Metal Caribe

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 1998 by Luis Tamargo

RICHIE ZELLON Metal Caribe (Songosaurus)

When it comes to selecting his material for recording purposes, Peruvian guitarist Richie Zellón is unpredictable, and his most recent disc is not an exception. The repertoire ranges from Latinized versions of classical and rock themes. (Prokofiev's Peter & the Wolf and Deep Purple's Smoke in the Water) to a Santana-style parody of one of Pérez Prado's most popular mambos to a festejo-influenced adaptation of The Twilight Zone. Traces of the aforesaid Afro-Peruvian rhythms, by the way, can also be found in a couple of other tunes, thus reflecting Zellón's ability to transcend the Cuban and/or Brazilian confines established by most Latin jazz practitioners. As a composer, Zellón's experimental tendencies are identified in the Coltranesque tinge of the son montuno Blue Whale Street or in the rare merengue/klezmer allegory of Tel Aviv Blue. In addition to several guests, Zellón is backed by a core group of mostly South American musicians - pianist Edward Simón, bassist Oscar Stagnaro, vibist Dave Samuels, drummer Alex Acuña and percussionist Orlando Sánchez.