Blog: Cahl's Juke Joint: A rock, blues and jazz blog

Bobby Espinosa has died. His organ helped make El Chicano's hit "Viva Tirado" sound like the best parts of Jimmy Smith, Tito Puente and The Doors all rolled into one. Espinosa, one of the founders of the East L.A. band, coaxed the same fat, seductive kinds of sounds out of his Hammond B3 that his contemporary Carlos Santa did out of his guitar. That's especially clear on El Chicano's searing instrumental rendition of "Cubano Chant." He showed his jazz chops on tunes such as "Cantaloupe Island" and added thick dollops of Latin soul. [...]