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ACE's History
From the early years of the Salesian High School seventies sock hops, ACE was the band to introduce the Salesian Mustangs to Tower of Power, Santana, Al Green, Chicago, A.W.B., James Brown and played Earth Wind and Fire’s first hit song at a Mustang’s Homecoming Dance with Tierra (admission was $2.). Usually recognized by their powerful dancing horn section and front man “Jimmy Ace”, they dominated the Catholic High School Circuit. They were no strangers and always welcome to Bishop Connety, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Lorretto, Mission, Ramona Convent and over 70 other schools in L.A. County. ACE has a loyal following and sold out every hot spot in L.A. through out the 70’s.
Most weekends they were the featured band performing at The Roger Young Auditorium, Kennedy Hall, Latin American Press club with Buddy Miles and Tower of Power, Palladium with Hughes Corp., the Holiday Inn along with Thee Midnighters, the L. A. Convention Center with El Chicano, the Golden West with Redbone, The Car Club shows and dances at the Great Western Exhibit Hall with War and the list goes on…..
Nightclubs started using ACE to draw big crowds on Thursday and Sunday nights.
ACE’s 1st night club appearances began at the Gold Dust on Garfield with Sly, Slick, & the Wicked and then The Monterey West on Atlantic with Lil Ray (most band members were under age). The IVANHOE in Temple City was where ACE fans lined up around the block every Sunday night through most of the 70’s (the club burned down in late 78’ after closing with Disco Inferno).
In the 80’s ACE continued booking weddings, company parties, etc. but took most of their energy to a hot and elite casuals circuit that included the 84’ Olympic celebration with Lionel Ritchie, Jerry Buss’ L.A. Lakers celebrity parties at the Pick-fair Mansion, ACE Awards with Billy Crystal’s celebrity party at the Wiltern, Grammy awards parties in Hollywood etc…
In the 90’s they started to open up many night club appearances for old ACE fans to get their dancing fix. At the time there were three Hop clubs and three Twin Palms restaurants to rotate weekly.
For the new millennium years they have been performing at the Twin Palms in Pasadena, weekends in Las Vegas and Palm Springs, the Puente Hills Hop, Disneyland, and many weddings, reunions, company parties and selected nightclubs.
ACE is proud that their band has continued to perform your favorite dance hits for over 30 consecutive years. Jimmy ACE’s passion for high energy entertainment, and guitar player, (twin brother) Bob’s love for the East LA’s music scene has taken the group into their 4th decade of musical entertainment. It could not be done with the outstanding committed core musicians that make ACE so much fun and always an exciting show. Congratulations to these talented local individuals: Bob Rios on the funky Bass, Steve Chacon on Tenor Sax and vocals, “Rockin’ Ronny” Ehrich on the Keyboards, Miguel (Migs) Ronquillo on trumpet & keys, and Eric Weeks on the drums.
ACE and Salesian have real history:
Twin brothers Jimmy and Bobby started this band in El Sereno in the sixties when they were inspired by the performance of “Lil Willie G” and the Midnighters who shared the stage with the “Blue Satins” in 1966 at All Saints Grammer School. Salesian High’s own Bill Taggart was promoting the Salesian High School Marching Band and enrolled the ACE brothers into music lessons at Salesian on Saturdays. They started actually played in the Salesian High Marching Band as a Drummer and sax player but eventually bought guitars and started the band to play at their 8th grade graduation party – the rest is history.
Bill Taggart was shocked and also proud when he later announced that ACE had out performed over 60 bands that year through the many elimination contests that led to their great performances in the 1973 E.L.A Battle of the Bands. (Was that 30 years ago?)
Sharing the stage with many of the same musicians/friends who started with ACE seems to be the real key to this group since the newest member of the band has been with ACE for almost 24 years. They have re-created dance hits with a powerful horn section and unique choreography, led by “dancing machine” Steve Chacon, (a 32 year band member). ACE is generating the greatest dance music and high-energy live show to rock your company parties, dances, weddings, and nightclub entertainment – by far outlasting many of the live bands throughout the West Coast. Crowned as LA’s #1 dance band of the seventies, they have continued to dominate the L.A., Orange County, and the Inland Empire dance circuit even to this day. The Salesian alumni thank the friends and fans for supporting the past “30 years of ACE”.
For Booking information contact Jim at (714) 840-3203 or visit their web site at “theACEband.com” to get on the ACE E-mail list and check out some great archives of old long-hair pictures, platforms, and rhinestones.
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