.: Latin Music Fest - "Voices Of Latin Rock" :.

Press release

VOICES OF LATIN ROCK MUSIC FROM THE STREETS

Until now the history of Santana and Latin rock has remained untold. Parallel with the late sixties San Franciscan "psychedelic" scene was an explosion of music, arts and culture from the Mission District area of that same City.

Santana spearheaded a cultural wave, which represented a totally new art form known as Latin Rock in which Latin based music was on everyone¹s record player. At one stage Santana were the biggest selling act in the world, outselling even The Beatles. Other Mission based acts such as Malo, Azteca, Dakila, Sapo, and Abel & the Prophets also emerged out of that first wave. It was this same talent pool, fed the ranks of Sly & The Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Tower of Power, Cold Blood and many others.

VOICES OF LATIN ROCK ­ MUSIC FROM THE STREETS, unfolds this Wild West Coast tale of early huge success, the young Latin musicians attempts to cope with this roller coaster, the impact on the emerging Latin cultural identity, framed within the turbulent backdrop of Latino and black political consciousness, as evidenced by The Black Panther, Brown Berets and United Farm Worker movements. Musicians also ran into trouble with the increasing availability of hard drugs in the US cities.

The music itself, with its myriad influences displayed the best that the USA had to offer. The Latino¹s love of soul and R&B; combined with ferocious and pungent Latin percussion sections, in which the full primal heat of this music was underpinned. The music, completely original in style and attack, had amongst its ranks, young gunslingers like Carlos Santana and Gregg Rolie, from Santana, plus their ace timbalero, the mighty Jose²Chepito²Areas. From Malo, Jorge Santana¹s electrifying guitar; was abetted by master Cuban conguero Francisco Aguabella. Azteca, featured the Escovedo Brothers, Coke and Pete (who went to work and develop the career of his daughter Sheila E) with the cream of the West Coast jazz fraternity on horns. Suffice it to say, this music was as tight and as hip as it comes.

VOICES OF LATIN ROCK ­ MUSIC FROM THE STREETS is an in-depth look at this phenomenon. Compiled from over 100 hours of interviews, including all the main players such as Carlos Santana, Mike Shrieve, Gregg Rolie, Jorge Santana, Herbie Herbert (who went on to mastermind the mega-success of Journey, CBS¹ biggest selling act in history.) and many others. These are combined with intensive and detailed photographic and archival research. Jim McCarthy, a well known writer and cartoonist in the UK and Ron Sansoe, with his many interests in music publishing, including Malo¹s back catalogue, have pulled together a tale of passion, excitement and an in-depth look at a musical form, hitherto unexamined.

Sugar Ray incorporated Malo's "Suavecito", and Latin evergreen and also had a Billboard Number 1 with "Every Morning". The upsurge in ³Nu Latin soul² from the likes of Los Moscosos, Ozomatli and Los Jaguares, shows a further broadening and contemporary slant on Latin rock. With Carlos Santana currently enjoying a musical rebirth with the international success of Supernatural and Shaman. With the soar away hits, "Smooth", "Maria, Maria" and "The Game of Love" under his belt. Carlos is not only as fresh musically today as ever before but represents a symbol of both grace and perseverance to the Latin peoples who continue to admire both him and this musical form.

VOICES OF LATIN ROCK ­ MUSIC FROM THE STREETS
Voices of Latin Rock: The People and Events that Shaped the Sound Written by Jim McCarthy with Ron Sansoe and a foreword by Carlos Santana, is a dazzling documentation of modern American music history. In the late 1960s and 1970s, groups such as Santana and Malo along with a cast of characters roared out of San Francisco¹s Mission District barrio with a hot sound that gave birth to a new music synergy known as Latin rock.

McCarthy started developing this unique tome many years ago. Voices of Latin Rock reveals his path of more than 30 years following the explosive era of Latin rock music. After meeting music publisher Ron Sansoe at a Malo rehearsal in 1999, they began this historic musical journey. Interviewing not only the musicians and the cast of characters around them but also interviewing influential people in the recording industry and social an political groups who were all a part of the rise of this musical and cultural revolution, including the United Farm Workers union, the Black Panther party.

In the book, readers will discover the San Francisco Mission District scene of the 1960s and 1970s and the explosion of Latin, salsa and rock music. In addition, it includes more than 800 black-and-white and color photographs, artwork of dozens of rare album covers and other archival materials that have never been seen before.

"I'm grateful this book was written, because it¹s a chance to take us back and bring us forward. If our history can challenge the next wave of musicians to keep moving and changing, to keep spiritually hungry and horny, that¹s what it¹s about." æCarlos Santana

Jim McCarthy and Ron Sansoe as well as a list of musicians are available for interviews and book signings.

If you have any questions or would like to set up book signings or interview please feel free to call Ron Sansoe at 415.431.6754 or email to ronsansoe@sbcglobal.net