Mario M. Zelaya, South Pasadena, CA
Mario performs his particular style of solo acoustic music throughout Southern California, be it at art festivals, wine shops, restaurants, or farmers markets.
“For me,” he says, “Pete Townshend's performance at Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball is the model to aspire to - magical songwriting mixed with no-holds barred solo acoustic playing.” He also finds inspiration in the quirky guitar imaginings of Adrian Belew (particularly his rare acoustic work), the bossa nova tradition in general, and the sheer poetry - musically and lyrically - of the masterful Silvio Rodriguez. Rich, percussive chordwork, strong melody lines and lyrical imagery - that's his gig.
His new CD, "Olalla," has just been released. Available for purchase at CDBaby and Amazon. Check out the new tracks here!