MARK GUERRERO’S CHICANO MUSIC CHRONICLES

During the month of April, 2017, Mark Guerrero features Dr. Loco on his show, Chicano Music Chronicles. Since 1989, Dr. Loco, also known as Jose B. Cuellar, Ph.D., and his Rocking Jalapeno Band have been playing a rich melange of mestizo and mulatto styles in celebration of the diverse origins of theri Mexican American musical heritage. based in San Francisco, this award-winning band transmits the joy inherent in their music and the pleasure they feel making it.

Performing with a number of musical groups, “Dr. Loco” has produced four music CDs (Con Safos in 1991, Movimiento Music in 1992, Puro Party in 1995, and Barrio Ritmos & Blues in 1998) with Dr. Loco’s Rockin’ Jalapeno Band, and the musical soundtrack for the feature film Alambrista! The Director’s Cut (2002) with the conjunto, Dr. Loco & sus Tiburones Del Norte.

When not rocking his music, Dr. Loco is a professor of La Raza Studies at San Francisco State University and Chicano Studies at UC Berkeley. He performs on saxophone, a variety of flutes and vocals. His group includes Francisco Herrera, whose unique vocal style can be compared to James Taylor and Jose Feliciano, plays acoustic guitar, and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Daniel Martinez who plays electric bass. Joe Brigandi, or Carlos Caro of Dr. Loco’s Rockin’ Jalapeño, sometimes joins this ensemble on percussion, drums and vocals.

Among Dr. Loco’s recent honors is the Diversity in Teaching and Learning Distinguished faculty Award (2000), a Ford Foundation Grant for the music of the film Alambista (2001), the Distinguished Alumnus Award from California State University at Long Beach (2002), and the Golden West College’s Pillar of Achievement Award (2003).

More recently, Dr. Loco’s Rockin’Jalapeño Band and Francisco Herrera a well known Bay Area guitarist, vocalist and activist, created an electroacoustic group to perform musica americana of amor and liberation called Amorindio. Their unique bilingual arrangements bring new voice and high energy to some of the great classic and contemporary boleros, freedom songs, polkas, cumbias, and gospels.

Enjoy Mark Guerrero’s exciting interview with this legendary musician!

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