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ARTICLE IN JAM MAGAZINE ITALY (MAY 2010) W/TREMOLOCO, RY COODER, & THE CHIEFTAINS, LOS CENZONTLES AND SONES DE MEXICO ENSEMBLE CHICAGO

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Tremoloco
Dulcinea
Casa Julia Records

The eclectic cross-pollination whipped up by Tony Zamora’s expanding and contracting all-star group Tremoloco has been called Mexican-Americana. Which is an apt a tag as any for the Angelinos’ mix of conjunto, country, Cajun, blues, Latin, jazz, and roadhouse rock and roll.

Dulcinea was recorded primarily in Los Angeles and Austin, taking advantage of stellar roots musicians from both locales – like drummer/pianist/co-producer Cougar Estrada and his Los Lobos bandmate David Hidalgo, steel guitarist Greg Leisz and guitarists Bob Robles and Johnny Lee Schell (who also engineered) from the former and twang guru Redd Volkaert, lap steeler Cindy Cashdollar, accordionist Joel Guzman, Faces pianist Ian Mclagan and Stephen Bruton from the latter.

Other guest include Cougar’s dad, vibes great Ruben Estrada, Hidalgo’s son Vincent (on jarana), War harpist Lee Oskar, Thee Midnighters vocalist Willie G. fiddler Brantley Kearns and Max Baca on drums and bajo sexto.

For his part, Zamora recalls the great Doug Sahm – handling most lead vocals, playing guitar, bass, guitarron and percussion and writing all 14 tunes. In just the first three songs, Robles trades wiggly electric bends with Kearn’s fiddle on the cumbia “Mi Novela”; Cashdollar’s dobro adds just the right amount of moan to the country weeper “Drinking for Two”; and Volkaert, Leisz, and Guzman weave in and out of the polka “Abuela’s Lament”.

If you appreciate Los Lobos’ open-minded approach to roots music, you should dig this. Then again, if your cup of tea is George Jones (or, for that matter, Tito Puente), there’s probably something for you here, too.

DF
Hit List
Vintage Guitar Magazine
October 2008 Issue
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TREMOLOCO
Dulcinea
***
Tremoloco, a new band from the Los Angeles area, deliver the traditional sounds of Tex-Mex music with their debut album, Dulcinea.
The record is a fascinating journey, which takes the listener from LA to Las Cruces, with a stop in New Orleans before heading back to New México for a run to Mexicali. The album is musically-rich, and full of geographic references, in which urban rock, Latin-influenced music and Tex-Mex fusion go hand in hand.

The band bears no resemblance to any other, not even to Los Lobos or the Sones De México— they are a multi-ethnic band led by Tony Zamora. With him are Bob Robles, Cougar Estrada (of Los Lobos),
Billy Watts, Mike Tovar and David Raven. Also impressive is the
list of guests appearing on the album: David Hidalgo, Greg Leisz, Johnny Lee Schell, Red Volkaert, Cindy Cashdollar, Joel Guzman,
Max Baca, Cody Bryant, Ian MacLagan, Stephen Bruton, Willi G, and many others.

The record was conceived between Los Angeles and Texas, where the air one breathes is Mexican, which you will find among the disc’s border ballads and rock passages. The banner song is certainly La Casa Del Mexicano, of pure Tex-Mex flavor, partly sung in English and partly sung in Spanish, with a warm melody and the accordion of Joel Guzman making it all the more beautiful. This is a defining song in which it is made clear that this band is here to stay- perhaps even on the same level as Los Lobos, but with a sound that is even more traditional. They don’t share the same rock element or range of sounds as “The Wolves from East LA”- instead, these beautiful songs bring back a genre of music that has perhaps been slightly forgotten in recent years.

The fusion of Mexican and American music is always rare and difficult to find, but in Tremoloco, exists the beautiful reality, and if they are fortunate enough, then we may be able to count on them to deliver it.

Dulcinea begins with Mi Novela, a diverse and original song. The accordion immediately stands out in this recording that mixes México and Carlos Vives, with South American fusion and Cuban influences. In Drinking for Two, the ever-present accordion veers slightly into rock. Abuela’s Lament is a Mexican dance, a passage straight from a ‘fiesta campesina’, rhythmic and full of ‘gritos’ (cries).
The guitar is swirling in motion as the steel guitar and accordion slide down the back of Zamora’s voice. A cross between Tex-Mex and country, this song is pure pleasure!
The most American sounding song is In A Georgia Rain, which opens up with the violin. It has all the makings of a classic Americana-style song, and is sung with passion and played cleanly and directly.

The record greatly surpasses 50 minutes, exceeding the standard. Other noteworthy songs are the campesino-style dance song Doble del Cuchillo, which is both enthralling and creative, the slower Just a Little While, and the steaming Mexicali, in which country and rock and roll come into their own sublimation. Goodbye Miss Lynn is a nostalgic composition which is very country-oriented, and reminiscent of country rock from the 1960’s, while Koombia Loco is a Latin-style dance song. Cajun Waltz takes you beyond borders to a Mexican-style ‘hacienda’ where Texans and Latinos come together to play music.
The record finishes up with the western-themed Cowboy Lullaby, while Hocicona blends the styles of Tom Waits and Los Lobos. Dulce’s Dream and Tremoloco, two instrumental pieces, close the record with dignity. A beautiful discovery, that is completely original.

Review May Issue 2008
Buscadero Magazine (Italy)
Junior Bonner’s Choice’s
Paolo Caru

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Tremoloco
By William Michael Smith
Published: June 12, 2008
Houston Press

Even though they are from East Los Angeles and have close ties to Los Lobos, there are few repertoires that scream “Gulf Coast” like Tremoloco’s. No matter whether the language is Spanish or English; the style honky-tonk, Tex-Mex or rock and roll; the dance a two-step, zydeco stomp or slow drag, Tremoloco plays it with a mastery that makes most of our local honky-tonk heroes sound like weekend warriors at best. The accordions whir, the guitars smoke and the blues is the blues no matter the language. To properly listen to ‘Loco’s magnificent debut, Dulcinea, one needs the clinking of ice in glasses, the low barroom hubbub of voices and laughter and the occasional Freddy Fender “ay-yay-yay.” The material ranges from the hilarious “Mi Novela” (my soap opera), in which a macho husband can’t get enough of the daily Latin television dramas, to “Tremoloco,” a super-cool instrumental track that should be on a tape loop in every bedroom in America where clothes are on the floor and the sheets are tangled. With Los Lobos drummer Cougar Estrada, Dave Alvin alum Rick Shea on guitars and Tony Zamora’s earthy lyrics and vocals, this band should rapidly become favorites here in H-Town, where belt buckle polishing is part of the genetic code. Throw Tremoloco on the jukebox anywhere between Los Skarnales and Clifton Chenier, between Freddy Fender and Los Lobos, between Ruben Ramos and Bill Black’s Combo, and you’re on Tremoloco’s musical terra firma, a robust Tex-Mexican Americana.

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NO COUNTRY FOR OLD BORDERS

Tremoloco’s mix: Tex-Mex, C&W and East L.A.
By Tim Schuller
Buddy Magazine
Dallas, Texas June 2008

You’re on a runaway tour bus through music’s bazaar. At the wheel is Tony Zamor, leader of Tremoloco, whose CD “Dulcinea” (Casa Julia) is a rich, dizzingly cross-cultural experience.

Zamora formed Tremoloco to do songs by groups like the Texas Tornados, Los Super Seven, Los Lobos etc.. Those bands gave a Mexican flavor to C&W and rock. Or did they give a C&W/rock flavor to Mexican music?

Whatever the case, Zamora broadened the spectrum.

He’s been a guitar tech (and sometimes stand-in member) for Los Lobos. More back up story is upcoming. But now, re-board the bus. seat belts are not permitted. We speed through Tex-Mex Polka with “Abuela’s Lament”, replete with chickens, pistols and the devil. We careen through “Cajun Waltz” with rollicking solos from lap steel and accordion. But amid the revelry, like a ghost’s hand across your face, comes a waft of Appalachia from Ann Cusack’s backup vocals.

Nothing ghostly about “Hocicona”. Scary, maybe! The bus barrels down a mean street in L.A. with a confrontational soundtrack: R&B, reggae and cawing harmonica.

“La Casa Del Mexicano” is simply beautiful. It’s about a Chicano ballroom. This work of aural art affirms that no matter what disparities certain forces try to cram between us, we are one on the dance floors of our collective past.

Good humored “Mi Novela” poses the dilemma of a man whose secret is – he’s hooked on Mexican soap operas! Barbing the melody is an upstroke guitar spank of the sort found in ska and Cleveland polkas. (Except on a Cleveland polka, a banjo would make the spank. Interesting, how different idioms , from different ethnic factions have uniting rhythmic facets).

Time for a breath. Jump off the bus for that back story! (more coming soon)

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East L.A. meets S.A.

Speaking of Casbeers, the live-music joint/restaurant is the home away from home for bands from East L.A. When The Blazers, Big Manny, Dale Peterson and their associates come to town, they end up at Casbeers sooner or later.

Saturday, another music-maker from East Los Angeles, Tony Zamora, will make his Casbeers debut with his band Tremoloco. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zamora is touring with a new CD, “Dulcinea,” a fusion of alt-country, folk, rock and traditional Mexican influences. Zamora’s music is being described as “Mexican Americana.”

“Dulcinea,” produced by Zamora and Los Lobos percussionist Cougar Estrada, features hip tunes, including “Mi Novela,” “Abuela’s Lament,” “In a Georgia Rain,” “Koombia Loco,” “Cajun Waltz” and “Cowboy Lullaby.” Zamora is not afraid to cross borders.

The “Dulcinea” disc is packed with guests, including Lobo David Hidalgo, stringed-instrument wizards Stephen Bruton, Cindy Cashdollar, Redd Volkaert, Max Baca and Johnny Lee Schell, keyboard legend Ian McLagan, accordion ace Joel Guzman and many others.

The live Tremoloco crew also is a high-powered bunch: Zamora, Estrada and guitarists Rick Shea, Bob Robles, Mike Tovar and Juan Chacon. For the Casbeers show, Tremoloco also will include storied singer Ruben Ramos and bajo sexto champ Max Baca. There’ll be some Tex in the Mexican Americana.
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Tremoloco – Dulcinea
(Casa Julia Records)
www.tremolocos.com
www.cdbaby.com

Tremoloco are an interesting spanish roots rock band from Los Angeles. In their debut album, Dulcinea, we can find a long list of special guests like Greg Leisz, Joel Guzman, Los Lobos, Cidy Cashdollar and Ian McLaglan and a lot of great tracks.

Esordio con il botto quello dei Tremoloco, Spanish roots rock band di Los Angeles, che con Dulcinea ha messo a segno il primo grande colpo della loro carriera. Innanzitutto al loro fianco troviamo una lunghissima lista di ospiti ma la qualità dei brani è assolutamente eccelsa, e questo disco ha tutta l’aria di essere il party record dell’anno. I Tremoloco, va precisato, non sono affatto degli illustri sconosciuti ma un gruppo di musicisti e tecnici ben noti nell’ambiente, come Cougar Estrada (batteria e piano già con i Los Lobos), ma anche di Tony Zamora (voce, chitarra e basso), Sammy Sanchez e Billy Watts. Al loro fianco non è dunque soprendente vedere David Hidalgo alle chitarre, Greg Leisz alla steel, Joel Guzman all’accordion, Ian McLaglan al piano, Cindy Cashdollar al dobro e alla lap steel e soprattutto Johnny Lee Scheel che ha curato i suoni in qualità di ingegnere. Così Dulcinea è esattamente quello che si può immaginare possa nascera dall’unione di musicisti di tale calibro, tra cubie, tex mex, brani rock e ballate roots rock, niente sembra lasciato al caso. A di mostrazione di ciò basta ascoltare il brano di apertura Mi Novela, una cumbia che non avrebbe certo sfigurato in un disco dei Los Lobos, ma anche il tex mex di Abuela’s Lament e Cajun Waltz e soprattutto il border sound di Drinkin’ For Two. Nel mezzo stano brani di ottimo impatto come la ballata Casa Del Medicano o l’incredibile salsa blues di Hocicona ma anche qualche lieve sbavatura come i roots rock Medicali e la ballata Goodbye Miss Lynn. Il meglio del disco arriva con In A Georgia Rain una ballata sontuosa colorata dal violino e che conferma a pieno che le due anime latin e roots di questa band, negli anni a venire regaleranno numerose sorprese. Insomma un disco senza cadute che piacerà agli amanti del genere ma che consigliamo vivamente a tutti. Splendido.

Salvatore Esposito
Il Popolo del Blues

NEWSLETTER April 2008

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Taxi/Critique
Mexican Americana/Latin Alternative Folk

Your eclectic genres punch through brilliantly (tex-mex, americana, folk, cumbias, cajun). Mixing multiple genres for style recognition is not always easy, you do it very well. Slide on “Drinking For Two” awesome! Cohesive and captivating lyrics, so true to life, universal, and easy to connect with. The caliber of musicianship doesn’t get better! Your songs have beautiful structure and great dynamics that create tons of emotion and connectedness to the listener. Awesome instrumentation. They have tons of placement potential in film and TV. Very polished with superb production and engineering!

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TREMOLOCO
“Dulcinea”
(Casa Julia Records)
(4,5) J J J J J

To us this is without a doubt the new roots sensation of the fall, these seven from LA are lead by the very talented singer-songwriter Tony Zamora.
“Dulcinea” their debut album is produced by Cougar Estrada. It’s set up reminds you of earlier albums by Los Lobos. While ‘The Wolves’ in their early hay-days made a successful mix between roots rock and traditional Mexican sounds, Zamora and his mates on this debut album are in search of a comparable fusion between Americana, alt. country folk and the inheritance of their forefathers.
The result of this album can be compared with “And A Time To Dance”, “How Will The Wolf Survive”, By The Light
Of The Moon”, “ LA Pistola Y El Corazon” or early Blazers music. And this is in no way a detraction or a minor accomplishment!

“Dulcinea” is first of all an enormously rich and varied album. Polka’s, cumbia’s, two-steps, instrumentals with lots of feeling, folk or alt. country type ballads, it’s all possible! And how!! Haven’t often heard a record, so full of joy, you can feel the artists enjoyment! Zamora and his band are constantly surrounded by excellent company. If you can get people the caliber of David Hidalgo, Greg Leisz, Johnny Lee Shell, Cody Bryant, Ian McLagan, Stephen Bruton, or Brantley Kearns to lend their names as references, it means two things. One, you MUST be very good, and two, musically there’s not much that could go wrong. It leaves one to conclude that it was made with tons of consistent enjoyment one moment in party mood and the next relaxed.

For instance there is the butt shaking tracks “ Mi Novela”, Doble Del Cuchillo” and “ Mexicali”, the R&B feel of “Hocicona” or the delicious Tex-Mex stomper “ Abuela’s Lament”, then there’s the aptly titled short instrumental “Koombia Loco”. “Cajun Waltz” will immediately invite your better dance moves. Americana types will love “Drinking for Two”, “In a Georgia Rain” and “La Casa De Mexicano” which are more relaxed and an easy listen.
All in all a killer record! A must have!
Available @ CD Baby/ITunes

From Ctrl.Alt.Country e-zine
By Benny Metten

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TREMOLOCO
“Dulcinea”
(Casa Julia Records) **** 4 stars

The fans of bands like Los Lobos, The Blazers, Hacienda Brothers, Doug Sahm, and Flaco Jimenez have found in Tremoloco another band to hold close to their collective heart. Frontman Tony Zamora and his comrades are, where else, from Los Angelos and have but one goal, to blend Country, Mexican, Tex-Mex and Americana into a fun, listenable, danceable and heartfelt good time.
With their debut album “Dulcinea” they graduated “Cum Laude” and with professors David Hidalgo, Greg Leisz, Johnny Lee Shell, Red Volkaert, Joel Gruzman, Cody Bryant, Stephen Bruton, Brantley Kearns, Ian McLagan and Cindy Cashdollar as such it would be difficult for them to be objective about the end result because they all had an interest in the outcome of the CD.

Together with producer Cougar Estrada (Los Lobos) and “The Original Lowriders” Harold Brown & Lee Oskar they belong to the extended circle of friends of singer/songwriter/guitarist/ Tony Zamora and they all lent more than a hand at Ultra Tone Studio’s.

Despite the rivalry/comparison between the named bands the result is undoubtedly pleasant.
Sometimes busy but beautiful, moody and atmospheric instrumentals “Cowboy Lullaby”, “Koombia Loco” and “Tremoloco” work wonders. With Folky & alt.Country ballads, polkas, cumbias and two steps Tremoloco has, with respect for the classic recipes permitted itself some original and fun excursions.

Opener “MI Novela” (Which would be a greater embarresment to a macho Latino male: Infidelity or sensitivity?) immediately sets the tone with it’s first carefree, danceable steps. It’s then taken over by a more serious subject that if you are a tee totaler you wouldn’t understand..…”Drinking for Two” has the tequila flowing like a river and I feel strongly that this song might soon be on The Hacienda Brothers playlist, this would indeed be “Spek voor de Bek” a Belgian expression meaning: “an exact fit” being perfect for the duo of Chris Gaffney/Dave Gonzales.

Our Dutch friends of Rowwen Heze would undoubtedly go for the fun of “Abuela’s Lament” and when Zamora and band:
Bob Robles-vocals, guitars, requinto romantico, bajo sexto, pedal steel
Mike Tovar-guitar, vocals
David Raven-drums, percussion, vocals
Eddie Baytos-accordion, piano
Cougar Estrada-percussion, drums, piano

bundle their powers and ask (Vicky Hill) to take care of the duet/harmony vocals on “In a Georgia Rain” the first “Fato Morgana” star is in.
The waltz “La Casa De Mexicano” (+vocal by Willie G) and the lounger “Just a little While” that resembles Lester & Denwood’s “’Sing Sing”, a Belgian hit from the seventies takes care of number two.

The rock/roots are then pulled open in “Mexicali, and the pedal steel has a wonderful duel with the accordion in “Goodbye Miss Lynn”. “Cajun Waltz” is where (Ann Cusack, vocals) makes her entrance then “Tremoloco” and “Hocicona” releases reggae vibes on us. Undoubtedly stars 3 and 4 are in!
Without a doubt Tremoloco & guests are the best that LA and Austin have to offer us, but we do miss one person who needs to be and was thanked but who isn’t part of the set (yet ) ….Ra Ra Ra….Dave Alvin!
**** (SWA)

From Dutch Review
ROOTSTIME.be
By Francois Braeken

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Tremoloco
Dulcinea
[Casa Julia records 2008]
*** 1/2

Potrebbe anche essere il party record ideale per questo freddo inverno alle porte, sicuramente si tratta di un’operazione discografica sulla carta assai interessante, vista la quantità incredibile di ottimi musicisti coinvolti. Potrei infatti riempire le righe che restano alla fine di questa recensione citando semplicemente la lunghissima lista di ospiti che hanno contribuito alla stesura finale di Dulcinea, esordio dei Tremoloco da Los Angeles, ma non sarebbe corretto nei confronti della stessa band che ha composto, arrangiato e prodotto in proprio i quattordici episodi. Allora mi limiterò a segnalare qualche nome che non può evidentemente passare inosservato: dalle chitarre di David Hidalgo alla steel di Greg Leisz, dall’accordion di Joel Guzman al piano di Ian McLaglan, dalla lap steel e dobro di Cindy Cashdollar allo stesso ingegnere del suono Johnny Lee Schell, si tratta di una compagnia davvero invidiabile per i Tremoloco, i quali, è presto detto, sono strumentisti e tecnici che hanno avuto tutti prima o poi a che fare con i personaggi citati poc’anzi. Da qui svelato l’arcano di una tale partecipazione, un parterre da fare invidia a chiunque, a disposizione di un disco indipendente eppure suonato con impeccabile gusto. Tirano le fila del gruppo Tony Zamora, voce, chitarre, basso e percussioni, e Cougar Estrada (già con i Los Lobos), batteria e piano, arricchiti dalla presenza di altri cinque musicisti tra cui spiccano gli strumenti a corda di Sammy Sanchez e Billy Watts. Dulcinea è esattamente quel “pasticcio” latin rock che ti aspetteresti da una simile riunione di musicisti: fra echi di tex mex, cumbie, rock’n'roll e persino ballate di impronta country roots si procede senza sbagliare una sola nota. Mi Novela introduce il ballo, è proprio il caso di dirlo, con una cumbia degna dei “Lupi” di Hidalgo, sgusciando poi verso il border sound di Drinkin’ For Two. Non sono originali i Tremoloco, girano la ruota che altri hanno sfruttato prima di loro, ma la preparazione e la tecnica non possono essere disconosciute. Proprio i brani di maggiore impronta latina sono alla fine quelli più coinvolgenti: impossibile restare fermi di fronte al tex mex trascinante di Abuela’s Lament e Cajun Waltz, dove la presenza dell’accordion è centrale nella conduzione della melodia, così come la sciolta ballata La Casa Del Mexicano è degna di Cesar Rosas e dei ricordi della Pistola Y El Corazon, grande opera di divulgazione dei Los Lobos qualche anno addietro. Hocicona è persino più coraggiosa, uno strano intruglio fra ritmi salsa e rock blues condotto da armonica e percussioni. Qualche punto in meno invece negli episodi più “americani”, dal roots rock di Mexicali alla ballata Goodbye Miss Lynn, che affievoliscono un poco l’impatto complessivo del disco. Fra tutte spicca soltanto In a Georgia Rain, ma mi pare chiaro a questo punto che i Tremoloco siano assai più preparati e soprattutto coinvolgenti sul primo versante della loro anima musicale.
(Davide Albini)