NPR Music - Alt.Latino's guide to Chicano soul

Episode Date: July 24, 2024

The genre commonly referred to as "Chicano soul" has that "you know it if you hear it" kind of sound. It's a bicultural interpretation of late 1950s and early '60s African American R&B ballads by Mexican American youth, influenced by the operatic style of Mexican rancheras. Broken hearts, unrequited love and loving the wrong person are often the main themes.Real talk: it's the smooth, bilingual vocals of Malo's 1972 hit "Suavecito" expressing the thrill of a new love that is still heard at lowrider car shows or the pleas of "You're Still A Young Man' by Tower of Power, to name a few examples. This week Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre unpack the genre and how the tradition is being reborn by a crew of young artists making it sparkle anew. Songs featured in this episode:•Malo, "Suavecito"•Joe Bataan, "I Wish You Love, P1. 1"•Tower of Power, "You're Still A Young Man"•Thee Sacred Souls, "Can I Call You Rose?"•The Altons, "Soon Enough"•Thee Sinceers feat. Joey Quinones, "Seems Like"•Mikey Jimenez, "Takin' All My Lovin'"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Suraya Mohamed, with editorial support from Hazel Cills. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

From NPR music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayer. Let the Chisme begin. Now, Felix, I have to expose you. I don't know why this is the one episode you decided not to start it singing, but you were really given it your all like five minutes ago at your desk. In profound ways. Oh, believe me, I can tell. Because the delivery back there, I mean, I must ask. to which heartbreak in your life were you being transported back to

in that moment? All of them, man. Oh, to love and lose like Mr. Contreras. Wow. Okay, let's not dwell on that. This isn't the romance show. We're talking about Chicano's soul this week.

I think it is the romance show then. That's the case. Oh, this is going to be a therapy session. I'm ready. I'm strapped in. I'm ready to go. Let the tears begin. The tears began.

I just imagine that people who are listening to this show of a certain age, just a big smile came across their face right now with this song. This is Suavecito by Malo from 1972, and this is what I think is the Chicano Soul National Anthem. Okay? I'm just going to say it. I am all for that, Felix. But can you just back it up basics for?

for all of our friends at home who are gripped by the first five seconds of that song. What can you break down what Chicano Sol is? What it is, basically, it's a reflection of life here in the United States, a bicultural life. And it goes back to the end of World War II when black soldiers and Latino soldiers were, basically they were in the foxholes taking care of each other. And if they made it and they came back to the United States, they were exposed to each other's music over there. Chicanos from the Southwest who would hurt.

maybe Conjunto Mariachi, all of a sudden they're hearing R&B blues and stuff from the 40s. And the same thing with the other side, too. African-American soldiers were hearing Mexican music for the first time. So Chicano Sol, to me, is a combination of R&B, mariachi, Conjunto, at least the spirit of mariachi and Conjuto. To me, that is what Chicano-Soul is. What has always amazed me about this genre, Felix, is it such a specific snapshot of a moment in time, a moment in history where you get, for the first time in this country, this blending that we actually are talking about a lot right now, right?

Like, you're getting this unification of the diaspora within this country, with nods to the old country. And beyond that, I mean, we have talked so much recently on this show about this idea of, like, what is authentic expression, right? In the music of a Latino identity, we said this on the country episode, you know, like, To be authentically Latino, authentically American can mean country comes so naturally. And this is like this really organic and beautiful expression of that as well, of like Seoul being a distinctly Latino thing.

And even the idea of soul music and how it came out of late 50s, early 60s, mid-60s, soul music out of Memphis for Stax Records, even what the folks were doing at Motown. Soul music had its own imprint. And Chicano Soul was an adaptation of that. that or a cousin of that. And it all sort of came to a head, came to fruition in the 1970s with bands like Malo and Tower of Power. And you sent Tanna to a certain extent, these musicians who were combining all these

different influences. So that's what we're going to do this week. We're going to listen to some Chicano soul and touch bases on this incredible movement that blows my mind with this Chicano soul that's happening in Southern California right now. You're getting ahead of yourself, Felix. You're spoiling the twist and turn that we're about to provide everyone with. Yeah, I know I'm getting ahead of myself because this stuff, man. You might just be a little bit excited.

Yeah, a little excited. Okay. Yeah. Okay. We're going to continue. Just remembering all your old heartbreaks is making you so excited. This is met the therapy show. Okay.

All right. Let's keep going. Let's hear the song you brought it. Oh, okay. So I decided to start us out with an old cut. This is a Joe Baton song, and it's called, I wish you love. I wish you love part one.

Okay. Okay. I wish you bluebird in spring. Voice is killing me. Question for you, Felix. Yes, yes. Do you think he's wishing her love with himself or just with anyone? Because he loves her so much.

He's like, I just wish you love. Oh, wish you love with anyone. Wish you love. If I can't have you. Just love. That's the whole point. High road, man. Joe, he's really.

He's a good dude. This is an interesting story because Joe Baton is actually Filipino, half Filipino, half African American. I know. Isn't that wild? But the king of Latin soul himself? Latin soul. So we started this show saying it's Chicano soul, but we have to expand it out. We have to. Yeah.

We have to expand it out to include this stuff and some of the other things that are coming out of the East Coast. This track and this artists are interesting because this was released on Fania Records in 1972. right when they were doing all the salsa stuff and then Joe Baton comes with this soul thing and they really believed him and invested in him so they put out his records and it's simultaneous and if you listen to the arrangement it's like a slow ballad

R&B ballad but the bongo part it's like almost like a santaia beat in a way so it's like it's so culturally multi-layered in this thing I've always been fascinated by this tune man Well, in the way you started us off, right? We're talking Chicano soul and how culturally it's there, but sonically, it's maybe less present, the quote-unquote Chicano part of the soul, right? But with this, it's right there up front.

I mean, you're hearing a Latin sound. You're hearing the Afro-Caribbean sound. And I would push back a little bit on, it's like not necessarily you don't hear any Chicano part because Chicano R&B was part of Chicano existence. True. You know, and even now, right? But even back then, you're bicultural. We grew up in this bicultural, sometimes tricultural community here in the United States. So, you know, you're just as you love Smokey Robinson as much as you love Vicente Fernandez.

That is a life, man. And that's a party right there. Okay. Just getting heartbroken left and right. In all kinds of languages. And all, we can't escape it. It's everywhere. Okay.

We're going to move along. Here we go. I'm so excited. Oh, my God. That is the iconic intro to You're Still a Young Man by Tower of Power. I was at a wedding once, years ago. I think it was, like, in my 20s or something. And I was there with my friend Carlos smutting, my childhood pal.

And he was getting ready to leave, you know, somewhere in the back of the hall somewhere. And he's like, all right, bro, see you later. And then the DJ played this song. He's like, oh, crap, I got to stay now. At least. The ultimate test. Tower of Power

is a multi-cultural band from the East Bay, Oakland, California, led by Emilio Castillo and Steve Kuka. They wrote all of their stuff and they continue to write all their stuff. They're still out there, 50-something years later.

And they started as an R&B band in East Bay. They were doing a James Brown cover band. And then they started writing their own stuff and they started doing all these things. and they are the preeminent, you know, R&B, funk, soul horn band of all time, according to a lot of people. Their horn section was so formidable, so intense, so on top of everything. You can hear those horns in space, Felix.

Exactly. They were used by Elton John, Huey Lewis in the news. I mean, they were everywhere. The Tower of Power and Horn Santana used them on songs and tours. They were a force because it's such a tight ensemble. and this song is You know, Felix, I've talked about this a lot I think on the show, you know, about my grandma, my Lita,

she wanted to be a singer. That's why she came to California. But I think I remember her listening to this stuff and I think she was really just enthralled with these vocals. Like this was a style that she was just so attached to and there's something, there's a quality there. I mean, aside from those horns, because those are the most striking things.

you're sucked into the horns. But then you hear the voice come in, and it's beyond the lyricism. It's like there is like all kinds of emotion bottled up in that delivery. And, you know, all of that stuff kind of carried through, and it popped up in the most unusual places in time. It's like Chicano Batman.

Oh, yeah. Right? Well, they're doing a soul thing. Exactly. And it's the instrumentation, these particular type of keyboards, the vocals, the slow. dramatic, operatic, mariachi-type vocals.

Like you could sit in it all day. And then all the stuff that you heard out at parties, kinsanieras, baptisms, weddings, days at the park, all of this stuff, it all comes together from back then and then reintroduced itself. I wasn't complaining, okay? I wasn't mad at it, as the kids say, right? It's really just another iteration of,

this whole Chicano soul movement. I love it. I'm so sucked in. We'll be back with more Chicano soul right after this. So as you know, as you already let the, what did I say, let the cat out of the bag a little bit. What we wanted to do is cover a little bit of, I said this was a snapshot, a moment in history, that is really having an amazing moment of revival right now. I mean, to a pretty large extent, it's mostly bands that are concentrated, you know, in the southwest of this country. But we have one band in particular, who I adore.

They came in and actually did a tiny desk, so you should all go check that out if you haven't. But they're called The Sacred Souls, and they're signed actually to Daptone Records, which is a record label that is actually doing soul across the board. They're also fun fact, Felix. They signed Orchestra Cocan as well, who you love. And, you know, Daptone Records really made a name for themselves as a soul label after they recorded Amy Winehouse. All to say, they're amazing. To me, they capture all of the essence. So can we hit this track?

It's called Can I Call You Rose? All right, Felix. So why are you shaking your head? Because it's just, it goes right to the heart. This stuff is, I should be, I'm getting paid to explain. In words, all of this stuff. But this stuff is so profound, it's so deep for me. It feels silly.

That I lose words. It's just, and there are so many, there are a lot of Chicano baby boomers out there. It's like, they're going to hear this. And when I hear those horns of Tower of Power, they're going to pull over. I'm like, oh, I'm going to be late. You know, I say pretty frequently to people, I'm like, yeah, I work in music, but no, really, I work in love. Like, it's one and the same thing. And what I really love about these guys

I mean, you know, that's Josh on the lead singer on the vocals And it's a really sweet song They have a lot of really sweet songs I would say it all about love and positive love Like really beautiful But beyond that, the fact that they are bringing this To young people like me who, I mean, I've heard some of this stuff before But putting it at the forefront of our minds

You know, making it something that people are widely listening to again Hopefully discovering some of the oldies in the process I mean that's just always a really, beautiful thing to me. It's at this point where we have to take a break and talk about oldies. You just mention oldies, okay? And oldies can mean a lot of different things, a lot of different people, but within Chicano Seoul, it is, there's a specific type of oldies.

And it's particular to associate it with lowrider culture, you know. It's like, which continues to exist, right? There's still people out there working on their cars doing stuff, fixing them up, car shows, and all that. But it's oldies. and by oldies we mean these R&B otherwise obscure songs from the 50s and the 60s. And I'm going to play one right now. Rosie and the original's Angel Baby, which is probably like the most famous oldie.

Some may argue, but I would fight back. Let's just hear a little bit of it because then you can hear where these newer bands are getting their sound from. This is Rosie and the original's Angel Baby and Rosie was Rolls. Rosalie Mendez Hamlin. She was half Mexican, and she just nailed it. She didn't do much beyond this song, but to be forever associated with this song, it's not a bad thing.

I mean, I singled this song out, but you could grab any number of songs from back then. And in particular, again, Donna from Ritchie Valens, who went on to do La Bamba, but Donna is in that same mode, same genre, same style, slow ballad, guitars of piano, doing that ding, ding, ding, ding, these arpeggios, you know, and it's just slow heartbreak all over the place, tears all over the studio. That voice, it just, it hangs and it cuts all at the same time, and that I just simply can't understand is how something can be so striking and so relaxed all at the same time. Speaking of lowriders, though, Felix, you told me a great story the other day.

Uh-oh. Do you remember this? When you went to the lowrider party, it would be a disservice if I didn't force you to tell that story again. I could have stopped telling your stories, man. I had some friends who were, you know, particularly my friend Carlos, who went to the lowrider thing. And I would go to these lowrider parties, and I was going to Fresno State at the time. And let's just say that none of the young ladies were interested in me. Why?

Because I didn't have a car. I live driving around My mom and dad's car, man. It's like, oh, I'm going to Fresno State. I'm studying. I'm doing this. And they're like, oh, what do you drive? I'm like, oh, my mom's car.

They're like, later. Like, so you never. Sorry. That's not going to happen. Let's go talk to Chewy or smiley or whoever. I don't know. Who brought this guy? You infiltrated Felix, but ineffectively.

You should have thought that went through more. Stupid college. I know. That's not good for it. Why, Rosie, the originals? Have you heard Miles Davis? They're like, get out of here. You're making it worse.

Felix, just stop, man. You're breaking the party up. I'm like, oh, sorry, man. I'm sorry. Like, where'd everybody go? Just you and your Miles record all alone. My friend Carlos was like, come on, man.

I got to get out of here. You're ruining the vibe, bro. Oh, my God. That's even better than what I remember. Thanks for bringing that up. You're welcome. That's what I'm here to keep you honest, Felix. But speaking of lowriders, because we're talking about these revivalists scenes,

and specifically, the lowrider scene is back. And it's had these amazing roots in East L.A. These things are so regional, too, which is really incredible to me. Like, it's very specifically this Southern California culture, lowrider culture, is what I'm familiar with. And you see it, like, the last band I played the sacred. Souls is in San Diego, but there's an even kind of tinier micro-environment in the wider L.A. area. And so there's actually this whole collection of bands. And I'm really excited about this because

the beauty of this music is it's really community music. It's something, you know, the kids come out to, the moms come out to, the dads come out to. And these bands, they create community with each other, specifically this scene in Southern California that is under Daptone records. They're all on this imprint penrose recordings who's kind of publishing all of their music you have you know the altins the sinceres folks in altadina called los yesterdays so this is a track from the altins and it's called soon enough if you could find out would you show me love would you tell me tell me tell me This was my, like, keep it in the back pocket in case I haven't gotten Felix crying yet. This episode, I'll break this track out.

What's fascinating, I never noticed this before. Like, there are so many echoes to the Joe Baton tune with the bongo part on top, the slow, like, ballad groove, the falsetto. We've got to point out the whole falsetto thing in oldies. Oh, yeah. It's part and parcel. Yeah. It's definitive song.

And that harmony, falsetto and the harmony, forget about it. Okay, time to wrap it up because we could go on. I could go on for hours playing this stuff and I probably will later on. I'm ready. I'm like, I'm going to go home and this is going to be my cry myself to something, to sleep. I don't know. I started out with some classics from War and Tower Power. And I got it, you know, I heard these guys DeCinceres with Joey Cignonas.

So this is part of this whole network. we're talking about. This is another band. They all trade musicians all the time. It's really amazing. They do all these cool community events. Yeah, when I heard these guys, I was sold. They were like, I don't even know.

Little Brothers, guys used to hang out with all at the same time with this sound. This is The Cincers with the song. Seems Like, featuring the great one of my heroes now. Joey Quignon is on vocals. Check it out. You were talking about the penrose imprint, Adaptone. When you find their music online, especially when you listen to it on YouTube, their imprint, their logo, is the reproduction of the sleeve of a 45 RPM, right?

And it's got the hole in the middle where you used to put the records on around a spindle. But the penrose, it has three tiers dropping from the logo. Like it's designed. about this is like, okay, turn on the waterworks, man, because this is going to get deep. Oh, everything about it. It's so perfectly, and they go beyond that, the aesthetic, like, you go to these shows and they do the full, like, look, the vibe. I mean, they're really, like, doing justice to this scene, which I think is absolutely incredible. It blows my mind, you know, what's old is new again, man. I, like I said, I'm not mad at it.

This stuff is, it's just part of who I am so much so that. I just got a little personal this week. It's always a good show when Felix gets personal. I'm going to close us out on something, send us off into our tear-filled evenings, Felix, with something that I found really interesting while we were kind of prepping for this. There's a whole even newer, newer, newer, newer, newer revival of this,

kind of like a little bit of a pop mix with the Chicano soul moment. This kid, his name is Mikey Jimenez. He comes from this boy band, environment, but literally just started releasing some soul pop tunes. He's from East L.A. He grew up with parents who were doing this kind of music, and he actually got his start singing in his parents' salon, which I think is the most Chicano Sol appropriate thing ever. This is his track, Take In All My Lovel.

It's like Justin Timberlake does Chicano Sol. It's better than that, man. No shade, Justin. The keyboard sound, that electric organ sound, everything about it. While we're recording this right now, and I'm watching the video on YouTube while we play as. These guys are like, they could be at any one of my family parties, man. Or our family parties, right? I mean, it could be the kids in the basement.

Like, what are you guys doing down there? Developing the lowrider playlist, Alt Latino. Yeah, right? That's what we're here for. You have been listening to Alt Latino from NPR Music. We get editorial support from Hazel Sills. The person who keeps us all on track is Grace Chung. Saria Mohammed is the executive producer of NPR music. Our he-in-chief is VP of Music and Visuals, Keith Jenkins.

I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Thanks for listening. Oh, yeah. Don't waste your time. Yeah. That's enough.