chango jam 2

December 15 at the Redwood Room will be the 2nd annual Christmas "Chango" Jam in celebration of the yuletide spirit and memory of Big Manny Gonzales. The show will benefit The Big Manny Young Musicians Fund to put instruments in the hands of East LA kids and teens. Big Manny was co-leader of East LA's roots-rockers The Blazers (Rounder Records), who, after parting ways with musical partner Ruben Guaderrama, led the Big Manny Band and played around town with everyone from The Blasters to Tierra to Guaderrama, with whom he remained life-long friends. He was especially loved this time of year for his Christmas shows and now is remembered during the holidays as a sort of "Chicano Santa Claus" -- the cover of The Big Manny Christmas Album features smiling Manuel as Santa beside an open fridge, holding a Christmas toy and a Gibson. At 6'4" and 600 pounds, Manny was known by Ronnie Mack as a "gentle giant," and although he sang like an angel, his fiery rockin' guitar playing was puro Chuck Berry meets Jimi Hendrix. Last year's show featured musical friends of Manny's such as Bordertown, Joey Delgado, Ronnie Mack and Cody Bryant, Whiteboy James and more. A "chango jam," Manny once said, with typical weary humor, was when "you got 15 guys up there [on stage] all playing 'Rumble' all at once." The show promises to be a good-natured reunion of East Side Soul, roots-rock, cumbia and rockabilly artists who will gather to remember "The Big Man" and celebrate his love of Christmas. https://www.facebook.com/events/2459375944339100/