AZTECA — Azteca (review)

Album · 1972 · Latin Rock/Soul

4.5/5 · 2025-02-02
FunkFreak75

Another San Francisco band out of and in the vein of a funked up Latin-Cubano/SANTANA sound (including the contributions of several of Carlos' key collaborators like the Escovedo family).

Lineup / Musicians: - Paul Jackson / Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass [Fender] - Victor Pantoja / Congas, Vocals - Lenny White / Drums, Vocals - George Muribus / Electric Piano - Flip Nuñez / Organ - George DiQuattro / Piano [Acoustic], Clavinet - Mel Martin / Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute - Bob Ferreira / Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute - Coke Escovedo / Timbales, Producer - Tom Harrell / Trumpet - Jules Rowell / Valve Trombone - Wendy Haas / Vocals - Errol Knowles / Vocals - Pete Escovedo / Vocals - Rico Reyes (SANTANA) / Vocals With: - Jim Vincent / Guitar (tracks: A3, A5, B1) - Neal Schon / Guitar (A3, A5, B1)

A1. "La Piedra Del Sol" (1:13) definitely a polite introduction to the sound palette the rest of the album will hold: horns, percussion, and electric keys, guitars, and bass, here given an orchestral form. (4.5/5)

A2. "Mamita Linda" (3:40) like a professionally-crafted Latin drum-line from Havana or Panama City, this one flows pretty well (Paul Jackson's bass sound is a little incongruous) and then the Cuban-style piccolo, timbales, piano, and group male vocals are awesome! (Now I see where the Miami Sound Machine got their sound.) Excellent music! Who says musica Cubano isn't full-fledged jazz?! (9/10)

A3. "Ain't Got No Special Woman" (5:59) a little Curtis MAYFIELD flair for vocalist Rico Reyes to sing over. More blues-based R&B than J-R fusion. Nice guitar work from Jim Vincent and Neal Schon in the third and fourth minutes which is then followed by a sudden shift into a purely-Latin section to close. (8.875/10)

A4. "Empty Prophet" (5:27) a very soulful male vocal performance is supported as if by a studio orchestra giving this song more of a Lou Rawls or Coleman Hawkins feel. Very well done though definitely not belonging in the domain of Jazz-Rock Fusion. (9/10)

A5. "Can't Take The Funk Out Of Me" (4:22) again I am so reminded of the music of CURTIS MAYFIELD's debut albums despite the Parliament-like funk horns and vocal arrangements. Errol Knowles' raspy soul/R&B vocal is wonderfully supported/accented by the gospel-like background choir. Lenny White is a real standout as is the clavinet play from George DiQuattro, and this is one of the better Paul Jackson performances on the album. Rated down for not being as fusiony as the others. (8.75/10)

"Peace Everybody" (4:30) Paul and Lenny open this one as if in a competitive race. And then the rather crisp and well-arranged horns join in with the percussionists and rest of the band to support a choral vocal of the title words. The anti-war vocals in between the choral chants are quite like those of The Fifth Dimension or a Stephen Schwartz Broadway musical. This reminds me a lot of Billy Cobham's first band, DREAMS--even when the AVERAGE WHITE BAND section that supports Mel Martin's dynamic saxophone solo in fourth minute. (9/10)

"Non Pacem" (6:39) an excellent multiple motif song with choir vocals like Giants with some excellent solos from Tom Harrell on trumpet and Mel Martin on Soprano Saxophone as well as super solid contributions to the rhythm track from multiple percussionists. Latin jazz-rock funk rarely gets better than this! (10/10)

"Ah! Ah!" (3:24) a repetitious blend of Cubano-style horn-and-percussion-based structure with R&B electric instruments and a very Caribbe-sounding vocal arrangement. (8.875/10)

"Love Not Then" (5:00) such a pretty R&B groove--right up there with The Fifth Dimension, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and even Marvin Gaye. Great instrumental performances of an awesome arrangement. I love both the smooth female lead and boy choir background vocals. This could have/should have been a radio hit! (9/10)

"Azteca" (4:45) a scrum of horns, percussion and bass notes opens this before all falling into line for a fairly smooth and melodic, almost Curtis Mayfield R&B-like jam. I love the structure of this with its shifts into Cubano and more-straightforward jazz motifs. Love the enthusiastic piano play from George DiQuattro as well as the drumming of Lenny White! (9.25/10)

"Theme: La Piedra Del Sol" (1:52) as if the opening song had been veritably cut in two, this feels as if it picks up in the middle of something and then proceeds to usher (and march) us into the night. Nice. Very professional. (4.625/5)

I'm surprised at how often I find myself finding Paul Jackson's bass play (and sound) to be the weak link in the individual songs on this album. The compositions are superlative with all of their Caribbean influences

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Latin-grounded music of a variety of styles (not all jazz or Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented). Still, highly recommended for the sake of the highly sophisticated conpositions and arrangements.