Mazz
Mazz | |
|---|---|
 Mazz band in the 1980s | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Brownsville, Texas, United States |
| Genres | Tejano, Mexican cumbia |
| Years active | 1978–Present |
| Labels | Freddie Records, Capitol EMI Latin, Cara Records |
Mazz was a Tejano band formed by Joe López and Jimmy González in 1978 in Brownsville, Texas.[1] The band was made known for their unique and innovative form of Tejano cumbia and rancheras,[2][3] becoming one of the most popular Tejano bands during the genre's 1990s golden age after entering their first major recording contract with EMI Latin circa 1989.
Mazz disbanded in 1998, with frontline members López and González going on to form, respectively, Joe López y la Nueva Imagen Mazz in 2001 (still on EMI Latin) and Jimmy González y Grupo Mazz in 1999 (with Freddie Records). The former band released only one album, with López later to follow González in signing with Freddie Records and performing solo as Joe López; the latter band went on to win Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and in 2009, holding the record of most wins, and has most recently released Porque Todavía te Quiero, following González's death in 2018.[2] After his 2006-2017 incarceration, López formed Joe López y Grupo Mazz and continues to write, record, and perform.
History
José Manuel López and Santiago "Jimmy" González Jr. were both born August 28, 1950[4] and grew up as friends in Brownsville, Texas. In 1977 González persuaded drum and conga player Adolfo Garcia to replace Daniel López on drums and percussion in the Brownsville band Something Easy, which featured Patsy Franco as vocalist and Leó Silva on keyboards. Upon Franco's departure in June 1977, Silva and González had López replace him. In November 1977, the band would decide to assume a new name, initially "Mass," but later changed to "Mazz," in the style of the word mark of the rock band Kiss, "who made the 'SS' look like 'ZZ.'"[5]
Grupo Mazz were known for using the synthesizer and blending rock and roll into their original Tejano music sound.[6] They earned a marketing contract with Coors in the mid-1980s that provided the band with exposure.[6] The marketing success of Coors enabled the band to tour in Florida, California, and much of the southwest and Pacific coast states of the United States.[6] The band's repertoire included award-winning songwriter Luis Silva who provided the band's earliest success with "Laura Ya No Vive Aquí", "Borraré Tu Nombre", and "Otra Vez".[6] Grupo Mazz began receiving top honors at the Tejano Music Awards, winning Single of the Year, Best Tejano Album, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Showband of the Year.[6] By 1986, Grupo Mazz began selling 50,000 units and became one of the top-selling Tejano acts.[7] The group had a reputation as being "bad boys" of the Tejano music industry, they were known to be late at their shows.[7] The single "Laura Ya No Vive Aqui" peaked atop Billboard's Latin music charts in March 1987.[6] The band's 1987 album Beyond took Album of the Year honors at the 1988 Tejano Music Awards, while Lopez and Gonzalez won Vocal Duo of the Year.[8]
In 1988, Mazz signed with CBS Records and released Straight from the Heart (1989), and the following year they signed with EMI Latin.[9] At the 1990 Tejano Music Awards, Grupo Mazz took Songwriter of the Year (Lopez), Vocal Duo of the Year, and Song of the Year (for "Now I Want You to Love Me") honors.[10] The band's album No Te Olvidare (1990) reached atop the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart in July 1990.[11] It spent five consecutive months at number two behind Bronco.[11] In March 1990, the album received a gold award from EMI Latin, signifying 50,000 units sold. That July, the company announced that No Te Olvidare sold 75,000 units in the United States.[11] Mazz performed at RodeoHouston for 14 consecutive years, starting in 1991 as part of Go Tejano Day.[2]
Lopez and González separated in summer 1998 and pursued solo careers with their own bands.[12] Gonzalez signed a recording contract with Freddie Records in 1999.[2] Mazz won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and in 2009, the most wins for a Tejano musician.[2] Mazz's albums No Te Olvidare, Para Nuestra Gente, Una Noche Juntos, and Mazz Romanticos Que Nunca, sold 100,000 units each by June 2018.[3]
González's death
As González's health began to worsen, mostly due to diabetes, he began sitting during performances.[2] In February 2018, González was hospitalized after difficulties breathing during a show.[12] Following a show on June 5, González planned on returning to Brownsville.[3] He decided to visit relatives in San Antonio and was hospitalized on June 5 following a drop in blood sugar. González experienced cardiac arrest and was momentarily revived,[12] but died on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, of complications from diabetes.[3] Within hours of the announcement of his death, Tejano musicians including Shelly Lares, David Lee Garza, and Raulito Navaira (brother of Emilio Navaira who died two years earlier) shared tributes on social media,[13] and Tejano music stations in San Antonio began a constant play of Mazz music.[14]
His group was scheduled to perform at the Shrimporee in Aransas Pass on June 9,[15] and during the Puro Tejano Texas Showdown on June 23 and June 24, 2018, as part of the Puro Tejano 101.7 launch party.[2] The June 24 event will be a tribute to González.[2]
Controversies
In April 1994, the bus driver for Mazz was convicted after being found with 49 pounds of marijuana at the Falfurrias checkpoint. The group was in Chicago at the time of the arrest.[16]
Joe Lopez's conviction and sex offender status
In 2006, Joe Lopez was convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and a count of indecency with a child when his niece provided testimony against Lopez in court.[17] Lopez originally was sentenced to 20 years but was paroled in February 2017.[17] As the board was considering his parole, court documents showed that Lopez also fathered a child with another underage girl, who was 14 years old at the time. Since there were two separate instances of sex with underage girls, advocates objected to his parole.[18]
Lopez is required to register as sex offender for the rest of his life and can be found on the Texas Public Sex Offender Website.[19]
Band members
First lineup (1978-1984):
- Joe Lopez - vocals
- Jimmy González - guitar, backup vocals
- Juan Murillo - bass and backup vocals
- Hector Augusto Flores - keyboards
- Adolfo Garcia: - drums
Second lineup (1984-1997):
- Joe Lopez - lead vocals
- Jimmy González - vocals, guitar
- Tommie Gonzalez - conga, saxophone
- Alfonso Gonzalez (Super Boy) - accordion
- Frankie Caballero - accordion
- Robert Chavez- bass
- Mario Gonzalez - bass
- Brando Mireles - keyboard
- Adolfo Garcia - drums
- Ricardo Barron - percussion
- Rebecca Valadez - vocals
- Homero Esquivel - accordion
Joe Lopez y la Nueva Imagen Mazz (c. 2001 - c. 2001)
- Joe Lopez - lead vocals
- Brando Mireles - keyboards
- Richard Barron - drums
- Larry Villanueva - drums
- Ben Ramos - keyboards, accordion
- Danny Rodriguez - bass
- Tony Cisneros - guitar
Jimmy Gonzalez y Grupo Mazz (1998 - 2017)
- Jimmy Gonzalez - lead vocals, guitar
- Mike Gonzalez - drums
- Adolfo Garcia - drums
- Joseph Gonzalez - percussion
- Johnny "Johnny Rod" Rodriguez - keyboards
- Xavier Padilla - keyboards
- Frankie Caballero - accordion
- J.R. Gomez - accordion
- Tommy Gonzalez - saxophone
- Art Ramirez - bass
- Carlos Gonzalez - bass
- Jay Alaniz - bass
- Joe B. - vocals
- Danny Ortiz - vocals
- Rebecca Valadez - vocals
- Kaci Zavala - vocals
Joe Lopez y Grupo Mazz (2017 - Present)
- Joe Lopez - lead vocals
- Brando Mireles - keyboards
- Homero Esquivel - accordion
Studio albums
Mazz
- 1978: Mazz
- 1978: Más Mazz, Vol. 2
- 1979: El
- 1980: 1980
- 1980: Class
- 1981: The Look Of Mazz
- 1982: Command Performance
- 1982: Pesado (La Mujer Del Año)
- 1983: The Force
- 1984: It's Bad!
- 1984: Standing Ovation (It's A Killer)
- 1985: The Bad Boys
- 1985: Number 16
- 1986: La Continuación: Number 16 Part II
- 1987: Dance Your Mazz Off
- 1987: Beyond
- 1988: Straight From The Heart
- 1989: No Te Olvidaré
- 1990: Para Nuestra Gente
- 1991: Una Noche Juntos: Live
- 1992: Lo Haré Por Ti
- 1993: Mazz Románticos Que Nunca
- 1993: Qué Esperabas
- 1994: Regalo De Navidad
- 1995: Solo Para Ti
- 1996: Mazz Mariachi y Tradición
- 1997: Al Frente De Todos
- 1998: Cuántas Veces
- 2006: Mazz Live Reunion - The Last Dance
Joe López y la Nueva Imagen Mazz
- 2001: Mazz Fuerte Que Nunca
Joe López
- 2003: A Mi Manera
- 2004: A.B. Quintanilla III Presents Joe Lopez
- 2005: Qué Te Hice
- 2005: Aqui Estare
Jimmy González y Grupo Mazz
- 2000: Quien Iba A Pensar
- 2001: Siempre Humilde
- 2002: Si Me Faltas Tu
- 2003: Live En El Valle
- 2004: Para Mi Gente
- 2005: Mejor Que Nunca
- 2006: It's Christmazz
- 2007: Incomparable
- 2008: The Legend Continues
- 2009: Eternamente
- 2010: Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor
- 2011: The Return of the Bad Boys 2011
- 2013: Forever Mazz
- 2014: Iconic
- 2016: Que Cante El Mundo
- 2018: Por Que Todavia Te Quiero
Joe López y Grupo Mazz
- 2020: Freedom Tour
- 2022: Love From the Heart
Awards
Latin Grammy
Source:[20]
- 2001: Tejano Album
- 2002: Best Tejano Album
- 2003: Best Tejano Album
- 2004: Best Tejano Album
- 2009: Best Tejano Album
- 2014: Best Tejano Album
Tejano Music Awards
Source:[21]
- 1981: Most Promising Band of the Year
- 1983: Male Vocalist of the Year (Joe Lopez)
- 1986: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Album of the Year – Orchestra
- 1988: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Album of the Year – Orchestra
- 1989: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year (Joe Lopez)
- 1990: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Song of the Year; Songwriter of the Year (Joe Lopez)
- 1991: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year; Album of the Year – Orchestra; Single of the Year; Male Entertainer of the Year (Joe Lopez); Song of the Year; Songwriter of the Year (Joe Lopez)
- 1992: Vocal Duo Of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year; Album of the Year – Orchestra; Single of the Year; Male Entertainer of the Year (Joe Lopez); Song of the Year; Songwriter of the Year (Joe Lopez)
- 1993: Single of the Year; Song of the Year
- 1994: Vocal Duo Of the Year
- 1996: Album of the Year – Orchestra
- 1999: Album of the Year – Group
- 2002: Male Vocalist of the Year (Jimmy Gonzalez); Male Entertainer of the Year (Jimmy Gonzalez); Song of the Year;
- 2003: Song of the Year; Album of the Year – Group; Crossover Song of the Year;
- 2004: Song of the Year; Album of the Year – Group
- 2005: Album of the Year – Tejano
- 2006: Song of the Year; Album of the Year – Tejano; Vocal Duo of the Year (Jimmy Gonzalez & KC Zavala)
- 2007: Vocal Duo of the Year (Jimmy Gonzalez & Freddie Martinez)
- 2009: Song of the Year; Album of the Year – Group; Crossover Song of the Year
- 2010: Entertainer of the Year; Decade Ballot Winners: Male Vocalist 1980’s (Joe Lopez)
- 2014: Male Vocalist of the Year; Vocal Duo of the Year (Jimmy Gonzalez & Elida Reyna)
- 2018: Lifetime Achievement Award (Jimmy Gonzalez)
References
- ^ San Miguel, Guadalupe (2002). Tejano Proud: Tex-Mex Music in the Twentieth Century. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 106–108. ISBN 9781585441884. - Read online, registration required. Accessed on September 29, 2014
- ^ a b c d e f g h Guerra, Joey (6 June 2018). "Jimmy Gonzalez, a titan of Tejano music, dies in San Antonio". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d Koch, Tom. "Jimmy Gonzalez, Tejano artist with Brownsville's Grupo Mazz, dead at 67". ABC13. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ "Joe López Turns 60 in Prison". River City Attractions. 24 August 2010.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hernandez, Ramon Roberto (30 April 2024). "Adolfo García Shares Journey as Part of Legendary Groups Mazz and The Force". Tejano Nation.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f Burr, Ramiro (October 5, 1986). "Mazz Continues as Major Player in Tejano Music". The Monitor. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Houston's La Mafia Still Recognized as the Premiere Tejano Act". The Monitor. September 7, 1986. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ramiro Herrera Sweeps Tejano Music Awards this Year". Del Rio News Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Dynamic Duo". Austin American-Statesman. July 29, 1989. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Burr, Ramiro (March 11, 1990). "San Antonio's Navaira Wins Tejano Award". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Burr, Ramiro (July 1, 1990). "Top Tejano Band No. 1 on Billboard Latin Charts". The Monitor. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Martinez, Laura. "Tejano legend Jimmy Gonzalez dies of cardiac arrest". Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Mendoza, Madalyn (6 June 2018). "Tejano stars remember Grupo Mazz's Jimmy Gonzalez with moving tributes: 'One of the greats'". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Mendoza, Madalyn (6 June 2018). "Grupo Mazz frontman Jimmy Gonzalez dies at San Antonio hospital". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Flores, Veronica. "Tejano legend Jimmy Gonzalez dead at 67". KrisTV. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Maldonado, Vilma (July 15, 1994). "Controversy Doesn't Shake Off Mazz Fans' Loyalty". The Monitor. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ a b White, Tyler (17 February 2017). "Convicted Tejano star Joe Lopez ordered into 9-month sex offender program before prison release". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ Carter, Marla. "Court documents reveal convicted rapist also impregnated teen girl". ABC 13 Eyewitness News. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Texas Public Sex Offender Registry". publicsite.dps.texas.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
- ^ https://www.latingrammy.com/en/artists/jimmy-gonzalez-y-el-grupo-mazz/23574-01
- ^ https://tejanomusicawards.com/awards-winners/