Friend for Life

Ersi Arvizu releases her first ever solo record, Friend For Life, on Anti- Records. It’s a collaboration between the Ersi, the East LA legend and veteran of Latin rock group El Chicano with producer Ry Cooder, who tapped her talents for his 2005 album Chavez Ravine. Friend for Life is described as Arvizu’s story spread across a dozen songs about ‘compromises, disappointments and love, old haunts and new friends and joy,’ all conveyed in a voice that’s not just reliving old stories, but still sorting through the emotions. She’s joined by Joey Navarro, guitarist Mickey Lespron (also one of the founding members of El Chicano), percussionist Johnny Sandoval, bassist Rene Camacho and trombonist Francisco Torres; there are also a couple of cameos by her sisters Mary Rey and Rosella Barraza (‘Angel de Mil Voces’ and ‘El Arbol’).