THE BLAZERS

“This is joyous music, made with bountiful and generous spirit - something you won't regret tapping into.” -- Tower E-Pulse
“… a superb collection that expertly customizes roots-rock conventions.” -- No Depression

Straight out of East Los Angeles, The Blazers play big-hearted Latin roots rock music that's soulful, surprising, and always fun. Combining electric guitars, bass and drums with traditional instruments such as the bajo sexto and button accordion, The Blazers make music that draws on the deep well of Mexican-American culture and life.

Ruben Guaderrama and Manuel “Manny” Gonzales are the heart and soul of The Blazers. The Blazers’ history goes back to their high school days growing up in East L.A. Coming together to play music, they knew no boundaries in the music they played – they felt just as comfortable playing rock and roll as they did playing boleros, cumbias, and mariachi music. Through the years, Manny and Ruben went through a succession of group names and band members, finally embracing the name The Blazers. Playing clubs, dances, and parties around Southern California, the band built a devoted following for their unique blend of American rock with traditional Mexican music. In the early ‘90s, they came to the attention of renowned roots label Rounder Records. They released several critically acclaimed records on Rounder including “Just For You” which was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam, Roy Orbison, Sara Evans, k.d. lang ). This began a friendship that eventually led to The Blazers signing to Anderson’s Little Dog label. Their collaboration produced the gem “17 Jewels,” described by one listener as “The Blazers’ Sergeant Peppers album.”

Listening to “17 Jewels” one can't help but agree that this is their finest release to date. The album kicks off with the ebullient “And I Feel It,” which sets the rollicking tone for the rest of the album. “Come On Baby” keeps the pachanga going – especially when it is reprised in Spanish at the end of the album. The tender “Next To Me” sounds like a cross between old Motown and ’50 doo wop music. On “17 Jewels,” The Blazers also reach back into their past: Ruben wrote the song “Our Time” when he was in high school. They’ve also covered some old favorites such as “Leaving It All Up To You” and the Beatles’ classic “Spoil The Party” (performed as a conjunto rave-up).

“We're ‘the other band’ from East L.A.,” says Manny with a laugh. Constant comparisons to Los Lobos aside, this band consistently tours throughout the United States and takes regular forays to Europe. They have developed a reputation as an excellent live band and an extraordinarily nice group of guys. “We played with Los Lobos in Salt Lake City and Alvin Lee in Sweden last summer,” says Ruben, “And in both instances the audience response has been overwhelming. It's good to see that we have sort of a universal appeal.”

For now, The Blazers are happy to be on a new label, making music for Little Dog Records . “We have always enjoyed working with Pete,” says Ruben. “He's very creative and it's almost like he's another member of the band. We feel like family members at Little Dog.”

The Blazers are:
Ruben Guaderrama - vocals, guitars, requinto romantico, tres, bass, percussion
Manuel Gonzales - vocals, guitars, bajo sexto, orchestral accordion, bass, percussion