In ZonaBlues we offer you the music that Jose Antonio Marin and myself, Juan Antonio Navarro ( Los Despreciables ) have been working on over the past months with a series of collaborators who have helped to give shape, substance and colour to 19 songs; all based on the many variations that the blues have generated.

From the raw to the rhythmical, from the guitar-based to the melodic with string and brass arrangements, we've tried to include everything that's influenced us, that's made us dance and sing and which, for us, has become a way of understanding life itself.

In the different sections of ZonaBlues we'll tell you more about each of the songs.

THE SINGERS:

ANDREA
Madrid. She's so young it's unfair but her singing style is incredibly mature and sensitive. With singers like her around there's hope that there's life after Eurovision.
Thankyou Andrea.

ANGIE
A delightful discovery of Josele's, who brought a fresh perspective to the project. Her lovely personality and warm New York voice added that touch of authenticity where necessary.
Thankyou Angie.

TOM
Our mad, cultured Irishman. A fantastic singer, he provided the necessary masculine touch. His good humour and Quiet Man - style stubborness got this project off the ground and made us believe in its possibilities. Thankyou Tom

MARISA
Madrid. She sang with Josele years back. We persuaded her out of semi-retirement to join the project to discover that she hadn't lost one bit of the warmth and quality that charcterises her voice. She arrived to enjoy these songs with us and we had lots of fun with her. Thankyou Marisa.

INMA
She lives the life of a blueswoman here in Madrid. She writes like a blueswoman under her pseudonym - "The Penniless Writer". She's the blues on legs and gives us energy - just like the music itself.

A big thankyou as well to Alejandro "Ticol" Vaquerizo, Mauri Corretjé, Rubén Rebolleda "El Matraco" and Kepa Madrazo.

We'd like to make clear that on none of these tracks have we used any sort of digital autotuner - what you hear is exactly what was recorded. But we did use the best technology available as far as we're all concerned: a Gibson 335, a Fender Stratocaster and a Guild acoustic and above all, our friends: Matri on piano, Ticol on bass and Mauri on keyboards. Thanks guys.

We hope to take ZonaBlues on the road (as a live group) soon. We'll keep you posted.

Thanks again and long live R&B.

Conversations between two guitars  October 2006 (15'10'')