Rising up out of East L.A. comes the first ever holiday album from Los Lobos. The Grammy®-winning group researched nearly 150 Christmas-related songs from across North, Central and South America for the collections, eventually narrowing the list down to the songs they wanted to reinvent in their own inimitable style. They even wrote their own holiday original “Christmas And You,” especially for the album.
David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, and Steve Berlin open the album with “La Rama” (the branch). This lively song is in the regional folk style known as son jarocho, which is popular in the Veracruz region of Mexico. La Rama is also the name of the traditional Mexican holiday custom where the community adorns branches from a tree and displays it in a nightly procession through the neighborhood.
Another album highlight “La Murga de Panamá” was originally recorded in 1971 by the legendary salsa duo of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe. And though “La Murga” is actually the name for a group that assembles to dance, sing, and play music during another South American holiday – Carnival – the spirit of the song is no less infectious at Christmastime.
Los Lobos transform the 1958 novelty song “Dónde Está Santa Claus” (Where is Santa Claus) into a “lowrider oldie” with a head-nodding groove powered by Hidalgo’s guitar and Berlin’s vibraphone. Rosas delivers an impeccable lead vocal on “Regalo de Reyes” (meaning Gift of Kings), a song made famous by Javier Solís, Mexican actor and singer of boleros and rancheras. Naturally, the collection also includes the band’s take on Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad.”
The album’s new original “Christmas And You,” was written by Hidalgo and Pérez. Hidalgo’s vocals are sweet and soulful. Berlin layers in piano along with some Omnichord, Rosas provides electric guitar, and Lozano adds upright bass to create what is sure to become a modern classic.
LLEGÓ NAVIDAD
Track Listing
- “La Rama”
- “Reluciente Sol”
- “It’s Christmas Time In Texas”
- “Amarga Navidad”
- “Arbolito De Navidad”
- “¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?”
- “Llegó Navidad”
- “Las Mañanitas”
- “La Murga”
- “Christmas And You”
- “Regalo De Reyes”
- “Feliz Navidad”
LOS LOBOS
Tour Dates
Nov 7 – Toledo, OH – Stranahan Theater
8 – St Louis, MO – The Sheldon
9 – Bartlett, TN – Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center
14 – Hopewell, VA – The Beacon Theatre
16 – Owings Mills, MD – The Gordon Center for Performing Arts
17 – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27
Dec 8 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
9 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
10 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
12 – Washington, DC – City Winery
13 – Washington, DC – City Winery
14 – New York, NY – The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture
15 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
16 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
18 – Boston, MA – City Winery
19 – Boston, MA – City Winery
27 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Club
28 – Santa Calrita, CA – The Canyon Santa Clarita
29 – Pasadena, CA – The Rose
31 – Montclair, CA – The Canyon Montclair
Jan 25 – Redding, CA – Cascade Theatre
Feb 9 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
11 – Key West, FL – Key West Theater
13 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre
22 – Toronto, Ontario – Koerner Hall