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Artist
Zeptelar
3+ albums
Fusionexperimentaljazz fusionfemale vocalistsRock In Opposition
about
Hailing from Valparaiso in Chile, a coastal city and port 0.40° north of the inland capital Santiago, Zeptelar released El color de las cosas (The colour of things) last year. Fusing rock, jazz, and a light sprinkling of ethnic stylings, the group make an appealing sound that is easy on the ear. The compositions are mostly the work of guitarist Camilo Acevedo and feature the usually wordless scat-vocals of Valentina Maradones, often in tandem with flute, piano or both. The effect is a Latino jazz-infused take on the Hatfields when featuring The Northettes. Opener De la esquina a la plaza (From the corner of the square) commences proceedings at a canter, and immediately tight-knit and complex ensemble playing is well to the fore. Hints of the harder-edged tuneage to come are given by the slightly dissonant sax blowing in the middle of the tune. An infectious number played by a band obviously in love with their craft, De la esquina a la plaza is a good start. Syncopation is a big feature of the ensemble playing, and the similar structure of the numbers, especially in the first half of the album occasionally has the effect of making this listener’s attention wander. There are many good moments however, and the compositional contradictions inherent in 5 de 3, where the middle-of-the-road scat-jazz is contrasted with harder riff passages shows that the band know how to make an arrangement effective. Things begin to take off with the longest track on the record, Sangre (Blood). The
