Monthly Archives: May 2012
Carmen de la Calle
Story and pictures by Joseph Martinez
Besides their tasty tapas and famous Sangria, Flamingos, tangos shows. Today’s focus is on Jazz appreciation month at Carmen De La Calle, I had an opportunity to go to Carmen twice this month and it was a pure joy. Starting off with a jazz band named “Captain Kirk” The name threw me for a loop …. I wonder… is this guy a Star Trek geek? I must say; far from it.
With an airy style of jazz the 3 piece band was hopping. Kirk was on the Drums and doing things on it that I did not think was possible. Playing with multiple sticks and brushes. It was evidenced that he has a deep relationship with his drums.
The sound was simply amazing. From a popping, to a whisper, and all in-between. Jim was on the four string bass reading his sheet music playing in perfect time. Trevor was on jazz guitar playing flawlessly.
Check out Captain Kirk at Carmen’s the first Thursday of the month.
Between sets there was Poetry and a very nice reading from the owner of Carmen De la Calle; Paula Step up to the mic and recited from her favorite book. A Doctor Seuss child book “I SAW IT ON MULLBERRY STREET”
It was wonderful, with the soft jazz music playing in the back ground. It fit right in.
The following week The KING WILLIAM JAZZ COLLECTIVE a large 11 piece Jazz ensemble ,keyboard, upright bass, Jazz guitar, drums, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, a couple of horns. A partial list what instrument Played that evening I ask why play such a small venue? The answer was simple. They get to try out new music.
The interment setting provided a great way sharing old classics like Night and day and Jeff Homes “Some Where Over the Rainbow” A Sultry version of “Boggie Stop Shuffle” was played that evening.
Do you want to find out more on The KING WILLIAM JAZZ COLLECTIVE? Find them on Facebook.
Carmen De La Calle is located at :
720 East Mistletoe Ave ,San Antonio , Tx 78212
Phone 210-737-8272
Facebook
Web page
Fans Stepped Up to the Plate for Joe López
At 11 a.m. people were already lined up to purchase a plate of beef with rice and beans at Big Al’s Garden Bar in New Braunfels as mobile DJ Ray Rosales played a non-stop array of Joe Lopez and Mazz hits.
Incidentally, Big Al’s is owned by José Reyes, who didn’t hesitate to volunteer the use of his venue. And while Ramón Chapa helped to coordinate the event, this writer was not aware that the true organizer of this event was in effect Raúl Lagunas, therefore mil disculpas, and you now stand vindicated.
For those who sent compliments to the chef, the cooks were Mary Lou García, Mary Páez, Dorie Flores and LettyValadez, who with Gonzalo Páez, Rico Crespo, Matt González and Linda Macias, also doubled as servers.
David Hernández, who played delivery man, took as many as 40 plates 30 miles south to San Antonio as he personally delivered to people at the Methodist Hospital, Janie’s Record Shop and other locations where people had pre-paid for their plates.
Also there to lend their moral support were Diana Hernández and Ruby Rodríguez, who came all the way from Taft, Texas.
Joe’s blue-eyed look-a-like brother Lorenzo and his lovely wife Judy, who drove all the way up from Brownsville were very pleased with the outcome and e-mailed our magazine the following note.
“The fund-raiser was a great helping hand towards legal fees for Joe. A special thank you for everyone who made the event possible, benefit coordinators, servers, cooks, everyone who donated food, plates, etc., and all who purchased tickets. There are no words that can express our gratitude for your help, unabrazo, Lorenzo López.”
In spite of its success, it will take fund raisers in many other cities to come up with the total needed amount. However, every little bit counts.
By the way, for those readers that would like to write Joe, they can address their correspondence to José Manuel López, 1399866, Ramsey Unit 1, 1100 FM 655, Rosharon, Texas 77583, E-2-5.
Cali Carranza: A Pioneer in the Evolution of Tejano Music
By Ramón Hernández
Once upon a time the accordion was only featured in conjunto or norteño music recordings, so who introduced the accordion to la onda chicana?
“We (Roberto Pulido y Los Clasicos) where the first to use the accordion in place of the keyboards,” accordionist Calixtro “Cali” Carranza told this writer during an interview at the Hispanic Entertainment Archives in 2001.
To date, that claim has never been disputed. Another unique innovation was repeating what Isidro López did back in the late 1950s and that is combining the horns — the two saxophones of Roberto’s brothers Joél “Gordo” Pulido and Roél “Flaco” Pulido – with his accordion.
On Tuesday, May 1, this singer/songwriter/musician died of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a debilitating condition that affects muscle movement.
Cali, who learned to play drums at age three, switched to the accordion at eight when he joined Los Reyes Del Valle, his father Magdaleno’s band.
During his musical career, he waspart of El Conjunto Bernal plus Mario Montez y Romance before he and his two brothers, Nito and Rubén, formed Los Formales, who became known for their stunning harmonies and live performances.
Carranza was eleven when he made his first recording on Discos Falcón followed by Discos Charro, plus the Supremo, SAS, GCP, Joey, Freddie and Hacienda labels.
He is best known for “SiempreMañana” and “Apaga La Luz” plus his interpretations of “La Macarena” and “Pideme La Luna,” the latter a tune written and originally recorded by Leo Dan plus Los Carlos.
May he rest in peace in God’s eternal embrace.
Abie Epstein’s Legacy Was Music
“Although real estate made up ninety-five percent of his adult life, Abie Epstein’s legacy was his creation of the San Antonio Sound,” Henry Peña stated during his opening remarks at Esptein’s memorial service.
“No one can take the San Antonio Sound away from him,” Richard “Pache” Acosta of the former lead singer of Al and the Pharoahs.
“He had his finger on the pulse of this city,” former KONO personality Wild Bill Riley said. “He knew the DNA of this town and that will never be duplicated. You could not play the music of San Antonio unless you played something produced Abie.”
“He had something that you can’t learn from a book,” former KONO disc jockey Chris Kelly added. “Music is worthless without someone to coordinate and his chemistry was perfect.”
Henry Hernández of the Royal Jesters, who was unable to get the time off work to attend said, “Above all, he was a friend and a mentor to me and many musicians during the time Óscar Lawson used to engineer at his studio. In our case, we started out on Harlem Records, but we were aiming higher, so we went to Abie.”
Peña, who had been friends with Epstein since high school, was there with his him from the formation of his band, Henry and the Kasuals, recording for Epstein’s record label and doing distribution with Epstein’s record company.
“As a teenager in San Antonio, every high school had a garage band, but it wasn’t ‘a band’ unless you recorded at Abie’s recording studio. We just wanted to be on vinyl and hear it on the radio, than the teenagers in high school would buy the music to keep it going. Abie also helped me in radio and television,” Peña continued.
When Peña reached twenty-three and felt he was on top of the world, Abie gave him the best advice a friend could offer, he said, “It doesn’t work that way, get your real estate license and you’ll never be out of a job.” So Peña when to San Antonio College for six weeks and today he continues to be a successful real estate man.
Most at Epstein’s memorial were family and real estate connections. The only entertainment figures present were Peña, Acosta, a former drummer with the original Kasuals; Roger “Pache” Ruiz, who played drums with The Commands, the Playboys plus JJ and the Dell Tones to name a few. Also Alfredo “Güero” Cortinas, a middle 1960s bouncer and body guard at the Cadillac Club and Jesse García, the curator of the Westside Sound.
The three most moving tributes came from Abie’s wife Angela, his daughter Cheryl and his son Jason, who played one of his father’s recordings. It was also interesting to note that all the musicians present, including his nephew Nathan Wilson (his sister Esther Epstein’s son), were all drummers.
This writer could continue with paraphrased information borrowed from other sources, but will instead guide you to the best written obituary, which is by Héctor Saldaña and can be read at MySanAntonio.com.
Epstein died on Friday the 13th from two heart attacks. He was 74. Six days later, Dick Clark, another music icon died of a massive heart attack at 82.
The Krayolas Make Latin Music History
The Krayolas beat out Enrique Iglesias, plus dozens of other notable Latin bands and vocalists as the ‘Number One’ Amazon Top Digital Albums Chart for MP3 downloaded Latin music for 12 straight weeks and that’s as good as making the Guinness Book of World Records.
One must also consider that Amazon.com is world-wide. Therefore this attests to the earthly Krayolas’ staying power and now are the ‘most popular’ downloaded band on the entire planet, thanks to a free Amazon Exclusive sampler album. In 2008, Little Steven Van Zandt, best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and the HBO series, “The Sopranos,” placed a pair of Krayolas tunes (“Catherine” and “Alex”) in heavy rotation on his syndicated FM radio show and New York-based satellite radio show. A feat no other San Antonio rock-n-roll band has yet to accomplish.
Hailed as the “Mexican Beatles” and “Tex-Mex Beatles” since their early ‘70s rock-n-roll beginnings, HéctorSaldaña, also a music columnist for the San Antonio Express-News; brother David Saldaña and Van Baines, the original guys from Lee High School are the core of this nearly 40-year-old band which once included Tom Swan, Mark Cotnam, Barry Smith, Patrick Wetmore, Doug “Tex” Courtney, Doug McFeggan, Scott Funk and Don Paul West.
Although they were first described as playing their music in a slam-bang style, their three-, four- and sometimes five-part harmonies are like listening to a heavenly choir. All this coupled with superb showmanship have left frenzied audiences in their wake all over the United States.
Onstage, they are also joined by Luvine Elias and Benny Harp; and sometimes Al Gómez and Louie Bustos from the West Side Horns.
The Krayolas established themselves as a brilliant creative force through shrewd marketing and excellent promotion. However, their forte and what sets them apart from others is Hector’s songwriting skills. Like Los Tigres Del Norte, their songs are a reflection of the times and the events and happening in each era. Perhaps their name and the song titles may sound like novelty tunes, but the lyrics reveal otherwise. As for their name, in a 1986 interview, Héctor told this writer that he and his brother chose that name “because we thought it was catchy and colorful; furthermore it matched our style of music,” which I can only describe as diverse as the kolors in the rainbow.
Also add to that, their style of clothing. “Check out our new suits,” Héctor said as he pointed to a slew of photographs taken by Todd V. Wolfson at this year’s South by Southwest Music Festival and Conference in Austin.
Two of the embroidered images on his left sleeve were those of Buddy Holly and Esteban Jordan. The back of his jacket read “Americano,” one of the song titles on their Amazon MP3 downloads.
“The image is that of our nephew Alex, who died in Iraq,” Héctor explained during the interview at the Hispanic Entertainment Archives. “Also note the cactus with the twelve painted skulls, all the emblems and embedded jewelry, the wide ‘Scarface-like’ lapels and the gigantic draped bell bottom pants.”
David’s left sleeve is an embroidered image of artist David Zamora Casas. The back reads “La Conquistadora” – another of the downloadable tunes — plus an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe, whom the brothers refer to as La Conquistadora. “All images are related to songs we recorded and we received much commentary on the suits, which I can say, were inspired by Porter Wagner, but in our case, it’s like Liberace slept with a mariachi and this is what he came up with,” Héctor said with a laugh. “But I also remember Sunny and the Sunliners wore a lot of colorful outfits back when I was going to high school.”
In regard to their latest compact disc, last year the Krayolas released “Tipsy TopsyTurvy” on Box Records, the label they created in 1982. It kicks off with “Genuine,” a song about the streets of San Antonio and Steve Jordan.
While “Smile Away,” “Front Page News” and the super catchy romantic “Love Is GonnaGetcha” all stand out, it’s tunes with a message, like “1070 (I’m Your Dirty Mexican)” and “The Working People” that turn Héctor into our own Bob Dylan.
“I can’t be lazy about the music,” Héctor said. “We can’t be stagnant. This is the first time we used strings, and to make it more romantic, we had Henry Gómez play guitarron and the vihuela, but the rest of our stuff is typical Krayolas.
“We’re happy Amazon created a sensation for us. For the time, we are actually connecting with the market. The Krayolas are unknown to 99.9 percent of the people in the world. Now, they can find us. Incidentally some of the songs feature Flaco Jiménez, as well as Augie Meyers, Max Baca and Michael Guerra. But the best part is that it’s absolutely FREE for a limited time.”
For more information on these genuine, Mexified San Antonio rock ’n’ roll stars, go to www.thekrayolas.com.