The death of tenor sax man Rocky Morales last year devastated San Antonio’s music scene. A founding member of the Westside Horns, Rocky worked alongside Doug Sahm for many years in various bands including Joe & the VIPs, Rudy & the Reno Bops, Randy Garibay, Spot Barnett, and the Texas Tornados.
Morales played with old-school flair, influenced by the Mexican community he grew up in as well as the R&B bands of the Fifties and Sixties. That’s no surprise, since Clifford “Honkytonk” Scott was the one who inspired him to switch from alto to tenor sax. The resulting sound was unique in its soulfulness, exactly the touch Sahm loved to use in his various hybrids of rock, country, and blues.
Tonight at Antone’s is the tribute to Morales featuring the Westside Horns, Ruben Ramos, and Larry Lange & the Lonely Knights. Expect some mighty music as the Horns’ gorgeous reeds and brass meets Ramos’ silky Tejano sound and the Knights’ cuddle-up dance tunes. Doors at 7pm, music at 8pm.
This article appears in August 24 • 2007.