Los Lobos, “Kiko Live” Drops On August 21, 2012 by Edward Jennings

Los Lobos, “Kiko Live” Drops On August 21, 2012

By Edward Jennings, on 05 May 30, 2012

I have deeply loved and admired the music of Los Lobos these past 40 years. Their sound has matured to such interesting depths of woven texture and synergy. It’s been great evolving with them over time as I never find their music boring or repetitive to listen to.

When we last saw them on tour in April, 2012 at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Louie Perez mentioned that their next music project would be a reissue celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Kiko (1992). Many people hail Kiko as Los Lobos’s watershed recording. Watershed is defined as a crucial dividing point, line or factor, a turning point (Merriam-Webster). Looking back on that period of Los Lobos’s career I would agree. 1992 is the halfway point in this cohesive group’s evolution.

Kiko Live Los Lobos will be adding to the original studio album with previously unreleased early and alternate takes of several songs. Simultaneously, a document of the band’s 2006 performance of Kiko in its entirety will be released separately on CD, DVD and Blu-ray, with both Kiko projects coming Aug. 21.

The CD also includes three tracks the band recorded live at Capitol Records in Hollywood for a “Hollywood House Party with Los Lobos” special that aired in 1992 on National Public Radio. The album reissue and the “Kiko Live” DVD/Blu-ray are being released by the Shout! Factory reissue specialty label. Los Lobos: Kiko Live (Blu Ray/CD) [Blu-ray]

“Kiko Live” has never been released or broadcast, and includes interviews with the band members and others about the making of the album. In 2006, Los Lobos did a series of live performances focusing on it in its entirety. Here is exclusive video of the group’s performance of “Kiko and the Lavendar Moon.”

http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/69959812/Entertainment/Exclusive-Los-Lobos-perform-Kiko-the-Lavender-Moon

Instead of “segregating our influences, treating them parochially,” as band member Steve Berlin described the band’s approach before “Kiko,” for that album “whatever our unconscious minds’ response was to the stimuli, that was what we wanted. We let our imagination take over and didn’t try to control it.”

You can place a pre-order for both the Los Lobos Audio CD and the BlueRay DVD on Amazon H ere.

Keep it going my Los Lobos brothers.

Peace, Ese