Azteca -

Azteca was an American Latin-rock band from San Francisco that released the 1972/73 Columbia albums Azteca and Pyramid of the Moon.

Members: George DiQuattro (piano, clavinet), Coke Escovedo (timbales), Pete Escovedo (vocals), Bob Ferreira (tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo), Wendy Haas (vocals), Tom Harrell (trumpet), Paul Jackson (bass), Errol Knowles (vocals), Mel Martin (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute, piccolo), George Muribus (electric piano), Flip Nuñez (organ), Víctor “Negrito” Pantoja (congas, vocals), Rico Reyes (vocals), Jules Rowell (valve trombone), Neal Schon (guitar), Jim Vincent (guitar), Lenny White (drums)

Background

Azteca formed in early 1972 in San Francisco when timbalero Coke Escovedo and percussionist-singer Pete Escovedo assembled a large ensemble after a period with Santana.

Pete Escovedo was born Peter Michael Escovedo in Pittsburg, California, and grew up in West Oakland. Coke Escovedo was born Joseph Thomas Escovedo in Los Angeles and spent his youth in East Bay. Their father Pedro Escovedo sang with Oakland big bands and exposed the household to jazz and Latin orchestras. Pete played saxophone at McClymonds High School and moved to percussion after hearing records by Tito Puente and Chico O’Farrill. Pete recruited Coke into the Latin-jazz combo of pianist Carlos Federico. The group developed into Escovedo Brothers Sextet with bassist Phil Escovedo.

The brothers spent years on Northern California club stages and established links with Santana after Carlos Santana and José “Chepito” Areas heard the sextet near Broadway Tunnel. Santana recruited Coke on timbales in 1971 as a replacement for Areas. Pete followed on congas, while Coke recorded Santana III and co-wrote “No One to Depend On.” Personnel changes within Santana prompted Coke to propose a separate group after a road period with Pete.

The Escovedos called Bay Area musicians and held auditions for Azteca. The resulting lineup paired the Escovedos with bassist Paul Jackson, guitarist Steve Busfield, conguero Victor Pantoja, and singers Errol Knowles, Wendy Haas, and Rico Reyes. Azteca recruited keyboardists George DiQuattro, George Muribus, and Flip Nuñez. Reed players Bob Ferreira and Mel Martin joined trumpeter Tom Harrell and valve trombonist Jules Rowell.

Several members entered Azteca with established jazz and Bay Area credits. Martin studied music at San Francisco State and joined the Freedom Band of saxophonist John Handy. Harrell graduated from Stanford with a degree in music composition and toured with Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. Jackson started bass at age nine and played with Oakland Symphony Orchestra at fourteen. He continued formal study at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Nuñez worked Bay Area jazz engagements and recorded with Jon Hendricks at the Trident.

Haas attended Woodside High School and played bass, keyboards, and vocals in Freudian Slips. The group reached Fillmore Auditorium while Haas was still a student. Michael Shrieve introduced Haas to Carlos Santana, and she recorded piano on Caravanserai. Reyes joined Azteca after a Santana period that included Santana III and Caravanserai. Busfield came from Loading Zone, where he played guitar on the album One for All.

Azteca played a documented June 4 engagement at San Diego Stadium as part of A Day in the Sun. Azteca added guest guitarist Carlos Santana, percussionist Armando Peraza, and drummer Michael Shrieve for the San Diego engagement. The group retained Santana, Peraza, and Shrieve for two June 16 shows at Kabuki Theatre in San Francisco.

Clive Davis signed Azteca to Columbia by early August on a five-year agreement with $50,000 in front money. Azteca revised the recording lineup with guitarist Jim Vincent and drummer Lenny White. Vincent came from Chicago, where he worked as a Chess Records session guitarist and recorded with Aorta and H.P. Lovecraft. White appeared on 1970 classics by Miles Davis (Bitches Brew) and Freddie Hubbard (Red Clay). Former Santana guitarist Neal Schon added guitar to three tracks.

Azteca entered Columbia Studios in San Francisco in September, where Coke Escovedo and the group produced the sessions for the self-titled debut album Azteca.

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