Pete Escovedo Named "Official
Ambassador" of the 1st Annual "Rosarito International Jazz Festival"
CANYON COUNTRY, California (January 10,
2004) - Officials with Largo Vista Entertainment Inc. (LVE) announced
today that Pete Escovedo will serve as the "Official Ambassador" of
the 1st annual "Rosarito International Jazz Festival" scheduled to
take place in Rosarito Beach, Baja California Mexico on September
17-19, 2004.
Pete Escovedo has been at the forefront
of Latin jazz for three decades. Born in Pittsburg, California in
1935, he was raised in a musical family in Oakland. His first
professional engagement was as the opening act for the Count Basie
Orchestra at the Downbeat Club in San Francisco. He began playing
saxophone in high school and soon switched to vibes. When his friend
Ed Kelly, a legendary pianist of the Bay Area scene, needed a Latin
percussionist for his group, Escovedo jumped at the opportunity. He
started listening to Cuban and Latin jazz recordings, and when such
artists as Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, and Potato
Valdez came to town, he studied their playing. Mr. Escovedo's love of
Latin music carried over to his younger brother, the late Coke
Escovedo, who also became a percussionist.
Together, they formed the Escovedo
Brothers Latin Jazz Sextet, one of the most popular Latin jazz groups
of its day. The addition of their younger brother Phil, on bass,
completed the family band.
In the late 1960's, guitarist Carlos
Santana hired Coke and Pete for his hugely popular group. Pete
Escovedo toured with Santana for three years, performing
internationally and playing on the albums Moonflower, Oneness, and
Inner Secrets.
In the 1970's Pete and Coke founded the
band Azteca and recorded two albums for Columbia, a self-titled debut
and Pyramid of the Moon.
Pete Escovedo has performed and recorded
with artists such as Herbie Hancock, Mongo Santamaria, Carl Tjader,
Tito Puente, Woody Herman, Billy Cobham, Anita Baker, Angela Bofli,
Barry White, Stephen Stills, Bobby McFerrin, George Duke, Carlos
Santana, Chris Isaak, and Bozz Scags.
Kurt Wilson, President of LVE and
Executive Producer for RJF 2004 states; "We are delighted to have the
preeminent leader of Latin jazz taking this leadership role at the
Rosarito Beach International Jazz Festival. Pete is a world-class
performer who fits perfectly as our leader and spokesperson. Having
Pete involved obliviously makes the event a truly important date for
jazz and we already are seeing positive effects of his involvement.
Our goal is to create a new tourism market for Rosarito and the Baja
region moves much closer as a result of this important commitment by
Pete. Largo Vista believes that this will become a signature event for
the region that will build itself into an internationally recognized
jazz festival".
Sr. Victor Simental, Manager of CCM
Agency in Rosarito states; "We are encouraged with important news like
Mr. Escovedo's participation. It is reassuring that our choice of
Largo Vista Entertainment is already providing important results. We
continue to support and wish Largo Vista Entertainment success as they
continue to lay the important ground work of creating a truly special
international jazz event for our community."
Largo Vista Entertainment, Inc. (LVE) is
a privately held entertainment-production company located in Santa
Clarita, CA. The Principals of LVE consist of several entertainment
industry veterans with extensive experience in design, development and
production of Special Events, Concerts, Music Festivals, Film,
Television, Casino Projects and Theme Park Attractions. Other services
include 3D visualization, Computer Graphics and Design (including web
design).
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For more information on LVE log onto
www.largovistaent.com
For event information, contact
Kurt Wilson 
Largo Vista Entertainment
For LVE media inquiries contact:
Salmon Creek Public Relations Inc.
Attention: Loran Hickton
Phone: (360) 571-5560
For Baja Tourism inquiries contact:
Department of Turismo
Attention: Alejandro Moreno
Medina,
Secratario De Turismo
Phone: 011-52-664-634-6330
Fax: 011-52-663-634-7158
For Rosarito Beach Tourism inquiries
contact:
Comite de Turismo y Convenciones de Rosarito
Attention: Lic. Martha Mendoza
Montes
Phone: 011-52-661-612-0396
Fax: 011-52-661-612-0396
For sponsorship inquiries contact:
Kurt Wilson 
Largo Vista Entertainment
Phone: (661) 299-4871
For information and booking for Pete
Escovedo contact:
Victor Pamiroyan
P.O. Box 1741
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510-406-1688
Fax: 510-357-4088