Richie Zellon has been hailed by the Latin Jazz Network as “a phenomenal guitarist who is possessed with a magical tone... whose ideas are based on a mystical musical map that doffs its proverbial hat to Jimi Hendrix as much as it does to Miles Davis.”

Zellon has been performing, recording, and exposing audiences internationally since the mid 90’s to his excit-ing compositions showcasing rhythms from Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and his native Peru. He is a pioneer of a musical movement sometimes referred to as South American or “Sudaca” Jazz.

Born in Lima, Peru of American and Brazilian parents, he recorded his first album, “Lando-logia” in 1982 for the Fonovox label. The re-cording featured Zellon’s unique compositions merging the percussive music of Peru’s black culture with jazz for the first time resulting in what has become known as Afro-Peruvian Jazz. Legendary American jazz musician, Jimmy Heath who met Zellon during one of his perfor-mances in Peru and was intrigued by his unique style, wrote the liner notes.

Upon moving to the United States, Richie Zellon co-founded Song-o-sau’rus, an independent re-cord label that introduced new Latin Jazz artists primarily from South America. During the latter half of the 90’s, Zellon produced over 20 criti-

cally acclaimed recordings for the label and as a result had the opportunity to collaborate, record and/or per-form with some of the most influential musicians both in the mainstream and Latin jazz genres. Among them, Grammy winners, Paquito D’ Rivera, Gato Barbieri and Alex Acuna as well as David Liebman, Jerry Bergonzi, Sam Rivers, Danilo Perez and Ignacio Berroa to name just a few.

Due to his innovations in the field of jazz and latin music he has been profiled in several books on the history of Latin Jazz such as “El Diccionario de Latin Jazz” by Nat Chediak , “The Great Jazz Guitarists” by Scott Yanow and “The Jazz Guitar: Its Evolution, Players and Personalities Since 1900” by Maurice J. Summerfield. In his book “Caliente: A History of Latin Jazz” author Luc Delanoy concludes, “With musicians like Richie Zellon, the future of Latin Jazz is in good hands.”

In addition to being a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Zellon's education includes private studies with Charles Banacos, Red Rodney, Pat Martino and Edgar Valcarcel (Peru). He is currently active as a music educator and has held teaching positions as professor of jazz guitar at Florida International University (Miami) the Univer-sity of South Florida (Tampa) The Music Workshop (Orlando) and Miami Jazz Guitar. He has offered clinics on jazz and Latin American music at various prestigious schools such as the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, Jacksonville University and the University of South Florida.

For almost a decade, he wrote a column on South American jazz for Jazz Inside magazine (formerly Jazz Improv). His ongoing research on the music of various Latin American cultures and their fusion with contemporary music has been a sought after topic by musicians at clinics and workshops.

BIO

“With musicians like Richie Zellon, the future of Latin Jazz is in good hands.” - Luc Dellanoy (from the book, Caliente: A History of Latin Jazz)

“If there is one contemporary musician who truly personifies the successful synthesis of the myriad pan-American genres into unconventional and com-pelling new forms, it is undoubtedly Lima, Peru-born guitarist, composer, and all around music alchemist Richie Zellon”

- Americas

“...the greatest catalyst of the Afro-Peruvian jazz idiom” - Latin Beat

“When we speak of fusion in Peru, the name of Richie Zellon is prominent. “ -La Primera (Lima,Peru)

CD REVIEWS

BEATLES AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ TRIBUTE

“A breathtaking album by Richie Zellon... This is a soulful, genuine homage to one of the greatest music ensembles of all time. But it is also one of the most revolutionary records by an artist who is, himself, credited by none other than Jimmy Heath, as creating (as far back as 1982), an idiom that has now come to be known as Afro-Peruvian Jazz. Labels aside, the record is a monumental achievement for its exquisite musicianship by Zellon on guitar and for his exquisite transcriptions in to a whole new realm as well as for his arrangements that retain the integrity of some of the most beautiful songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.” - The Latin Jazz Network

“If you are wondering what the Beatles music fused with Afro-Peruvian rhythms sounds like, this recording will come as a surprising revelation. A pleasure from beginning to end!”– Julio Garcia BBC Mundo

Acclaimed by the press in Peru:

“Although many are unaware, thirty years ago Lima born guitarist Richie Zellon invented Afro-Peruvian jazz ... Today we are reminded of this with his tribute to Liverpool’s Fab Four in the style of Peru’s creole waltz, marinera, festejo and landó . It is an unparalleled experience… Lennon and McCartney could well have played the jawbone and the cajón ... sounds like The Afro-Peruvian Beatles. This is not the work of a magician. It is the work of an artist, a visionary. Listen my friend! “-La Republica (Lima)

“Zellon gives the Beatles’ repertoire the Afro-Peruvian treatment. The result is impressive for being respectful and daring at the same time ... The thought of introducing an Indian drone in ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ or transforming the experimental ‘Tomorrow Never Knows “into a marinera (Peru’s national dance) cannot go unnoticed. “-Diario Oficial El Peruano (Lima)

“Recommended…Technically Impeccable!”-El Comercio (Lima)

PRESS

- CAFÉ CON LECHE

“This is what the next chapter in the merger of jazz and Latin music sounds like.”- Bob Blumenthal BOSTON GLOBE

“Fresh Latin jazz worthy of its name and not just Latinized jazz.” -LATIN BEAT“Utililizing a stellar cast of musicians, authentic instruments and unique arrangements, the Peruvian-born guitarist stirs up a percolating pot of rhythms…It’s an often challenging work which takes the oft-combined Latin and jazz areas to the next plane.” -JAZZ TIMES

“An engaging debut that puts yet another twist on the ever-evolving Latin jazz movement…an album of musical depth and aural delights.” -JAZZIZ

“Zellon has opened up to jazz a cultural tradition that has been largely overlooked on this side of the equator.” -CD REVIEW

“Zellon’s composing and arranging skills are impressive throughout the album…based on Latin rhythms-from the familiar tango to the more exotic Afro-Peruvian festejo and lando…Its blend of jazz and Latin idioms is or ganic and original.” -THE ORLANDO SENTINEL

THE NAZCA LINES

“A genuine marriage of Afro-Latin rhythms with the towering influences of Jimi Hendrix, Astor Piazzolla and Duke Ellington.” -Bill Milkowski JAZZ TIMES

“Creativity and experimentation are essential for the evolution and enrichment of jazz. That’s why we believe that Richie Zellon’s work is very important as well as timely during a period in which Latin jazz is beginning to display symptoms of stagnation rhythmically as well as harmonically.”-Elmer Gonzales LATIN BEAT

“Zellon deserves attention.” -RHYTHM MUSIC“The Nazca Lines is an uncommonly ambitious effort that audaciously points Latin jazz in a new direction.” -NEW YORK LATINO“He’s a guitarist to keep your eye on, playing a style of Jazz Guitar he shares with no one.” -CADENCE MAGAZINE

METAL CARIBE

“On a program that stretches the boundaries of Latin and jazz into tantalizing new contours, Richie Zellon has entered a zone where strikingly dissimilar rhythms from throughout the Americas blend magically with unanticipated melodic detours and buoyant jazz improvisa-tions to create a dazzling new idiom.” - Mark Holston JAZZIZ

“On Metal Caribe, Zellon produces his most well-traveled, seamless effort yet, illustrating the common threads in music and cultural experience through endlessly surprising compositions and arrangements.”- JAZZTIMES

“...Zellon transcends the Cuban and/or Brazilian confines established by most Latin jazz practitioners.”- LATIN BEAT

“Zellon makes a compelling case for Latin jazz as a new kind of international language on Metal Caribe.”- HISPANIC

PRESS

Please click on the link below to view a selection of videos... ( NOTE: You must be connected to the internet)

http://www.richiezellon.com/video.html

http://www.richiezellon.com/cds/cd-samples.html

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