Long before they became American rock legends and Grammy favorites, Los Lobos (or rather Los Lobos del Este de Los Angeles--the Wolves of East Los Angeles--as they were then known) turned a faithful musical tutelage by their parents' Mexican folk music records into a steady stream of gigs at parties, weddings, and what was then a career plateau--a regular engagement at a Mexican restaurant. They also invested in this long out-of-print 1978 independent recording of the best of their all-acoustic traditional Mexican repertoire of that time. Perhaps prophetic of the fusion to come, they named themselves after a popular Tex-Mex group, Los Lobos del Norte, but titled the LP in a good-natured nod to Frank Zappa. Though light years from the experimentation of Kiko and Colossal Head, this collection nonetheless exudes a dedication, soul, and sheer musicality that will be instantly familiar to Lobos admirers. Especially in tackling chestnuts such as "Cielito Lindo" (here quickly segueing from typically sloppy party favorite into a fresh, intricate arrangement in a heartbeat) and "Guantanamera" (in a traditional, rhythmically compelling guajira), the Lobos can't resist some loving musical tweaking. More than just the roots of a modern legend, this is truly music from the heart. --Jerry McCulley