Does a Chicano band only compose Chicano music with Chicano musicians?
According to Quetzal Flores, the founder of one of Los Angeles’ most prominent Chicano bands, the answer is no.
“We’re more than that,” Flores said. “We can relate to Chicano culture and Chicano culture can relate to us. When we’re on stage it’s evident that we represent something much larger than just a nationalist Chicano vision. We represent something for humanity.”
Although Quetzal is known as a Chicano band, their members and even the type of music they play come from a synthesis of nations and styles. Quetzal’s members are represented by a wide range of ethnicities ranging from Latino, Chicana/o, Brazilian and Asian.
Queztal’s music is a blend of Mexican folk styles, Cuban son and bolero, and a fusion of rock and blues. Cuban son is a romantic musical style that originated from a mix of Spanish and African cultures known as “Afro-Cuban” and is the precursor to salsa.
Their third CD “Worksongs” was released on July 8 and marked the 10-year anniversary of the band. Saxophonist Steve Berlin, of the popular norteño band Los Lobos, produced “Worksongs.” Berlin believes Quetzal is not a separatist band because they speak for the community as a whole.
The album is a compilation of vibrantly joyful and gently somber songs. Lead singer and UCLA alumnus Martha Gonzalez explained the songs as a guiding force of the human spirit, inspired by subjects of work, love and family.
In a business where artists create an image for the sole purpose of selling records and making money, Quetzal is a genuine local band that is true to their goals of creating world music for the working class. The lyrics for the title song, “Worksongs,” is a subtle blend of English and Spanish that introduce listeners into a world where life revolves around family, work and community struggles.
Most of the songs on the new CD are serene and mellow. After a long day of classes or work, the Cuban son-inspired “Planta de los pies (Soles of the feet)” can be a relaxing distraction. The prominent violin is moving and carries Martha Gonzalez’s smooth and alluring vocals through the tranquil song.
The great force of “Alimentate (Feed yourself)” is characteristic of Quetzal’s awareness through alluring lyrics. It is a salsa-inspired song reminiscent of Buena Vista Social Club’s get up and dance feel. The flute and trumpets come in strong at the end but a little too late for those who just want to dance and not listen to the politically conscious lyrics. Vocalist Gabriel vibrantly sings about equality and nourishing the mind as well as the body.
Quetzal has been on tour with Ziggy Marley, Taj Mahal and Little Feat and has headlined major concerts in Los Angeles, Cleveland and other major cities.
But when Quetzal started playing gigs, they also taught music and art at public schools as part of their education-through-the-arts philosophy. Martha Gonzalez and Quetzal Flores also encouraged students to explore the native cultures of California.
Martha Gonzalez graduated from UCLA in ethnomusicology and remembers being influenced by the performance classes such as Afro-Cuban music, drumming and singing.
“Our music (is comprised of) love songs,” Gonzales said. “But love doesn’t just happen between a man and a woman, or between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. You could also broaden it to love for consciousness, love for community, love for what human beings need all over the world: food, shelter, living wages.”
Through their self-empowering and cooperative-commitment music, Quetzal broadens the Chicano horizons of political and social consciousness to include all the communities who struggle for a better life.
Quetzal will perform at the annual San Diego Street Scene music festival Sunday, Sept. 7, 2003. Tickets are $40 presale and $45 at the door.