Ersi Arvizu and her band of friends will be featured in a panel discussion on January 20, 2024, from 3-5pm and a concert from 8-10pm. Ersi Arvisu is well-known as a singer who gained prominence as a member of the band El Chicano and for her contributions to the Chicano rock and Latin rock genres.
Ersi Arvizu is an American singer known for her contributions to Chicano music. Arvizu gained recognition as a member of the band The Sisters and later as a solo artist. She is often associated with the East L.A. music scene and is considered a prominent figure in the Chicano rock and soul movement. Ersi Arvizu's musical style incorporates elements of traditional Mexican music, R&B, and soul, creating a unique blend that reflects her cultural heritage. Over the years, she has collaborated with various musicians and contributed to the rich tapestry of Chicano music. From 1963 to 1968, Ersi performed with The Sisters, the first all-girl group to record and perform in Chicano Rock. Ersi, Rosella, and Mary Arvizu entered the all-male world of Chicano Rock comfortably and confidently in 1963. At the peak of their career, The Sisters had the number three hit in Southern California, "Gee Baby Gee,“ and their local success led to their performing with great artists such as Steve Wonder, Ike and Tina Turner, and Sonny and Cher. Ersi began her solo career in 1968, singing and performing with local groups such as the Village Callers and the VIP’s, who later became El Chicano. With El Chicano, she achieved international fame with the breakout hit “Sabor A Mi,” a staple in Latino neighborhoods throughout the United States. Although her professional boxing career was short-lived, she maintained a 4-0 record while she was active in the ring. Alongside her father, she became a boxing trainer and trained boys ages 6 to 13 on the discipline and techniques of boxing, and took them to Hawaii to show them that dreams are achievable through discipline and dedication. Ersi Arvizu—composer, vocalist, successful boxer and trainer, and philanthropist – an icon of the Latino community! Ersi is represented by Brown Fist Productions LLC, a company that features the finest in Latino entertainment!
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The panel discussion will feature Ersi Arvisu, David Reyes, and Steven Loza.
Ersi Arvisu is an American singer known for her contributions to Chicano music. Arvizu gained recognition as a member of the band The Sisters and later as a solo artist. She is often associated with the East L.A. music scene and is considered a prominent figure in the Chicano rock and soul movement. Ersi Arvizu's musical style incorporates elements of traditional Mexican music, R&B, and soul, creating a unique blend that reflects her cultural heritage. Over the years, she has collaborated with various musicians and contributed to the rich tapestry of Chicano music.
David Reyes is a Chicano music historian and archivist, classical music composer, and musician. He studied composition with Iannis Xenakis and Gyorgy Ligeti at Centre Acante, and he also studied at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory in Aix en Provence, France. He produced a three-CD set for Rhino Records called “Brown Eyed Soul,” and was Associate Producer for the PBS documentary Chicano Rock. He is co-author of Land of a Thousand Dances and co-curator of the exhibit “Roots of the Eastside Sound.” Reyes composed the mini-opera entitled, “El Circo Anahuac,” scored for voices, chamber ensemble. He was also producer for Death of a Salesman, April 2023, at CASA 0101 in Boyle Heights.
Steven Loza is a professor of ethnomusicology at UCLA, where he has been on the faculty for thirty-four years, and also served as professor of music at the University of New Mexico, where he formerly directed the Arts of the Americas Institute. He has served as chair of the Department of Ethnomusicology and is currently chair of the Global Jazz Studies Interdepartmental Program, in addition to serving as director of the UCLA Center for Latino Arts. He has conducted extensive research in Mexico, the Chicano/Latino U.S., Cuba, among other areas, and has lectured and read papers throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
This event is made possible thanks to support from the UCLA Center for Latino Arts (CLA) and the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC).