana’s Welcome and Azteca are immeasurable and speak for themselves.
With La Piedra segueing into Mamita Linda spot on, I later recalled I attended my only prior Azteca show in 1973 at San Francisco’s Winterland. Azteca performed on the same bill with Malo supporting Dos Malo, and top-billed Tito Puente. At that time I didn’t know who Azteca was. What I do remember was their timbalero taking a solo that was outright intimidating as much as it was skillful and passionate. I soon noticed imprinted on his timbales, “ Coke Escovedo.” I knew full well who Coke was from Santana liner notes; now I had stumbled upon him live for the first time just a few feet away on stage. Subsequently, upon my first listen to the album I realized that said timbale solo was featured on Mamita Linda. Fast forward three decades it is once again opening the evening for Azteca with characteristic bold assertiveness.
It was fantastic to hear these songs faithfully reproduced after so much time. I highly anticipate the DVD. If you own these recordings you will not be disappointed. As my good friend Joey Safari mentioned, “For Azteca, playing these songs is like revisiting their old friends.”
Pete spoke from time to time mentioning those who have passed on and tearfully recalling the contributions of his long departed friend Rico Reyes along with that of his brother Coke; the fact that Coke really wanted to “mix it up” with latin, jazz, and funk; lyrics of peace and hope that are still relevant today; the many “what if’s” unfulfilled in the band’s legacy.
At the risk of omitting someone, of honorable mention in the house but not on stage: Jerry Salas of El Chicano and Voices of Latin Rock’s Dr. Bernie Gonzales and Ron Sansoe.
One could argue the set was short but I’m of the notion that it was a performance of high quality over quantity. And man, oh man, was it suuweeeeeeet!! The DVD will be a must-have and hopefully this reunion will revive clearly one of the more sophisticated groups of the Latin Rock era, namely, AZTECA.
Viva Azteca! Que Viva Moonflower!!
Oscar Moreno
Moonflowercafe.com/Latinrockcafe.com Exclusive
Behind them on the riser with an Azteca logo on the kick drum, the renowned Lenny White, who later went on to personal fame as result of his participation with Chick Corea’s Return to Forever sat poised confidently at the ready. Below him a giant in the world of bass having first gained enormous notoriety with Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, THE Paul Jackson.
Prior to the show I was fortunate to have a brief chat with vocalist Errol Knowles. Appearing a little thin and frail, he possessed an easy grateful demeanor. On stage, it was quite another matter as he reflected the requisite robust enthusiasm for a moment long time in coming. In superb voice and now looking ever so strong and youthful with the stage lights on him, Errol was indeed back in the game to resume his rightful place in Latin Rock.
The setlist with a few highlights is as follows:
La Piedra Del Sol (CD Intro)
Mamita Linda (Pete’s great solo on timbales and joking they were tired after this one!)
Someday Well Get By (Sassy, sassy horn intro)
Find Love Today (lovely accapella by Wendy)
Ain’t Got No Special Woman (flawless seque into 6/8 section)
Azteca (tour de force)
New Day On the Rise (Big city feel of yesteryear)
Non Pacem (beautiful free flowing intro by Wendy)
Peace Everybody (Encore with Shiela E, Peter Michael, Juan Escovedo and Jorge Bermudez and Chalo Eduardo, special guests on percussion.