Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement

Washington (District of Columbia), USA – Smithsonian Folkways
Recordings recently released

Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement, a
compilation of 19 tracks recorded between 1966 and 1999 from a wide variety
of labels and sources. Many songs are seeing CD release for the first time
ever. The album includes two rare tracks from Los Lobos, known in the 1970s
as Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles, including the previously unreleased
song “El tilingo lingo.”

Translated, the title means “Songs of Our Land” or “Songs of the Homeland.” Aztlan refers to the mythic homeland of the Aztecs, literally meaning ‘our
land,’ redefined here to refer to the American Southwest. A remarkable collection of powerful songs,

Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement starts
with the United Farm Workers‘ strike in
California’s San Joaquin Valley in 1965. The Mexican-American
anti-oppression movement bound itself to an emerging Chicano artistic and
cultural renaissance. Many of the artists and groups represented here are
grassroots musician-activists and community icons. For example, El Teatro
Campesino (The Farm Worker Theater) was a politically active theater
collective that included music; several of the songs on this album come from
the group’s members, including an exciting track recorded live at the United
Farm Workers meeting hall in 1966.

The music ranges from huelga (strike) songs of the farm workers to Mexican
revolutionary corridos; from translations of previous civil rights and labor
movement anthems to rewritten popular rancheras. ‘Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement includes translated versions of “We Shall Overcome” (“Nosotros
venceremos”) and “We Shall Not Be Moved” (“No nos moveran”). Also included
is a tribute to Cesar Chavez by Los Perros del Pueblo Nuevo.

Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement was compiled, annotated,
and produced by noted Hispanic music scholars Estevan César Azcona and Russell
Rodríguez. who include complete English and Spanish lyrical translations. As
with all Smithsonian Folkways Recordings releases, this album includes
extensive liner notes and stunning photography.

This album is part of the “Tradiciones/Traditions” recording series, a
component of the CFCH Nuestra Música project that explores Latino culture
through music in recordings and the Folklife Festival programs.

‘Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement’ Track Listing:

1 Yo soy chicano (Juanita Domínguez) Los Alvarados
2. De colores (Traditional) Sung by Children from the School of Santa
Isabel, East Los Angeles. California. Accompanied by Los Lobos del Este de
Los Angeles
3. Yo no le tengo miedo a nada (Agustín Lira) Live Recording from UFW
Meeting Hall, 1966. Accompanied By El Teatro Campesino
4. Llegando a los files (Agustín Lira) El Teatro Campesino
5. El picket sign (Luis Valdéz) El Teatro Campesino
6. No nos moverán (Public Domain) La Rondalla Amerindia de Aztlan
7 Ninos campesinos (Luis Valdéz) El Teatro Campesino
8. Corrido de Cesar Chavez (Felipe Cantu) Los Perros del Pueblo Nuevo
9. Corrido del Rio Arriba (Roberto Martínez) Los Reyes de Albuquerque
10. Corrido del bracero (Jesús “Chuy” Negrete) Los Mascarones y Los
Alacranes Mojados 11. América de los indios (Daniel Valdéz) Daniel Valdéz

12. El quinto sol (Enrique Ramirez/Nestor Mili) Los Peludos
13. Soy del pueblo (Carlos Puebia) Flordel Pueblo
14. El tilingo lingo (Lino Chavez-Los Lobos) Los Lobos del Este de Los
Angeles
15. Yo soy tu hermano, yo soy chicano (Rumel Fuentes) Conjunto Aztlan
16. Lulac cadillac (Jose Montoya) Trio Casindio
17. Chicano Park Samba (Ramon “Chunky” Sánchez) Los Alacranes Mojados
18. Vietnam Veterano (Al Reyes) Al Reyes
19. jQuihubo raza! (Agustin Lira) Agustín Lira y Alma

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