What is the secret formula that makes Ché Zuro? Could there be more than one brew in the mix that makes the whole of her talent? Let's start from scratch.

Born in Pittsburgh, Ché sprouted up in a family for whom music was a second language. It was a spontaneous affair; where one family might erupt in a squabble, Ché's clan would break out with a song. But this is where any notion of von Trappism comes to an end. Hers was not a sheltered life and knowing that she could carry a tune, the young singer packed the beat in her bags and ran with it. We now have ingredients 1 and 2: Musical Intuition and Incentive.

Arriving in LA, Ché began to hone her talents with wild girl, big hair bands like Puss 'n Boots. In the colorful, fast and fluid tradition of Lotus Land, 100% female-no-chaser musical line ups, Ché took to rock 'n roll as a natural. Add third ingredient: Edge.

In 1989 Ché caught the attention of Charlie Sexton who hired her on to power up his band with keyboards, acoustic guitar and vocals. Successful tours culminated with the live CD, "King Elvis." She went on to form her own band, Trinity Street, wherein her on-going collaboration with Tisa Adamson was conceived (Their co-penned song, "Blue Skies" received an honorable mention in the Billboard Song Writing Contest as did their lament, "Daddy Had to Go to Heaven" in the first annual John Lennon Song Writing Contest). Add ingredients 4 and 5: Experience and Coconspirators like Tisa Adamson.

It's time to start mixing all the goods together.

Having performed essentially as a solo artist, in 1997 Ché plugged herself into her home studio and cooked up 10,000 Jalama Road, an entirely self performed, produced and packaged gem of a CD. Following this well received disc and her receiving the Millpond Spirit Award, a second project, Welcome Home, was jointly produced with Bernie Larson (Cry on Que, Melissa Etheridge, El Rayo-X) and stands as a classic indie. Welcome Home received praise across the boards from fans to college radio and the press. Ché was also featured in the LA Weekly's "Scoring the Clubs."

With all these accomplishments, one would think the recipe is complete, but no, the kettle keeps stirring and songs keep getting better. Ché's latest CD, a live send up with Tisa Adamson, was recorded at Hallenbeck's in North Hollywood and bears the eloquently direct title, Soak. Alas, it could be argued that in mixing all the above elements we have invented a perpetual music machine. Yes, perpetual and spontaneous Ché is, but a machine she is not.

Through song, Ché Zuro proves that the most powerful ingredient of music will always be natural. -Paul Perner