aaamusic | On 05, Nov 2013

Multiple Grammy Award winning band Los Lobos, Spanish for ‘The Wolves’, are an American Chicano band from California. They’re influenced by rock, folk, blues, country, Tex-Mex, R&B and Latin soul. But also traditional Mexican music such as cumbia, nortenos and boleros.

They’re  celebrating their 40th anniversary with the release of  Disconnected in New York City, an album recorded live at the City Winery in New York. It’s released on October 29^th, 2013 as a standard CD, a deluxe 2CD/DVD package and also on vinyl.

Here singer and multi-instrumentalist David Hidalgo joined original band members Steve Berlin (sax), Cesar Rosas (vocals), Louie Perez (drums), and Conrad Lozano (guitar). They were helped by percussionists  Camilo Quinones  and Enrique Gonzalez.

The vibrant ‘Set Me Free Rosa Lee’ has fierce rhythms whilst ‘The Neighbourhood’ combines roots rock with jazz. Melancholic ballad ‘Tears of God’ is very intimate, contrasting with the lively Mexican ‘Chuco’s Cumbia’ sung in Spanish. In the 80s they had an international hit by covering the energetic Richie Valens 50s rock and roll song ‘La Bamba’ which accompanied the film of the same name.

This classy, tight and joyous album clearly illustrates the talent of Los Lobos. The songs have an inspired, relaxed feel which is fresh and full of fun. Their ability to  create fine, distinctive and independent sounds originally helped them move from the East Los Angeles bar scene to worldwide recognition.

★★★★★

Anthony Weightman