New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Enter one Joe King Carrasco. As songwriter Joe Whiting penned and still sings, "Plays in the sun where the Red River flows". Yep, that's Joe. Allow me to digress for a quick moment: it's interesting to note that Joe's body of work spans decades but yet this is not an artist stuck in the past, this is a man that continues to please audiences in a big way. Joe's music is as fresh today as it was then. In fact Joe's latest release on the Anacaonda label "Chiliando" is receiving tremendous reviews. Here's an excerpt of what writer Grant Britt has to say about "Chiliando" - "but there's not much chillin' going on here.
Everything is balls to the wall, cactus juice-fueled, good time jump up and down party music." - No Depression Magazine. UK music reviewer Allan Jones pens this in Uncut Magazine: "Joe King Carrasco has been making great music since 1979's 'Tex-Mex Rock-Roll'. 'Chiliando' is his 24th and one if not his best. Speaker-shredding highlight is 'My Ding Dong Daddy Don't Daddy No Mo' "
About Joe's music….
When listening to a Joe King Carrasco CD you can actually feel the youthful influences of the groups Question Mark & The Mysterians and The Ventures to name just two of them. There is a decisive organ sound that is fully reminiscent of the addictive keyboard solo in "96 Tears" and Joe's guitar playing is as crisp and clear as The Ventures are known to have delivered on "Pipeline or Wipe Out". But influences aside, beyond this reminiscent reminder there lies Joe's signature south of the border sound that permeates a Joe King Carrasco recording. Plus, his new release "Chiliando" is the most rock oriented CD Joe has recorded to date. Less organ, more guitar. The sound is incredible. No wonder so many music festivals and large venues around the world want Joe to return. When you add his stage presence with this unique south of the border sound it just makes sense. Check out Joe's latest release….First a few words from the man himself, "Chiliando, a Cuban slang word for "Chillin' Out", is about how I survived the Mexican Drug War which started in 2006, about the same time I moved to Mexico. Many of these songs were written sitting at military check points out in the Mexican deserts (where there was often a 50 caliber machine gun pointing down at me) during my trips from Jalisco to Laredo with my 3 Jack Russell Terriers - resulting in Rock'n'Roll Blues songs with Mexican slang from the dark side of Fiesta -- while trying to figure out if they were Federales or Bandidos" -- Joe King Carrasco
"Chiliando" features Joe King Carrasco on lead vocals and guitar. Joe's band, Los Side FX, features Albert Besteiro on guitar, Vince Mejia on drums, and on bass Chuggy Hernandez. Guest performers on 'Chiliando' include Carmelo Torres (Los Lonely Boys) on percussion, Rick Del Castillo (The Del Castillo Band, Robert Rodriguez) on guitar, Leeann Atherton on backing vocals,
David DeLaGarza (La Mafia) on piano, Michael Ramos(The Bodeans, Patty Griffin, Paul Simon, Los Lonely Boys) on B3 Organ and Alex Ruiz (Chingon, Robert Rodriguez) on gritos and whistles.