Pete Escovedo has been a major force in Latin music for since the 1970s. A composer, master percussionist, trombonist, saxophonist, vocalist, and bandleader, his versatility has resulted in success in Latin jazz and salsa, rock, funk, and Latin pop. Escovedo began his recording career as a vocalist with Mongo Santamaria in 1960, and gained renown as a percussionist with Santana in the late '60s, playing with the guitarist off and on until 1980. Escovedo and brothers Coke and Phil formed the Latin jazz fusion outfit Azteca, and issued 1972's Azteca and 1973's Pyramid of the Moon for Columbia before splitting. He released his leader debut The Island in 1982, followed by Yesterday's Memories Tomorrow's Dreams in 1985. After signing to Concord, he issued Mister E in 1982 and Latina Familia, with daughter Sheila E. and Tito Puente, in 1987. During the '90s he issued seminal Latin jazz titles including Flying South (1995), and E Street (1997). A retrospective of his work for the label titled Whatcha Gonna Do? appeared in 2002. He recorded the universally acclaimed Back to the Bay in 2018, and followed in 2021 with Rhythm of the Night.

Born in 1935, Escovedo grew up in and around Oakland, California as part of a very musical family. His father sang with some Latin big bands, his mother also sang, and his brothers -- Alejandro, Javier, Phil, and Thomas Coke Escovedo, were all musicians.

Pete played the saxophone in high school and soon switched to vibes. When pianist Ed Kelly needed a percussionist, Escovedo found his calling. He and his younger brother, the late Coke, both developed quickly as percussionists and became greatly in demand for gigs in Northern California. With their youngest brother Phil Escovedo playing bass, the Escovedo Brothers Latin Jazz Sextet was formed. The group broke up in 1967 when Carlos Santana hired both Pete and Coke for his Latin rock group. After touring with Santana on and off for the next decade (he has played with the Santana band occasionally since), Pete and Coke founded the 14-piece Latin big band Azteca (that also included trumpeter Tom Harrell and Santana guitarist Neil Schon), recording two albums for Columbia, Azteca in 1972 and Pyramid of the Moon in 1973. When the band grew to 24 members, it became too expensive to keep together, although the music was quite impressive.

Pete has performed in a countless number of settings including with such notables as Herbie Hancock, Woody Herman, Cal Tjader (live and on the classic Agua Dulce album), Betty Davis, Bill Summers, and Tito Puente, among many others. He began employing daughter Sheila E. while she was still a teenager during the mid-'70s before she joined Prince's band. They recorded Solo Two for Fantasy in 1977 and worked on Billy Cobham's Magic together.

Escovedo has also frequently led his own Latin jazz band, which sometimes includes his other children, Juan, Peter Michael, and Zina. Escovedo has recorded as a leader for Fantasy (co-leading dates with Sheila E.) and Concord (including their Crossover, Picante, and Vista subsidiaries). He and Tito Puente appeared as co-billed collaborators with Sheila E. on 1987's Latina Familia. Some of his most successful titles include Flying South (1995), E Street (1997), and E Music (2000). After the release of the double-disc retrospective Whatcha Gonna Do? in 2001, Escovedo did session work with Marion Meadows, Ledisi, and brother Alejandro. He opened a series of nightclubs and worked with his bands there, as well as doing session work. His own Live! with Sheila and sons Peter Michael and Juan Escovedo, as well as trombonist Wayne Wallace and Errol Knowles, appeared in 2003. He spent the next decade leading a large Latin jazz orchestra, playing his clubs and serving as an educator in the community.

Escovedo kicked off 2013 with his large band for Live from Stern Grove. While his two sons are in the lineup, so are luminaries such as pianist Joe Rotondi and trumpeters Louis Fasman and Mario Gonzales. The set also includes guest performances from Sheila E., saxophonist Dave Koz, guitarist Ray Obiedo, and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. Escovedo toured and played residencies for most of the next three years, though he did find time to play on Con Funk Shun's 2015 comeback album, More Than Love.

When he did return to the studio as a leader, it was to apply his Latin jazz vision to everything from Bay area classics to vintage soul tunes. To that end, he enlisted singers such as Sy Smith, Howard Hewett, Bobby Caldwell (on a salsa read of his vintage hit "What Won't You Do for Love"), and others to work on Back to the Bay. The set entered the jazz album charts at number 25.

In September 2021, Escovedo issued the studio set Rhythm of the Night. Produced and arranged by Peter Michael Escovedo, it offered nine vintage soul and R&B hits, re-visioned by Pete for performance by his 14-piece Latin Jazz Orchestra. In November, the Latin Grammys honored Escovedo with a Lifetime Achievement Award. ~ Thom Jurek & Scott Yanow, Rovi