Guest post by Nathan Arizona
An old music genre never really dies. Something’s always there to revive it.
In the case of Chicano soul, sometimes called lowrider soul, streets and garages are still filled with souped-up, been-around cars. Folks still barbecue and drink beers on hot Sunday afternoons with the soundtrack of their summer playing in the background. Parents talk about the sweet soul music they listened to in the ‘60s and pass along old records to the kids.
So it’s no surprise to be hearing a lot of new, young Chicano soul bands, most of them from Mexican-American communities in Southern California.
There are Los bands (Los Retros, Los Yesterdays) and Thee bands (Thee Sinseers, Thee Lakesiders, Thee Sacred Souls), “Thee” apparently comes from long-time Chicano street culture. Think Thee Midniters, “Land of a Thousand Dances,” 1965. There are “the” bands with just one “e” (the Altons, the Sha La Das, the Resonaires). A lot of these groups are on the Penrose and Colemine labels.
Thee Sacred Souls is probably the only one you might have heard of at this point. They have hit various charts in recent months and been widely and favorably reviewed.
Thee Sinseers might be next. Their single “What’s His Name” has been around for a few years and has become very popular with this crowd. They have a new album due in March. Lead singer and songwriter Joey Quinones also performs with the Altons.
New Chicano soul is not just a So-Cal thing. It comes out of Latino communities in Texas, in Florida. Jason Joshua hails from Miami but often performs in California and has worked with bands there. He also records under his own name. Here’s Jason’s “La Vida Es Fria.” He’s the big guy in the blue shirt working on his car.
“Can I Call You Rose?” was the first single from Thee Sacred Souls and leads off their self-titled album.
