LOS FABULOCOS FEATURING KID RAMOS Source: Capital Area Blues Society Date: 09/2009 Writer: Ron Eggleston

Imagine that the Fabulous Thunderbirds were from Mexico.  Or, perhaps, that Flaco Jimenez was the lead singer and accordionist with the T-birds.  That is what this album makes one think about.  Kid Ramos, who was a stellar member of James Harman’s band in the ‘80s and lead guitarist for the T-birds in the ‘90s, is the attention-getter here.  Jesus Cuevas is lead singer and accordionist, with James barrios on bass and Mike Molina on drums (although Richard Innes also sites in on several cuts as drummer).  The band plays some peppy Tex-Mex numbers, but also applies a Hispanic flavoring to some New Orleans tunes (“Educated Fool”, “All Night Long”, and “Just Because”) as well as a T-bird number, “You Ain’t Nothin’ But Fine.”  Another number “Day After Day” has a John Lee Hooker feel along with Hispanic overtones.  Ramos plays an array of electric and acoustic guitars, with his showpiece “Burnin’ the Chicken” incorporating some surf and Dwayne Eddy influences.  Pitched as a “roots” album, it will be intriguing to see how this one sells.  It is an interesting change of pace.