FERNANDO PERDOMO
Zebra Crossing
(2018 - Forward Motion Records  - USA)

https://fernandoperdomo.bandcamp.com/album/zebra-crossing

His 5th album, a "love letter to Abbey Road Studios" (says Fernando), brings a huge set of backing musicians who provide strings, winds, vocals, and of course bass, drums, keyboards, and various touches. The songs are large and filled with the kind of hooks that will never leave you, melodies that strike the soul, and arrangements that come over you like a big wave from a warm ocean. Every tune smells of incense and gardens of the sixties, fused with the seventies, with a modern production and beautiful flow. A masterpiece in fact!

No doubt there is a gigantic Beatles influence, as it has been Perdomo's dream to record at Abbey Road. And he did this very thing with 'Zebra Crossing' on the 50th anniversary, of the day George Harrison and Paul McCartney recorded their first version of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. In memory, Fernando does a cover of that song at the very end.

An absolutely supreme release, every song has sparks, full body, and 'classic' written all over them. With help from:

Bass – Megan Zeankowski (previously from Lemon Twigs)
Guitar/backing vocals – Ken Sharp
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Danny Ayala (previously from Lemon Twigs)
Backing Vocals – Zak Nilsson (Harry Nilsson's son)
Clarinet – Cyndi Trissel
Vocals – Stephen Kalinich (lyricist from Beach Boys)
Bass – Paul Stacey
Drums – Andy Mapp
Vocals – Daphna Rowe, Diane Birch, Jason Rowe
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Shawn Lee
Organ, Mellotron – Dave Kerzner
Percussion – Mark Murdock
Piano – Dave Bainbridge
Backing Vocals – Durga McBroom

All other instruments and vocals by Fernando Perdomo, who also also produced it.

Big doses of Beach Boys (even a song titled 'Smile'), ELO, Graham Gouldman (10cc), and of course The Beatles, soak the listeners ears with sunshine and super sweet melodies. As a guitarist and bassist for The Dave Kerzner Band, and playing on Jakob Dylan's Echo In The Canyon Band, Fernando has a gift and trail of success already. Even so, nothing will prepare you for this brilliant and earthquake of a solo. This is huge. It won't leave your player for quite some time. A LARGE RECOMMENDATION!

 ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 1 - 5 - 2019