Mondie and the Mystic Ones, Pecos

MONDIE AND THE MYSTIC ONES - Yo No Se Matar b/w Sabor A Mi (Mystic 1001)

Mondie & the Mystic Ones... gotta be be one of the GREATEST band monikers to ever come out of the Lone Star state, right? The name makes the mind run and visualize, si o no?, invoking images of gold lame suit jackets, turbans, and dark wayfarer shades. These guys just had to be cool.

According to a brief contact I had a few years back with guitarist Marcos Mendoza this group of youngsters from Pecos, Texas included Mondie Esparza on vocals, Felix Salcido on drums (this dude had some finesse), David Vasquez on guitar, and a bass player that he simply referred to as Domingues. He made no mention of the excellent organ player. Marcos also alluded to the group that recorded this 45 actually being called Chicano Electric.

I'm not sure of the date of release for "Sabor A Mi", but the group made little effort to recreate the Trios los Panchos hit which had come before. Neither does it completely resemble the El Chicano remake. It's firmly Tejano here, but carries the feel of a band that had some soul a la contemporaries Sunny & the Sunliners or Little Joe & the Latinaires. It's got the same kinda soul that the late Dimas Garza pulled on his amazing "No Llores". Firme rola, as they say.

There was an additional release on the Lee label out of Abilene, but it packs none of the mystic vibe heard on "Sabor A Mi".