Ersi and Friends: Panel Discussion and Concert featuring Ersi Arvizu

Ersi, Rosella, and Mary Arvizu entered the all-male world of Chicano Rock comfortably and confidently in 1963. Coming from a musical and creative family, The Sisters enjoyed the complete support of their parents and extended family. At the peak of their career, The Sisters had the number 3 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 entered the professional boxing world in an unconventional way: 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. Now, Ersi is prepared to present a new concert-ready show featuring her compositions as well as The Sisters’ staple hits. She looks forward to entertaining audiences throughout the United States, and she is excited regarding the development of a new musical play about The Sisters.

In addition to being an entertainer in her own right, Denise Ornelas is also the niece of Ersi Arvizu! Denise has her own band, The Elements from Santa Barbara, California, a Funk, R&B, Latin and Soul Band that excites an audience wherever it performs. Denise will be joining Ersi in her breakout concert. Ersi is mentoring Denise in the art and business of performance and is excited to feature Denise as Ersi wows the UCLA audience on January 20.

Lorenzo Martinez is a Grammy Award-winning musician for The Best Tejano Album in 2009 titled Borders Y Bailes with Los Texmaniacs out of San Antonio, Texas. In 2018 he was nominated for best Regional Mexican music album including theTejano hit titled “Cruzando Borders.” Martinez is also a freelance multi-instrumentalist that performs with Ersi Arvizu who is the legendary voice of El Chicano. Lorenzo Martinez has recorded 6 different albums with Smithsonian folkways, most notably with Los Texmaniacs. He has played in countless festivals throughout the US and Europe and has been endorsed by Hohner, and Jimenez guitars. Lorenzo is also proud to have had the opportunity to perform for the troops four times in the Middle East.

Louie Mendez is a professional musician, SAG actor, composer, and music producer from Los Angeles, California. Louie has performed, recorded, and toured with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business, including great musicians such as Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, War, The Mavericks, Rose Royce, Rage Against the Machine, among others. He has also performed with comedians Paul Rodriguez, George Lopez, Rudy Moreno, Gilbert Esquivel, and Gabriel Iglesias. In December of 2010 Louie composed, arranged, performed, and produced a musical Christmas CD, “Christmas in the Barrio,” which was officially released in 2011. He performs regularly with Grammy winners such as Flaco Jimenez and the Texas Tornados and is currently working on three musical projects with the following artists: The Recessions R&B and Latin Soul band; Los Rock Angels, a Tex-Mex/Zydeco Band, and Trio Los Dados, a romantic trio playing classic Mexican standards/boleros. Louie continues to be a prominent musical contributor to the industry. He is a vocalist and a multi-talented instrumentalist, and looks forward to working with Ersi Arvizu, a long-time friend and great singer and musician who is ready to rock the Southwest with her new act.

Born and raised in East Los Angeles, Rick Reyes started his musical career playing trumpet in middle school; however, in high school he switched instruments and started playing bass guitar, his permanent instrument of choice. After high school, Rick joined Califas, a popular Chicano band that performed throughout the Southwest, and whose members worked with artists such as Jackson Browne, Cyndi Lauper, Luis Valdez and El Teatro Campesino. Rick’s expert performance as a bass player has led him to share the stage with many outstanding musicians, including The Chantells, Jose Feliciano, Steve Salas, Rudy Salas and The Eastside All-Stars, Vudu Cafe, Pete Escovedo, Malo, Tierra, and Joe Bataan. As a member of Trio Los Dados, Rick Reyes has backed Ersi Arvizu many times, and he looks forward to joining her once again as she presents her unique artistry through a new show that will surprise and delight audiences throughout the Southwest.

The first band in which Elias Chico performed was The Sal Chico Band (led by his uncle) when he was 14 years old. Elias performed with Chico until 1979, when he received a call from Ersi Arvizu, who was forming her own band and asked Elias to join. At the rehearsal, Ersi mentioned that she had sat in with Sal Chico’s band in the early 70’s, and that comment led to an instant connection. Elias performed with Ersi’s group until the early 90’s. In the mid 2000’s Elias was honored to play with the Armenta Brothers on two of their albums, “Remember When” and “Lifetime achievement – Memories of El Monte”. The albums featured collaborations with several great Eastside artists, including Rudy Salas as producer of both albums, a written introduction to “Memories of El Monte” by the late Huggie Boy, and vocals by the late Rudy and Steve Salas, co-founders of the Latin Rock group Tierra. A few years later, Elias played with Chico on their CD, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Elias recognizes that playing with various groups, and gaining quality experience as a musician, has given him the opportunity to open shows for notable groups such as Poncho Sanchez, The Midniters, and Tierra. Elias Chico is currently working with the Latin Gents and has other projects in the works. Recently, he reconnected with Ersi and performed a show with her and Trio Los Dados. Elias looks forward to working with Ersi again as she embarks on a new adventure, presenting an exciting show that will thrill audiences throughout the Southwest.

John Asti has been playing music since he was 9yrs old.  With a BS in Music Education, MA in Jazz studies. John has toured the world with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey (Under Lee Castle), Warren Covington and Pied Pipers, Broadway Nat’l tours of CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar and Crazy For You and Beauty and the Beast.  In the 80’s John toured with a Jazz Fusion group “Kinesis” who performed with Jeff Lorber Fusion, Robben Ford and the Yellowjackets and Seawind.  John has performed with Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Dave Weckl, Carl Saunders, Claudio Rodti, Steve Turre, Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels,  and Clark Terry.  Also John played with the big bands of Bill Holman, Steve Huffsetler, Charlie Persip and John Fedchok. Concerts with Johnny Mathis, Engleburt Humperdink, Natalie Cole, Frankie Valle, The Temptations, 4 Tops, Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Martha and the Vanellas, Sarah Vaughn and Nancy Wilson. As a teacher, John has taken his bands to many Marching Band competitions and the jazz bands to the Berklee College of Music High School Festival in Boston, MA, winning their division 3 times and grand performance at night. Asti is currently teaching school in the Lancaster Unified School District.

Bob Luna is a world class musician and wears many “hats” in the music industry. He has worked with many renown Artists and has played live shows with iconic luminaries such as Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones and Bobby Kimball of Toto.

As Music Director/ Keyboardist, he has conducted for Deniece Williams, The Friends of Distinction Englebert Humperdink and many more.

As Composer/Arranger, he has composed for Film, TV, Video Games as well as award winning Documentaries, Webisodes and New Media. An accomplished Pianist based in Los Angeles, California, he is at home with all styles of music. In 2022 he was awarded a Telly Award for his String Arrangement in the “Black Lives Matter” video.

Jack Musgrove is a trumpet player from the Southern California area. This year marks the 20th year of Jack being a part of the powerful horn section with the Latin Legends band, Malo. Jack’s high-energy playing reflects his musical influences from Jazz to Funk and everything in between. Jack is extremely grateful to participate in this concert and share the stage with Ersi and Friends!

Leornard Luna has performed with the United States Marine Drum and Bugle corps. After completing his tour in 1990, he began performing with different bands and artists, including Al Wilson, Malo, Carlos Guerrero, Willie Gonzalez, and Grammy award-winning Mexican artists Café Tacuba and Marisela.

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.