DVDS: Related Documentaries- Page 1

A world-class documentary on the life and career of Lalo Guerrero, produced by Nancy De Los Santos and my brother, Dan Guerrero. I was the music supervisor on the project and my song, "The Ballad of Lalo Guerrero," is played on the end credits. The documentary features many luminaries commenting on Lalo Guerrero's influence and impact on Chicano music and culture including Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, Flaco Jimenez, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin, Edward James Olmos, Luis Valdez, Cesar Chavez, and others. "Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano" was nominated for an Alma award and won an Imagen Award for best documentary in 2007. The documentary aired on PBS stations in the fall of 2006 as part of the "Voces" series, "a journey DEEP in the HEART and SOUL of LATINO CULTURE."

See some of the markets and dates in which it aired in 2006 below:

KCET - Los Angeles, CA - Thursday, 10/12 @ 8PM

KOCE - Los Angeles, CA (Orange County) – 10/24 @ 10PM

KCSM - San Mateo, CA - 11/23 @ 10 PM

WNET - New York, NY - 9/28 @ 9PM

WLRN - Miami, FL 10/24 @ 10PM

KLRN - San Antonio, TX – 11/3 @ 10PM

KPBS - San Diego, CA – 10/22 @ 2PM

KVPT - Fresno, CA – 11/8@ 11PM

WETA - DC – 9/20 @ 10:30 PM

WGBH - Boston, MA – 10/29 @ 12PM

KEET - Eureka, CA – 11/16 @ 9PM

"Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano" has also run in many other markets, both small and large through the present, 2008.

Screenings

Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival 2006
Puro Mexicano Film Festival (Tucson, Arizona) 2006
Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara 2007
Primer Festival de Cine Chicano en Mexico (Mexico City) 2007
Turks & Caicos International Film Festival 2007
International Latino Film Festival San Francisco 2007
Lalo Guerrero Film and Arts Festival (Palm Desert, California) 2007
Festival Internacional de Cine de la Frontera (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico) 2008

Awards

2006 Cine Golden Eagle Awards- Best Open for a Documentary
2007 Imagen Award- Best Documentary
2007 Alma Award Nomination- Outstanding Made for TV Documentary
2007 Sal De Mer Award, Turks and Caicos in the Carribean-
Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Song

"Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano"
DVD/CD Cover

"Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano DVD/CD
is currently out of stock. My brother Dan and I are soon going to make the DVD and CD available by download.

View the trailer below on you tube:

A documentary about the history of Chicano rock 'n' roll, inspired by the book "Land of a Thousand Dances" by Tom Waldman and David Reyes. "From Ritchie Valens to Los Lobos and beyond, we'll tell the story of kids from East Los Angeles who struggled to find a musical identity of their own, and succeeded." Underwritten in part by a grant from Latino Public Broadcasting. The latest funding for the project is by the California Council for the Humanities and the Skirball Foundation. Jon Wilkman is the producer/director/writer of the documentary. There is vintage footage of the musicians and historic events as well as interviews with the artists mentioned below in the flyer. There are also interviews with disc jockey Casey Kasem, newsman Tony Valdez, Oldies But Goodies creator Art Laboe, and authors Steven Loza, Tom Waldman, David Reyes, and Ruben Molina. It had its first air date of Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 9 p.m. on PBS. For more information go to wilkman.com. There was a premiere of the documentary at the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 9, 2008 that included a concert featuring Mark Guerrero backed by Franke Garcia's Cannibal & the Headhunters Band, Steve and Rudy Salas of Tierra, and Pachuco Jose y Los Diamantes.

A seven DVD collection of "live" performances taped in Pittsburgh, PA in 2010 and aired on PBS as a pledge drive special in 2011. Performers include Davy Jones, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Vogues, Lou Christie, Peter Noone, The Kingsmen, Percy Sledge, The Miracles, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, The Ventures, ? & the Mysterians, Steam, Jefferson Starship, Mason Williams, Eric Burdon, Mitch Ryder, Eddie Floyd, Roger McGuinn, Chad & Jeremy, Cannibal & the Headhunters (Mark Guerrero on guitar/backing vocals), and Eddie Holman. Click here to order.

A documentary about Latin rock pioneers, El Chicano, by Daniel Meza. There is vintage footage of El Chicano and historical events of the time as well as recent interviews with band members. I was also interviewed by Daniel for it in '07. "El Chicano: In the Eye of the Storm" places El Chicano in the social and political context of the times in which they emerged. "El Chicano: In the Eye of the Storm" DVD is available at amazon.com at the link below.

Documentary by Fito de La Parra of Canned Heat about the history of rock & roll in Mexico. It's extremely well done and thorough. Fito was born and grew up in Mexico where he was a member of many popular bands. He came to the U.S. in his late teens in pursuit of his rock & roll dreams and eventually became the drummer for the legendary Canned Heat. He was on the drums at the historic Woodstock Festival in 1969.! The documentary is filled with historic footage of bands and singers from the 50s on up It has many interviews with participants videotaped in recent years. I didn't know 95% of the story, which includes the brutal government censorship and violent crackdowns on rock & roll in Mexico. I also didn't know that there was a "Mexican Woodstock" in the early 70s, where hundreds of thousands of Mexican "hippies" showed up for a concert. My dad's (Lalo Guerrero) song "Marihuana Boogie" is in the documentary. Click here to order "Rock & Roll Made In Mexico: From Evolution to Revolution" at last.fm.

Ry Cooder's classic documentary film, which chronicles his successful quest to find the pioneers of Cuban folk music. Ry traveled to Cuba, circumventing government restrictions at the time, and found the musicians and recorded an album, also called "Buena Vista Social Club," which sold millions of copies around the world. This culminated in a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, which is also part of this documentary film.

The acclaimed film "Calle 54" gives a behind the scenes look into the lives of Tito Puente and some of the greatest Latin jazz artists of our time. Directed by academy award winner Fernando Trueba, the film also features Brazilian pianist Elaine Elias, Argentinean tenor sax great Gato Barbieri, Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente, and many more. The musicians featured span from New York to Puerto Rico and Spain to Cuba. There are incredible performances by all the artists in the film. The musicians and music rank with the best and most sophisticated in any genre on the planet!

Documentary about the history of the music along the Texas/Mexican border. The DVD includes a second documentary caled "Del Mero Corazon" plus 30 minutes of bonus footage. "Chulas Fronteras" includes artists such as Lydia Mendoza, Flaco Jimenez, Narciso Martines, Los Alegres de Teran, Rumel Fuentes, don Santiago Jimenez, Los Pinguinos del Norte, Ramiro Cavazos, and others. Ry Cooder calls "Chulas Fronteras" "the best visual record of Tex-Mex & Norteño music that I know." "Del Mero Corazon" is described by the Texas Monthly in this way "there is history, there are expressions of pride in La Raza, demonstrated by street murals and by 'Las Nubes,' an uplifting anthem to the Latin heritage, sung by Little Joe y La Familia." The bonus footage includes Lydia Mendoza, Narciso Martinez, Santiago Jimenez, and others and 14 new songs never before released on film.

Hector Galan's great documentary on the story of the San Angelo, Texas musical band of brothers, Henry, Jojo, and Ringo Garza. The film "fuses exciting live performances, vivid imagery of West Texas, and intimate personal stories, resulting in a heartfelt and moving account that brings to life Los Lonely Boys' incredible musical journey." "Cottonfields and Crossroads" is a compelling portrait of a band of brothers who, against all odds, overcome poverty and live the American rock & roll dream."

Concert DVD video of a Los Lonely Boys concert in Austin, Texas. It also features Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, behind the scenes documentaries, and a photo gallery.

DVD video of Los Lobos' 2004 concert at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. It includes performances of 21 songs and behind the scenes documentary footage.

"Tropical Tribute To the Beatles"

Live concert tribute to The Beatles. Beatles songs are turned into salsa by some of the greatest salseros and salseras of our time, including Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. Some of the "Latinized" titles include "Eleanor Rigby," "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Day Tripper," "Fool On the Hill," "And I Love Her," "Lady Madonna," and "Hey Jude." Tito Puente performs "Let It Be" and Celia Cruz interprets "Ob La Di Ob La Da." This collection shows that Beatle songs, because of their timeless quality, can be done in virtually any genre and not only succeed, but thrive. It also demonstrates that Latinos in the U.S. and in Latin-America also love and respect the music of the Beatles.

"The Complete Ritchie Valens"

Documentary of the life of Ritchie Valens with interviews with his family, friends, musicians who played with him, Bob Keane of DelFi Records, and others. It runs 161 minutes and includes a 28 song audio feature and a color booklet.

"La Bamba"

"La Bamba," written and directed by Luis Valdez, is the biographical movie on the life of rock & roll legend and Latin-American icon, Ritchie Valens. The movie stars Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens and Esai Morales as Ritchie's half brother Bob. On the DVD's back cover, the movie is further described with the following quote: "Fueled by Valens' hit songs performed by Los Lobos, as well as classic 50s tunes, La Bamba recreated the thrilling early days of rock and pays homage to the enduring legacy of a remarkable talent whose music crossed all borders."

"Zoot Suit"

Luis Valdez' successful play "Zoot Suit" was adapted to the screen as a major motion picture. Available below is the movie adaptation starring Edward James Olmos as the mythical "pachuco." The story is based on the "zoot suit riots" that rocked Los Angeles in the 1940s. Henry Reyna and a group of his friends are unjustly convicted and sent to San Quentin. Lawyers fight the blatantly racially motivated injustice to gain freedom for Henry and his friends. The play and movie feature four of my dad's (Lalo Guerrero) compositions, "Vamos a Bailar," "Los Chucos Suaves," "Chicas Patas Boogie," and "Marihuana Boogie."

"La Pastorela"

Available in VHS only, the classic fantasy movie starring Linda Ronstadt, Freddy Fender, Cheech Marin, Paul Rodriguez, and Lalo Guerrero. The original play is based on a Mexican Christmas tradition that goes with Las Posadas. "La Pastorela, which features comedy and music, provides great family entertainment. The film, which aired on PBS, is directed by Luis Valdez.

Linda Ronstadt
"Canciones de Mi Padre: A Romantic Evening in Old Mexico"

Linda Ronstadt's concert based on her mega-hit album "Canciones de Mi Padre." Linda belts out Mariachi classics in Spanish like a native Mexican diva.