Conjunto Primavera remain s grateful for its recent success

Conjunto Primavera

When: 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: Aragon, 1106 W. Lawrence

Tickets: $33 (in advance)

Phone: (312) 559-1212

When: 1 p.m. Monday

Where: Plaza Garibaldi, 2600 S. California

Tickets: $24 (in advance)

Phone: (312) 559-1212

When the members of Conjunto Primavera went to dinner last weekwith Latin pop superstar Juan Gabriel, they had the tables turned onthem, so to speak.

"He actually thanked us," recalled Tony Melendez, lead singer ofConjunto Primavera, his voice still full of disbelief. "Juan Gabrielinvited us to dinner, and that alone was a big honor. As soon as wecame in, he said, 'Congratulations for the song.' We replied,'What?'"

Gabriel was referring to "Una Vez Mas," which he wrote in 1982 butwhich Conjunto Primavera turned into a massive radio hit earlier thisyear. It set a record by remaining at No. 1 on Billboard magazine'sregional Mexican airplay chart for 16 weeks, and served as just thelatest in a string of successes for the norteno-pop group (whichperforms Sunday at the Aragon and Monday at Plaza Garibaldi).

"To be thanked by Juan Gabriel is the ultimate honor, because he'sa such legend," Melendez said. "When he saw how surprised we were, hesaid, 'I wrote it, but I didn't make a big hit on the radio like youdid.' To hear those words from his voice, it was like a dream."

Many dreams have come true for Conjunto Primavera, whichcelebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Hailing from the state ofChihuahua, the group struggled for decades, but broke through afterchanging labels and switching to a more pop-cumbia based sound. In1998, it finally climbed into the top tier of norteno acts with thesmash single "Necesito Decirte."

Since then, the band has racked up one hit after another, and evenachieved three consecutive No. 1 singles off its last album,"Perdoname Mi Amor" (2002). That disc received two Latin Grammynominations, best norteno disc and best regional Mexican song, forthe title track.

Not stopping to savor its success, Conjunto Primavera justreleased a new album, "Decide Tu" (Fonovisa), on Aug. 19, and thefirst single, "Ave Cautiva," is already climbing the charts.

The group's recent popularity and honors serve as validation for25 years of struggle by Melendez and his fellow Conjunto Primaveramembers accordionist-keyboardist Felix Contreras, music director-saxophonist Juan Dominguez, bajo sexto player Manuel Rolando Perez,bassist Oscar Ochoa and drummer Daniel Martinez.

"We're at the most important point of all in our career," Melendezsaid. "It's been hard to get to the place where we are now. We lovethis kind of [recognition], it's one of the things that have kept usgoing for so long. But we are not that big yet," he added, laughing."We still have more work to do."

Along with Conjunto Primavera, dozens of bands are jockeying forposition in the field of norteno, which dominates U.S. Latin musicsales and airplay. Among the contenders are Intocable, Ramon Ayala,Los Temararios, Palomo, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, and the godfather ofthem all, the legendary Los Tigres del Norte.

Though Los Tigres has been around only a decade longer thanConjunto Primavera, it towers over Melendez's group and the restof the field. Still, Conjunto Primavera regards Los Tigres with aweand admiration.

"We are good friends with them, but yes, almost everything they dois a hit," he said. "They have more promotion and popularity, but wehave the right people in our band, we can still keep going and try tobeat them. We don't feel any jealousy. They have their own style, wehave ours. We can compete, one band against another. It's good forus, and it's good for our people [Mexicans and Mexican Americans]."

The importance of uplifting the status of "nuestra gente"--ourpeople--recurs often in his conversation. Melendez and his bandmatesbelieve in promoting a positive image, in contrast to the so-callednarcocorrido groups, which chronicle and, some say, glorify the drugtrade between Mexico and the United States.

"A lot of people like that kind of music, everyone [is entitledto] his particular point of view," he said. "But we don't need torecord that kind of music to be on the charts, on the radio andcapture the people's interest. We have a lot of problems in ourcommunity, so that's why we have [positive] songs. It's important forkids to hear songs with a good messages."

When Melendez speaks of "problems in the community," he also couldbe referring to the Latin music industry itself. Conjunto Primaverarecords for Fonovisa, which led a protest against the Latin Grammys afew years back over charges that it discriminates against Mexicanbands. As influential producer-composer Rudy Perez once noted,regional Mexican artists have been unfairly regarded as "peasants"because they wear "sombreros and boots."

Though they have two nominations, the Conjunto Primavera membershave not decided yet whether to attend this year's Latin Grammys,scheduled for Sept. 3 in Miami. "It depends on whether they decide toannounce the regional Mexican awards on the air," Melendez said,referring to the practice of focusing on the Latin pop categories."There is a lot of discrimination against Mexican music, even thoughit's the most popular. Why do they treat us like ... something likereal bad.

"It's unfair, there are a lot of Mexican people in the UnitedStates, we have to make a better impression. But music is universal,and we hope we can change that point of view."