Azteca is the debut album by former Santana band members Coke Escovedo and his brother Pete Escovedo with their new band, Azteca.
The album was released by Columbia Records in December 1972 and debuted at No. 178 on the Billboard 200 albums chart on January 13, 1973, peaking at No. 151 on February 17, 1973, and spending nine weeks on the chart.
Reception
On the website AllMusic, music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote:
In December 1972, Billboard in its review of the album stated "the seventeen man conglomerate boasts, among other assets four fiery vocalists and a four man horn section that cooks to the boiling point. Especially powerful are 'Mamita Linda', 'You Can't Take the Funk Out of Me' and 'Love Not Then'".
Saturday Review of the Arts described it as an "impressive debut album", "featuring a bold, funky sound supported by an accordingly large batch of esteemed players, including graduates of Santana".
Track listing
Personnel Azteca
Coke Escovedo – Timbales Pete Escovedo – Vocals Errol Knowles – Vocals Wendy Haas – Vocals Rico Reyes – Vocals Victor Pantoja – Conga drums, Vocals Flip Nuñez – Organ George Moribus – Electric piano George DiQuattro – Piano, Clavinet Paul Jackson – Acoustic bass, Electric bass Lenny White III – Drums, Vocals Neal Schon – Guitar Jules Rowell – Valve trombone Tom Harrell – Trumpet Melvyn Martin – Soprano saxophone, Tenor saxophone, Baritone saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Bob Ferreira – Tenor saxophone, Piccolo James Vincent (Dondelinger) – Guitar
Production
Coke Escovedo, Azteca – Producer Pete Escovedo – Arranger Tom Harrell – Arranger George Engfer – recording engineer Glen Kolotkin – Engineer George Horn – Mastering Bruce Steinberg – Design, Artwork, Photography Coke Escovedo – Sleeve Notes
References