Super Sonido

1. Chicken Y Sus Comandos: Caminando Despacito

When one thinks of music from the Yucatan peninsula in the 60’s and 70’s the first name that should come to mind is the musical genius Francisco José Hernández Mandujano, aka Chico Che.

Supposedly Chico Che had either formed or influenced bands from all over the Yucatan. Combos like Los 7 Modernistas, Los Temerarios, and groups like Chicken Y Sus Comandos. The influences ranged from regional upbeat Mexican, organ/farfisa grinding funk, and a heavy emphasis on South American cumbia (which for some reason the style of music is generally referred to as música tropical). Chico Che went on to form Chico Che y La Crisis (don’t care much for his music). All very similar to Rigo Tovar’s style of tropical.

Caminando Despacito (walking/strutting slowly) is a funky cover from Eddie Palmeri, whose version is pretty dope as well.

2. Chicken Y Sus Comandos: Cumbia Sampuesana

This song actually doesn’t come off this LP pictured on the left. I have an extra mp3 version which I only wanted to share with everyone. Chicken Y Sus Comandos’s version of the traditional Colombian song La Cumbia Sampuesana shows the direction in which Yucatan groups at the time were taking with música tropical, a fusion of very loud cumbia, funk, psyche and rock. The song really attacks you like a hawk from the sky. Unfortunately most the music from these guys don’t end up sounding like this.

*** Please note I amended the prior post “El Zarape” with a new track. Check it out!