Azteca (Band)
Encyclopedia
Azteca was an American
Latin rock/jazz fusion
group formed in 1972, started by Coke Escovedo
and his brother Pete Escovedo
, who had just finished stints with Latin rock pioneering band Santana
. Azteca was the first large-scale attempt to combine multiple musical elements in the context of a Latin orchestra setting, and featured horns, woodwinds, multiple keyboards, three vocalists, guitars, drums, and multiple Latin percussionists.
Onstage, the band consisted of between 15-25 members, and toured with acts including Stevie Wonder
. Other notable Azteca alumni included drummer Lenny White
, bassist Paul Jackson
, vocalist Wendy Haas
, trumpeter Tom Harrell
, guitarist Neal Schon
, vocalist Errol Knowles and percussionist Victor Pantoja. The group was also a musical starting point for Latin percussionist Sheila E.
(the daughter of Pete Escovedo), who appeared with the band as a teenager. Two albums were released on Columbia Records
, the self titled Azteca (1972) and Pyramid of the Moon (1973), before the band split up.
On September 15, 2007, a number of the surviving members of Azteca performed together for the first time in more than thirty years in Hollywood, California. The concert was recorded for an eventual DVD release.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Latin rock/jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
group formed in 1972, started by Coke Escovedo
Coke Escovedo
Coke Escovedo was an American percussionist born April 30, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. Coke Escovedo first rose to prominence in 1969 as a member of Santana. Coke would be a featured on Santana's) Santana III album. In early 1972 Coke formed Azteca along with his brother Pete Escovedo...
and his brother Pete Escovedo
Pete Escovedo
Peter "Pete" Michael Escovedo is a Mexican-American musician percussionist.-Biography:With his two brothers, Pete formed Escovedo Bros Latin Jazz Sextet, before Santana hired Pete and Coke Escovedo for his group.He led the 14-24 piece Latin Big band Azteca.Father to musician Sheila Escovedo, aka...
, who had just finished stints with Latin rock pioneering band Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
. Azteca was the first large-scale attempt to combine multiple musical elements in the context of a Latin orchestra setting, and featured horns, woodwinds, multiple keyboards, three vocalists, guitars, drums, and multiple Latin percussionists.
Onstage, the band consisted of between 15-25 members, and toured with acts including Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
. Other notable Azteca alumni included drummer Lenny White
Lenny White
Leonard White III, better known as Lenny White is an American jazz fusion drummer, who is best known for playing in Chick Corea's Return to Forever.-Biography:...
, bassist Paul Jackson
Paul Jackson
Paul Jackson may refer to:*Paul Jackson , British television producer*Paul Jackson , British video game publisher*Paul Jackson , English rugby league player...
, vocalist Wendy Haas
Wendy Haas
Wendy Haas-Mull is an American vocalist and keyboardist best known for her work with the bands Santana and Azteca. She is the wife of actor/comedian Martin Mull.-Biography:...
, trumpeter Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell is a renowned American post-bop jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and arranger.-Biography:Tom Harrell was born in Urbana, Illinois but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area at the age of five. He started playing trumpet at eight and within five years, started playing gigs with...
, guitarist Neal Schon
Neal Schon
Neal George Joseph Schon is an American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist best known for his work with the band Journey. He is the only member to have recorded on all of Journey's albums...
, vocalist Errol Knowles and percussionist Victor Pantoja. The group was also a musical starting point for Latin percussionist Sheila E.
Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
(the daughter of Pete Escovedo), who appeared with the band as a teenager. Two albums were released on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, the self titled Azteca (1972) and Pyramid of the Moon (1973), before the band split up.
On September 15, 2007, a number of the surviving members of Azteca performed together for the first time in more than thirty years in Hollywood, California. The concert was recorded for an eventual DVD release.
Discography
- Azteca (LP, 1972) U.S. #151
- Pyramid Of The Moon (LP, 1973)
- From The Ruins (CD, 2008)
- La Piedra Del Sol (DVD, 2008)