Ruben and the Jets
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Frank Zappa (original pseudonym), Rubén Guevara Jr. (revival) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Ruben and the Jets was a rock and roll ensemble originating from Los Angeles, California. Initially, the name served as a pseudonym for The Mothers of Invention, the band led by Frank Zappa, to release the album Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (1968). Subsequently, musician Rubén Guevara Jr. revived the group with his own members, producing two additional albums: For Real! (1973) and Con Safos (1974).
Origins (1967-68)
During a studio session, engineer Richard Kunc and The Mothers of Invention reminisced about their high school experiences and shared enthusiasm for doo-wop music. Inspired by this, Ray Collins and other bandmates began performing doo-wop tunes, which led Frank Zappa to propose recording an album in that style. After Collins departed from the Mothers, Zappa embarked on a project called No Commercial Potential, which included songs influenced by 1950s vocal groups and eventually developed into the concept album Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (1968). Zappa described these recordings as a tribute to the 1950s vocal music he admired. Collins returned to participate in the sessions due to his fitting falsetto voice.
For the album launch, The Mothers adopted the name Ruben & the Jets, presenting themselves as a 1950s Chicano band. The record received significant radio play, with numerous stations mistaking it for a recently uncovered doo-wop release from an obscure 1950s group. The single "Deseri" b/w "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" was attributed solely to "Ruben and the Jets," which increased airplay compared to later versions that credited The Mothers of Invention. Zappa mentioned intentions to produce a follow-up Ruben & the Jets album.
Rubén Guevara Jr.-led era (1972-74)
Raised in Santa Monica, Rubén Guevara Jr. drew inspiration from his father's Mexican vocal group background and later embraced genres such as blues, swing, and rock and roll. He established The Apollo Brothers doo-wop group, which eventually disbanded due to creative disagreements. In 1965, Guevara Jr. made a solo appearance on ABC's Shindig! under the stage name Jay P. Mobey, a choice he later regretted.
In 1971, Guevara Jr. produced an avant-garde theatrical work titled Who Are the People?, offering a Latino critique of the Vietnam War. After encountering Frank Zappa and hearing Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, Zappa encouraged him to carry on the Ruben and the Jets name, prompting Guevara Jr. to assemble his own lineup. This incarnation toured alongside The Mothers of Invention in 1972. Euclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood was unique in participating in both Zappa's and Guevara Jr.'s versions of Ruben and the Jets.
Zappa took on production duties for the 1973 album For Real!, released through Mercury Records, also contributing a song and guitar parts. During their 1973 tour, they shared stages with acts such as Three Dog Night, West, Bruce and Laing, Tower of Power, Azteca, and Cheech & Chong.
The band's second album under Guevara Jr., titled Con Safos (1974), derived its name from a Chicano graffiti phrase meaning "With Respect." Ruben and the Jets disbanded in the mid-1970s; however, some members later collaborated with Guevara Jr.'s subsequent band Con Safos.
Style and Influences
Operating as an alternate identity of The Mothers of Invention, Ruben and the Jets delivered performances rooted in doo-wop and experimental pop. Although their "Jets" recordings sought to authentically emulate 1950s doo-wop and rock and roll sounds, the musical arrangements featured references to Igor Stravinsky alongside distinctive chord progressions and tempo variations. Zappa explained that the album's concept mirrored Stravinsky's approach to neo-classical compositions: "If he could manipulate classical forms and clichés, then why not apply the same method to fifties doo-wop?"
Under Rubén Guevara Jr.'s leadership, the Jets combined rock and roll with influences from blues, rhythm and blues, and progressive rock, incorporating drug-related humor inspired by Cheech & Chong. Guevara Jr. characterized their music as "Chicano rock theater."
Legacy
Following the dissolution of Ruben and the Jets, Guevara Jr. resumed his education at Los Angeles City College, focusing on Chicano Studies. A trip to Mexico motivated him to develop solo performance art and spoken word poetry centered on Chicano cultural identity.
The band receives mention in the movie Up in Smoke, where Cheech Marin’s character predicts his fictional group will surpass Ruben and the Jets in fame. Guevara Jr. appeared in this film portraying Tom, a trumpet player. He also took roles in Nice Dreams and contributed as "East L.A. Cultural Attaché" for Born in East L.A., assisting with location scouting, producing some music tracks, and making a cameo as a bouncer.
Guevara Jr. established the Zyanya record label, which released collections featuring Latino and Spanish vocal groups, while continuing to produce avant-garde plays exploring Mexican and Latino heritage. In 2018, he authored his memoir titled Confessions of a Radical Chicano Doo-Wop Singer. By 2021, he was performing with The Eastside Lovers. That same year, a documentary about Guevara Jr., Con Safos, was broadcast on KCET's Artbound series.
Tony Duran, a member of Ruben and the Jets, passed away from prostate cancer on December 19, 2011. Jim Sherwood died on December 25, 2011, at age 69. Robert "Frog" Camarena succumbed on March 8, 2018, after complications related to a liver transplant.
Personnel
Personnel details sourced from AllMusic.
- 1968 lineup (as an alias of The Mothers of Invention)
- Ray Collins – lead vocals
- Frank Zappa – vocals, lead guitar, drums, piano, bass guitar
- Roy Estrada – vocals, bass guitar
- Jimmy Carl Black – drums
- Arthur Dyer Tripp III – drums
- Ian Underwood – piano, saxophone
- Don Preston – piano
- Jim Sherwood – baritone saxophone, tambourine
- Bunk Gardner – saxophone
- Rubén Guevara Jr.-fronted lineup
- Rubén Guevara Jr. – vocals, tambourine, keyboards
- Tony Duran – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Robert "Frog" Camarena – rhythm guitar, vocals
- John Martinez – vocals, Hammond organ
- Robert "Buffalo" Roberts – tenor saxophone
- Bill Wild – bass guitar, tenor vocals
- Bob Zamora – drums
- Jim Sherwood – baritone saxophone, tambourine
Discography
- Under the pseudonym of The Mothers of Invention
- Lineup led by Rubén Guevara Jr.
References
- Notes