ArtistInfo

Azteca

Band, *1972 US, San Francisco
Latin, Jazz and Rock

Azteca was a Latin jazz-rock-fusion group formed in 1972, started by Coke Escovedo and his brother Pete Escovedo, who had played on Santana III (1971). Azteca was the first large-scale attempt to combine multiple musical elements in the context of a Latin orchestra setting, and featured horns, woodwinds, multiple keyboards, three vocalists, guitars, drums, and multiple Latin percussionists. Onstage, the band consisted of between 15-25 members, and toured with acts including Stevie Wonder. Other notable Azteca members included drummer Lenny White, bassist Paul Jackson (2), vocalist Wendy Haas, trumpeter Tom Harrell, guitarist Neal Schon, vocalist Errol Knowles and percussionist Victor Pantoja. The group was also a musical starting point for Latin percussionist Sheila E. (the daughter of Pete Escovedo), who appeared with the band as a teenager. They released only two albums between 1972-1973.

Members

	Coke Escovedo perc, bvoc 1941-1986 US
	James Vincent g, voc *1943 US
	Rico Reyes voc, perc US
	Paul Jackson eb, b *1947 US
	Pete Escovedo tim, perc *1935 US
	Tom Harrell tr, fh *1946 US
	Victor Pantoja cng, bgo US
	Sheila Escovedo cng, voc
	Neal Schon g, voc *1954 US
	Wendy Haas p, voc US
	Errol Knowles voc US