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Esteban "Steve" Jordan
Bamba
Release Date: 196z
Label: ARV International

Judging from the cover artwork and the sound (not to mention the cover of the Beatles' "Run for Your Life"), this is probably from the mid-'60s. It's a really cool mix of conjunto and R&B/rock approaches, not so much a "mix" actually as an alternation. One minute Jordan is grinding out a straight, peppy conjunto instrumental, the next he's belting some prime white soul with little or no hint of Tex-Mex whatsoever. The straight R&B/rock stuff demonstrates convincingly that Jordan could have been one of the all-time greatest non-African-American soul singers, sounding much like L.A.'s Thee Midniters did on their best straight soul material. Singing in both English and Spanish, Jordan is erratic only in terms of style, not quality, delivering a hepped-up version of "La Bamba" that must be heard to be believed. This is the rock & roll skeleton in Jordan's closet, but a very good one, deserving of reissue, especially as it's real hard to locate an original. Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

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