For Los Lobos, the legendary band from East L.A., the road map to their first-ever holiday album “Llegó Navidad” started with a list of 150 or so Christmas songs from across the Latin music diaspora.
“There were a couple of provisos,” says Steve Berlin, Los Lobos’ saxophonist and keyboard player. “One was something that we could pull off. A lot of the stuff, oddly enough, was pretty complex and had a lot of moving parts, and quite frankly we didn’t really have time for because we were touring pretty much the whole time.
“So we knocked out a few songs that were just overambitious,” he says. “Once we sort of narrowed the list down it became an issue of balance: Who was going to sing it, what style we were going to use, how different from the original arrangement we were going to make it.
“Then at that point there were a couple of other choices, like Cesar (Rosas, singer-guitarist), brought in a few that he always liked including ‘¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?” and then there’s one that his mom always liked, ‘Amarga Navidad.’ So once we got the ball rolling, you know, some of the choices became easier.”
“Llegó Navidad” is a terrific record for the holidays or anytime really, because Los Lobos is such a wonderful band. There is only one original on the record, “Christmas And You,” written by Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and Louie Pérez. Most of it plucks music from a variety of places and genres: Opener “La Rama” is a traditional Christmas song specific to the holiday customs of Veracruz, Mexico, “La Murga” is a cover of a 1971 salsa tune by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe, “It’s Christmas Time In Texas” is a rollicking Tejano tune from Freddy Fender.
Just as Christmas can represent a return to the familiar comforts of home, the recording of “Llegó Navidad” in June and July brought Los Lobas back its roots, via the Nest Recorders studio in Boyle Heights in East L.A., Berlin says.
“Dave (Hidalgo) had done some work there and suggested that we check it out because the last studio that we did our last record at had closed,” he says. “The guys don’t really like to drive to Hollywood – that’s a really long drive. They’re in Orange County or near Orange County.
“We didn’t really know what to expect, but it turned out to be absolutely fantastic,” Berlin says. “It’s a great studio. And for a Christmas record, it’s right at the old neighborhood, so it really kind of put everybody in a good headspace. Just kind of seeing the old houses in your neighborhood and going back to the restaurants we used to go to.
“It made for a very really pleasant experience. Every place else that we go to was quite a bit further away, and it’s just someplace to work. And this was, especially for Christmas, very evocative.”
Los Lobos has four shows in Southern California in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and its shows will continue to feature about six tracks from the Christmas record alongside hits from across the band’s five decades of music-making, Berlin says.
“We’re still experimenting every night how to make it work,” he says of the band’s incorporation of the Christmas music into its shows this fall. “It’s a balance of how much, how many, we’ve been trying to sort of spread them out. We haven’t done the same set yet on the whole tour. It’s fun.”
“Llegó Navidad” is Los Lobos’ first album since “Gates Of Gold” in 2015, but Berlin says they’ll likely return to the studio early in the new year.
“Because this one does have an expiration date, it’s not like we’re not allowed to start on another one soon,” he says. “I think we’re talking about starting as early as maybe January or February and see what we can do.”
Making the Christmas record was a great reminder of the joy of creative collaboration Los Lobos shares, and the comfort and confidence that comes with a lineup that has stayed remarkably stable over the years: Hidalgo, Rosas, Pérez, and bassist Conrad Lozano have all been in the band since 1973 or 1974. Berlin joined in 1984.
“Everybody stepped up,” Berlin says. “Everybody was really engaged and dedicated and brought their A-game. I’m proud of the guys. It was a pleasure to be part of it, a pleasure to make it. I’m very happy with the whole record.”
Los Lobos
Friday, Dec. 27: The Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Dr., Agoura Hills. Doors open at 6 p.m. Los Lobos on at 9 p.m. Tickets are $38-$58.
Saturday, Dec. 28: The Canyon Santa Clarita, located in Westfield Valencia Town Center, 24201 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita. Doors at 6 p.m., Los Lobos at 9 p.m. Tickets are $38-$58.
Sunday, Dec. 29: The Rose, 245 E. Green St., Pasadena. Doors at 6 p.m., Los Lobos at 9 p.m. Tickets are $38-$68.
Tuesday, Dec. 31: The Canyon Montclair, located in Montclair Place, 5060 E Montclair Plaza, Montclair. Doors at 6 p.m., Los Lobos at 9 p.m. Tickets are $48-$108.
For more: Loslobos.org
