Dr. Loco's last jam at The Brava

"For most of his career, Dr. Loco has been the life of the party. Now, celebrating his life is the point of the party. The saxophonist, accordionist, vocalist and leader of the Rockin' Jalapeño Band, Dr. Loco is the musical alter ego of esteemed anthropologist JoseB. Cuéllar and the subject of an era-encompassing concert Sunday afternoon, Dec.B.14, at Brava Theater Center."

"In academic circles, the 84-year-old Cuéllar is best known as a groundbreaking scholar who spent two decades as chair and director of San Francisco State University's Cesar Chavez Public Policy Institute. At the same time, as Dr. Loco, he took on iconic status as an avatar of the Chicano culture he studied and documented. More than a side hustle, the Rockin' Jalapeno Band became a vehicle through which Cuéllar explored the protean possibilities of Mexican-American life and identity."

"It's a quest that inspired Mexico City's popular rock en Español band Maldita Vecindad, known for its 1991 hit " Pachuco," to hail Dr. Loco as "the last pachuco." Presented by Brava! For Women in the Arts and Grammy Award-nominated producer Greg Landau, A Rockin' Jalapeño Tribute Concert: Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Dr. Loco had been on the drawing board for some time. When Cuéllar started to feel shortness of breath while featured at a Herbst Theatre Francisco Herrera concert last June, scheduling the event took on new urgency."

Jose B. Cuéllar, known as Dr. Loco, is an 84-year-old saxophonist, accordionist, vocalist and leader of the Rockin' Jalapeño Band. He served two decades as chair and director of San Francisco State University's Cesar Chavez Public Policy Institute and gained iconic status as an avatar of Chicano culture. The Rockin' Jalapeño Band served as a vehicle to explore Mexican-American life and identity and inspired Mexico City's Maldita Vecindad to hail him as "the last pachuco." A tribute concert is scheduled at Brava Theater Center on Dec. 14, presented by Brava! For Women in the Arts and Greg Landau. Cuéllar was diagnosed with lung cancer that metastasized to his liver after shortness of breath at a June concert; he was given weeks or months but is currently doing well while musicians rallied to perform.

Read at Mission Local