DEPEDRO

DEPEDRO is Jairo Zavala’s debut album. He’s developed a lengthy career as a singer and guitar player, including many years as a session musician and founding rock band Vacazul, with 5 albums released, and soul band 3000 Hombres, with 4 albums released.

“Depedro” was recorded in Tucson, Arizona from October 27th to November 15th 2007 with a wonderful backing band: the legendary US band CALEXICO, basically the most important independent Mexican/Roots/Americana combo. Jairo had already recorded and performed live with Calexico in the past. The track “Don’t Leave Me Now” featured in “Depedro” was written by Jairo and Amparo Sánchez (Amparanoia), was recorded together with Calexico and Amparanoia in Brussels, and it was released on albums by both artists. Jairo works regularly with Amparanoia both in the studio and live.

Depedro’s songs have influences from latin roots, world music, Mexican music, singer-songwriters, rumba, son, African Music, reggae, blues, salsa... The lyrics shoot straight to the heart, making us reflect on what’s going on in the world, inside ourselves and around us. There is feelings, emotion and magic in his performances.

www.myspace.com/myspacedepedro

Technical data:
Produced by Jairo Zavala and Joey Burns. Mixed in Wavelab Studio, Tucson, Arizona (USA) by Craig Schumacher. Recorded from from October 27th to November 15th 2007 in Wavelab Studio, Tucson, Arizona by Chris Schultz. Mastered in Golden Mastering, Ventura, California by JJ Golden.

Musicians on the album:
Jairo Zavala – vocals, guitars, percussion, banjo, drums. Joey Burns – vocals, bass guitar, piano, tambourine, cello, marimba, harmonium, percussion, organ, banjo, guitar, accordion, moog, keyboards. John Covertino – drums. Jacob Valenzuela – trumpet. Marco Rosano – sax. Jeff Marchant – trombone. Eric Weiden – trumpet. Chris Schultz – congas, drum machine. Craig Schumacher – harmonica, percussion.

Tracks:
1. COMO EL VIENTO
2. DON’T LEAVE ME NOW
3. LA MEMORIA
4. TWO PARTS IN ONE
5. LLORONA
6. TE SIGO SOÑANDO
7. COMANCHE
8. QUE PUEDO HACER POR TI
9. EQUIVOCADO
10. TOMORROW
11. MIGUELITO

After twenty-something hours of travel, in a bar in Tucson, Arizona I’m greeted by Amparito and Kaki Arkarazo (her producer and friend). Joey Burns from Calexico is sitting at the next table with some friends just hanging out: having a few beers and trying to cope with jetlag. Amparo is finishing her recordings with Calexico that will be released in 2008 as a solo artist, without the name Amparanoia. The following day, still a bit dizzy, I have time to play in their record and after that, they leave me all alone with this baby called Depedro, for just 14 days, 7 of which are used for recording and the remaining 8 for mixing.

It was a very intense recording, 10 studio hours a day, with Joey fluttering around, taking care of me and doing all kinds of overdubs. What a musical genius”!!. John supplying his magic with the drumsticks, there’s no one else like him, he does almost everyting on the first take, Jacob is playing trump, his huge cool sound starts to decorate the songs; the brass section with Jeff, Marco (he played a memorable baritone sax solo) en Eric does an outstanding job. And all this is being guided by Chris, the most patient and hard working guy I’ve ever met. And the guy can eat too!

When we finished the recordings, Craig Schumacher showed up. He’s mixed and produced Calexico, Giant Sand, Neko Case, Devotchka, The Sadies... I’m a huge fan of his work!. The mix was a blast, the tracks kept on growing and developing under Craig’s hands.

In the Wavelab Studios, imagination is never tied down with technical or human difficulties: the studio is a magic place. It’s just what a studio should be: full of instruments decorating the walls, ready to be played, and thousands of bric-a-brac, posters, guitars, effect pedals, percussion, all whispering “play me!”. It’s not like a hospital, which is what most studios I’ve been to look like; this studio really is just another element for creation.

On the last day of the mix, Calexico invited me to play with them. A show with the Luz de Luna mariachis in Tucson’s Reid Park. An amazing ending to this wonderful experience.

Jairo Zavala - Depedro