In the late 1960s a band’s name and a particular guitarist were at the forefront of sweeping cultural and social changes among Mexican- Americans.
At that time, in East Los Angeles, a rock group that had been known as the VIPs decided to broaden its musical direction and call itself El Chicano. Even though that word was once used to denigrate people of Mexican descent in the United States, in the late 1960s the term became a Latino declaration of self-awareness. Young Chicanos particularly identified with the civil rights movement.
“What we tried to do is incorporate our culture into our music,” El Chicano founder and bassist Alfredo Sanchez says. “Because we were all very aware of what was going on with the Chicano movement and with the name El Chicano we were throwing ourselves right into the fire.”
Diverse groups Meanwhile in San Francisco, an amazing young Mexican-born guitarist named Carlos Santana was becoming a superstar with his band. Soon enough, a scene emerged across California that included such diverse Latin rock groups as Tierra, Azteca and Malo which featured Santana’s brother Jorge on guitar).
“From a musician’s point of view, we immediately identified with the Santana sound,” says guitarist Michael Roman, who formed band in Chicago during the 1960s called The Tellstars. “Not only because we were familiar with music with a Hispanic influence, but because we Hispanics didn’t have guitar player like Jimi Hendrix. Carlos and his gang were opening up doors.”
The upcoming Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival will showcase this earlier era of rock en espanol. El Chicano will perform at 3:05 p.m. Saturday at Grant Park’s Petrillo Band Shell. Roman’s band will feature drummer Mike Shrieve and percussionist Jose Areas whose polyrhythmic interplay was pronounced on such landmark Santana records as “Abraxas” from 1970. The new Tellstars will pay homage to Santana at 1:55 p.m. Saturday at the Ford Side Stage Jackson Street and Lake Shore Drive).
Sanchez recalls that the most musically exciting part of the group’s early days was that, “the whole field was wide open at that point.” With keyboardist Bobby Espinosa featured in the band, jazz was prominent in the mixture. El Chicano also expanded upon Montez de Durango various Latin and rock beats on such records as “Celebration” and “Revolution” in the early 1970s. Later, the group leaned toward soul vocal ballads but still reveled in such lengthy instrumental improvisations as “Zaire” on its 1975 album, “The Best of Everything.” Although El Chicano has never stopped performing, it has undergone several lineup changes.
Some of El Chicano’s direct political involvement included playing at rallies, such as ones that migrant farm workers’ advocate Cesar Chavez organized. Recently, the group worked on the soundtrack of an upcoming documentary on Chavez. But equally important, Sanchez says, “I always thought our music was bringing a positive attitude towards [the movement].” That optimism also reverberated throughout such Santana songs as “Everything’s Coming Our Way.”
Roman agrees that El Chicano and Santana were promoting cultural pride rather than pursuing any sort of militant agenda (as the Chicano movement’s critics once charged). He says that the members of Santana in particular “were also serving as role models for diversity.”
“The group showed, `We have blacks, whites, Hispanics, and we all get along,’.” Roman says. “That really struck a chord with us.”
While Roman was playing with The Tellstars in the 1970s, he became friendly with the members of Santana and began sharing stages with them. He says that Carlos Santana in particular has “always been very gracious” and that they bonded over their origins in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Eventually, Roman determined, “there’s a lot of guitar players, but not enough Mexican lawyers” and enrolled at DePaul law school. Today, Roman is an attorney on Chicago’s South Side.
“If it wasn’t for Santana and the opportunity to play with them, I would never have been able to make it through law school,” Roman says. “By being able to play their music, that provided the means for me to go to law school and opened up other doors for me. It gave me a lot of confidence despite my accent. I always say that my mentors are the Santana group, the city of Chicago and DePaul University.”
Along with El Chicano and Roman’s Santana tribute, a mixed bag of pop and traditional musicians will perform during the weekend. Locally based group Montez de Durango has already built a following in Chicago as well as in Mexico. Axe Bahia, who will appear on Sunday, has a glitzy take on northeast Brazil’s African-derived musical heritage. Puerto Rican salsa star Tony Vega headlines on Saturday. An upcoming Salsa singer-songwriter, Obie Bermudez, appears on Sunday. One of the more unusual acts at this year’s event may be Venezuelan singer Alicia Machado, who is better known s a telenovela (soap opera) star and for wearing the Miss Universe crown in 1996.
Super Uba, whose rendition of Dominican merengue and bachata’s rural acoustic roots was a hit at last year’s World Music Festival, will perform at Viva on Sunday afternoon. His group is also featured at HotHouse’s after-Fest party on Saturday night.
Schedule
Viva Chicago Latin Music Festival will be held in Grant Park on Saturday and Sunday.
Admission is free. For more information, call the Mayor’s Office of Special Events at 312-744-3370.
SATURDAY
FORD SIDE STAGE
10:40-11:35 a.m. Luna Mexicana presents “Buscando Estrellas” 11:40 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Manoso musical
12:25-1 p.m. Latin Experience Band
1:10-1:45 p.m. Caliente
1:55-2:35 p.m. Mike Roman and the Tellstars featuring Jose Chepito Areas, Mike Shrieve and Armando Peraza with the Sounds of Santana. 2:40-3:10 p.m. Axe Bahia
PETRILLO MUSIC SHELL
2:15-2:20 p.m. National Anthem
2:20-3 p.m. Don Abusivo
3:05-4 p.m. El Chicano
4:10-4:40 p.m. Yamil (El orgullo de Mexico) with Mariachi Zapopan
4:50-5:30 p.m. Alicia Machado
5:35-6:20 p.m. Paloma with Mariachi Zapopan
6:30-7:25 p.m. Ashley
7:35-8:25 p.m. Los Mora Arriaga
8:35-9:30 p.m. Tony Vega
SUNDAY
FORD SIDE STAGE
10:45 a.m.-11:45 p.m.
Luna Mexicana presents
“Buscando Estrellas”
11:50 a.m.-12:25 p.m.
David Contreras
12:35-1:15 p.m. Los Pecados de Maria
1:20-2:05 p.m. Ricky Luis y su Orquesta
2:15-3 p.m. Mike Roman and the Tell Stars featuring Jose ChepitoAreas and Richard Bean (Sounds of Santana)
PETRILLO MUSIC SHELL
2:15-2:20 p.m. National Anthem
2:20-3:05 p.m. Super Uba y El Bachatin
3:10-3:45 p.m. Obie Bermudez
3:55-4:50 p.m. Frankie Negron
4:55-5:25 p.m. Axe Bahia
5:30-6:25 p.m. Alacranes Musical
6:30-7:30 p.m. Juan Mendoza with Mariachi Zapopan
7:40-8:20 p.m. Ednita Nazario
8:30-9:30 p.m. Montez de Durango
AFTER-FEST PARTY
The Viva after-Fest party, featuring Super Uba, is at HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Drive, on Saturday, starting at 10:30 p.m. Admission: $12. Phone: 312-362-9707.
