Rolas de Aztl¿¿n: Songs of the Chicano Movement

by ROLAS DE AZTLAN

Overview

This important collection of folk songs from the Chicano movement, which began in the Southwest in the mid-'60s and continues today, covers 30 years of history. The heulga (strike) songs, moviemento (anthems), and the corridos (narrative songs of heroism and valor) come out of many forms including the conjunto sounds of the Texas-Mexico border. None of these tunes were recorded for commercial or critical purposes but rather as documents of struggle and inspiration. Most of the music here is on the raw side, immediate and gripping. A listen to the anthem "Yo Soy Chicano" from 1973 (which is described in the liner notes as the anthem of identity for the Chicano movement) is deeply moving and immediate. The lyrics attributed to Juanita Dominguez were written to the corridor "la Lreilera." (Many of the huelga songs were adaptations of other well-known corridos and rancheras.) There are surprises here, too, including "De Colores," sung by a group of school children from the school of Santa Isabel in East L.A. in 1977 and written by the members of a band called los Lobos del Este de los Angeles, or los Lobos, before they made their first recording. There is another song here actually performed by them from 1978, entitled "El Tilingo Lingo," which is a movement dance tune. There are many songs here from the Teatro groups as well, including "Llegando a los Files," from el Teatro Campesino, a well-known tune in the heulga song repertoire, using the ranchera style of Mexico's women singers. And that's the point: the many song forms here all come from the folk, the people themselves. Shared culture allows the various songs offered here to reflect the wide diversity of linguistics, musical and lyrical style, and geography all coming together under an umbrella of unity and a newly emerging identity in North America. Perhaps nothing here is so moving as "Yo No le Tengo Miedo a Nada" from 1966. Composed by Teatro Campesino co-founder Agustin Lira, it's energy, power, and soul-stirring unity takes it out of history and places it in the heart of shared struggle itself. Rolas de Aztlan is an original and necessary document of essential American musical history. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/13/2005
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074051627
Rank:	93714

Tracks

1. Yo Soy Chicano  -  Alvarados
2. De Colores  -  Children From The School Of Santa Isabel
3. Yo No le Tengo Miedo a Nada  -  Treato Campesino
4. Llegando a los Files  -  Treato Campesino
5. El Picket Sign  -  Treato Campesino  - Luis Valdez
6. No Nos Mover¿¿n  -  Rondalla Amerindia De Aztlan
7. Ni¿¿os Campesinos  -  Treato Campesino
8. Corrido de C¿¿sar Ch¿¿vez  -  Perros Del Pueblo Nuevo
9. Corrido de Rio Arriba  -  Reyes de Albuquerque
10. Corrido de Bracero  -  Alacranes Mojados  -  Mascarones  -  Los Mascarones Y Los Alacranes Mojados
11. Am¿¿rica de los Indios  - Daniel Valdez
12. El Quinto Sol  - Nestor Mili  -  Peludos
13. Soy del Pueblo  -  Flor Del Pueblo  - Carlos Puebla
14. El Tilingo Lingo  -  Lobos del Este de los Angeles
15. Yo Soy Tu Hermano, Yo Soy Chicano  -  Conjunto Aztlan  - Rumel Fuentes
16. Lulac Cadillac  -  Trio Casindio
17. Chicano Park Samba  -  Alacranes Mojados
18. Vietnam Veterano  - Alfredo "Mayari" Reyes
19. ¿¿Quihubo Raza!  -  Alma  - Agustin Lira

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Los Mascarones Y Los Alacranes Mojados   Primary Artist
Los Mascarones   Primary Artist
Los Lobos del Este de los Angeles   Primary Artist
Daniel Valdez   Primary Artist
Children From The School Of Santa Isabel, East Los Angeles, California   Primary Artist
Los Alacranes Mojados   Primary Artist
Alfredo "Mayari" Reyes   Primary Artist
Alvarados   Primary Artist
Alma   Primary Artist
El Treato Campesino   Primary Artist
Rondalla Amerindia De Aztlan   Primary Artist
Los Peludos   Primary Artist
Trio Casindio   Primary Artist
Perros Del Pueblo Nuevo   Primary Artist
Agustin Lira   Primary Artist
Reyes de Albuquerque   Primary Artist
Flor Del Pueblo   Primary Artist
Conjunto Aztlan   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Felipe Cantu   Performer
Russell Rodriguez   Song Notes,Producer,Annotation
Louie Perez   Performer
Lorenzo Martinez   Performer
Bobbye Hall   Performer
Manuel Ramirez   Photography
Daniel Valdez   Composer,Performer
Antonio Ramirez   Performer
D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
David Hidalgo   Performer
Emil Richards   Performer
Miguel Ojeda   Performer
Yolanda Perez   Performer
Roberto Juan Martinez   Performer
Ricardo Sanchez Y Sus Moonlight   Performer
Enrique Castillo   Performer
Ravi Knypstra   Performer
Art Brambila   Producer
Fernando Leyva   Performer
David Maestas   Performer
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Jeff Hall   Performer
Mario Aguilar   Performer
Ray Flores   Performer
David Rodriguez Jr.   Performer
Ramon Lopez Alvarado   Performer
Chuck Domanico   Performer
Conrad Lozano   Performer
Felipe Rodriguez   Performer
Carlos Puebla   Composer
Francisco Gonzalez   Performer
Francisco Rodriguez   Performer
Cesar Rosas   Performer
Pete Reiniger   Mastering,Sound Supervision
Miguel Govea   Performer
Enrique Ramirez   Performer
Rumel Fuentes   Composer
Juan Tejeda   Performer
Daniel Mendoza   Performer
Luis Valdez   Composer,Performer
Nestor Mili   Composer
Alfredo "Mayari" Reyes   Composer
Daniel Sheehy   Production Supervisor