Los Lobos announce their first holiday album 'LLEGÓ NAVIDAD' out October 4 on Rhino

Here is a Christmas-minded media release that landed in my inbox...

East L.A. Icons Record Eclectic Mix Of Christmas Songs  From North, Central And South America

New Holiday Original “Christmas And You” Available Now On All Digital Download And Streaming Services

Los Lobos Tour Dates Continue This Fall And Winter

Rising up out of East L.A. comes the first ever holiday album from Los Lobos. The Grammy®-winning group researched nearly 150 Christmas-related songs from across North, Central and South America for the collections, eventually narrowing the list down to the songs they wanted to reinvent in their own inimitable style. They even wrote their own holiday original “Christmas And You,” especially for the album, which is available now on all digital download and streaming services.

 

LLEGÓ NAVIDAD is now available to pre-order and will be released on CD and digitally from Rhino on October 4 for $16.98. A vinyl version will be released on November 22 for $21.98.

 

David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, and Steve Berlin open the album with “La Rama” (the branch). This lively song is in the regional folk style known as son jarocho, which is popular in the Veracruz region of Mexico. La Rama is also the name of the traditional Mexican holiday custom where the community adorns branches from a tree and displays it in a nightly procession through the neighborhood.

 

Another album highlight “La Murga de Panamá” was originally recorded in 1971 by the legendary salsa duo of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe. And though “La Murga” is actually the name for a group that assembles to dance, sing, and play music during another South American holiday - Carnival – the spirit of the song is no less infectious at Christmastime.

Los Lobos transform the 1958 novelty song “Dónde Está Santa Claus” (Where is Santa Claus) into a “lowrider oldie” with a head-nodding groove powered by Hidalgo’s guitar and Berlin’s vibraphone. Rosas delivers an impeccable lead vocal on “Regalo de Reyes” (meaning Gift of Kings), a song made famous by Javier Solís, Mexican actor and singer of boleros and rancheras. Naturally, the collection also includes the band’s take on Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad.”

 

The album’s new original “Christmas And You,” was written by Hidalgo and Pérez. Hidalgo’s vocals are sweet and soulful. Berlin layers in piano along with some Omnichord, Rosas provides electric guitar, and Lozano adds upright bass to create what is sure to become a modern classic. 

LLEGÓ NAVIDAD Track Listing   1.      “La Rama” 2.      “Reluciente Sol” 3.      “It’s Christmas Time In Texas” 4.      “Amarga Navidad” 5.      “Arbolito De Navidad” 6.      “¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?” 7.      “Llegó Navidad” 8.      “Las Mañanitas” 9.      “La Murga” 10.   “Christmas And You” 11.   “Regalo De Reyes” 12.   “Feliz Navidad”

LOS LOBOS Tour Dates   Aug    16 – Saint Paul, MN – Ordway Center for the Performing Arts           17 – Valparaiso, IN – Prairie Magic Music Fest            23 – Plymouth, NH – The Flying Monkey            24 – Trois-Riviéres, Quebec – Trois-Riviéres en Blues Festival            29 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom            30 – Akron, OH – E.J. Thomas Hall            31 – Kittanning, PA – John P. Murtha Amphitheater   Sept    06 – Albuquerque, NM – Sandia Resort and Casino            07 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre            12 – Albany, NY – Skyloft            13 – Salisbury, MA – Blue Ocean Music Hall            14 – North Truro, MA – Payomet Performing Arts Center            15 – East Greenwich, RI – Greenwich Odeum            19 – Beaumont, TX – Jefferson Theater            20 – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall            28 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns   Oct     01 – Olympia, WA – Washington Center for the Performing Arts            02 – Kirkland, WA – Kirkland Performance Center            03 – Edmonds, WA – Edmonds Center for the Arts            04 – Mount Vernon, WA – Lincoln Theatre            05 – Federal Way, WA – Performing Arts Center of Federal Way            06 – Perris, CA – Lake Perris Fairgrounds            09 – Modesto, CA – Gallo Center for the Arts            10 – Visalia, CA – Visalia Fox Theater            11 – Long Beach, CA – Museum of Latin American Art            12 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom            13 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Civic Center            17 – Staten Island, NY – St. George Theatre            18 – Westbury, NY – Theatre at Westbury            19 – Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite Auditorium            20 – Kingston, NY – Ulster Performing Arts Center            26 – San Diego, CA – Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise  Nov    7 – Toledo, OH – Stranahan Theater           8 – St Louis, MO – The Sheldon            9 – Bartlett, TN – Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center            14 – Hopewell, VA – The Beacon Theatre            16 – Owings Mills, MD – The Gordon Center for Performing Arts            17 – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27 Dec    8 – Chicago, IL – City Winery            9 – Chicago, IL – City Winery            10 – Chicago, IL – City Winery            12 – Washington, DC – City Winery             13 – Washington, DC – City Winery            14 – New York, NY – The Concert Hall at NY Society for Ethical Culture           15 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery            16 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery            18 – Boston, MA – City Winery             19 – Boston, MA – City Winery             27 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Club            28 – Santa Calrita, CA – The Canyon Santa Clarita            29 – Pasadena, CA – The Rose            31 – Montclair, CA – The Canyon Montclair Jan      25 – Redding, CA – Cascade Theatre   Feb     9 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall            11 – Key West, FL – Key West Theater            13 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre            22 – Toronto, Ontario – Koerner Hall