Zemog
El Gallo Buena (Aagoo Records)

You’ve heard of jazz fusion and salsa, good. Now take the two styles, mash them together, and grind them up good with a mortar and pestle. Next, sprinkle a bit of the conga over top and let the result sit out in the tropical humidity. Eventually, despite the moistness, you will notice that it’s begun to smoke. At this point, small tongues of flame will begin licking the edge of the mortar. Soon after, like one of those July 4th Glow Worms or Smoke Worms, it will rapidly overflow the small confines of the mortar, spitting gouts of colored flame, spewing forth streamers, and sprinkling the ground with glowing confetti.

This experience may cause your memory to get a little bit hazy. From the slow, simmering notes of the opening, "La Costilla," through the horn-split maracas and funky flames of "Atawalpa," the embers of the discordant, "Al Piso," and the stirred up, leaping, and dancing rhythms of, "Maldita Cancion" you will be somewhat lost.

Entranced by the hypnotic musical storytelling of Zemog, you may forget that you have no idea what he’s actually saying. Mesmerized, (if not slightly confused) by the experimental and coalescent quality of the music, you will immerse yourself into the chase, walking across the hot coals, gritting your teeth, shouting in triumph, and just sweating to get across and find out where its all headed.

When you do finally get there (it may take a few listens), you’ll be exhilarated. And with your adrenalin pumping, you’ll listen to the last notes of, "Gordo Rojo," and the manic assemblage of sounds. It is as if all the elements that were slowly poured in at the beginning came spewing out in a volcanic rush. It is, in a word, intense, to say the least.

However you may interpret this amalgam of jazz, salsa and insanity, I guarantee that you will enjoy it. Give it a listen, then a few more, and you’ll find yourself barreling down the road, car windows down, screaming out incomprehensible Spanish lyrics and having the time of your life.

By Dave Terpeny