Guepa Je!
Leave it to Belgian reissue imprint and digging collective Radio Martiko to drop another fine release that absolutely tickles our fancy. "Guapa Je!" is a compilation of tropical tunes by lesser-known Colombian arranger and composer Edmundo Arias that takes listeners back to the 1950s and '60s, "think of big bands with sharp-dressed musicians playing the finest cumbias, porros and other tropical sounds in fancy ballrooms on a hot evening in Medellín or Bogotá." Alongside Lucho Bermúdez and Pacho Galán, Edmundo Arias is considered one of the 'big three' composers of the time, though much of his work took place behind the bustling scenes. Born in 1925, his career spanned over six decades and after his death in 1993, he left behind a vast legacy and hundreds of recordings.
As the release notes detail, Arias "had his hand in the work of many of his colleagues and was a mentor for young artists. Some even say that in those days all the musicians in Medellín had worked with Arias in one way or another. He [also] had a strict working regime: composing, arranging and recording at night while sleeping during the day." The son of band leader and composer Joaquín Arias Cardoza, Edmundo Arias was exposed to music at an early age and played several instruments including the "guitar, bass, bandola (pear-shaped string instrument related to the mandolin), tiple (12-string guitar), clarinet and saxophone." Although he shied away from the spotlight, Arias was not anti-social and rather described as "a very jovial, good humoured person."
The 24 tracks on this equally spirited collection were all recorded during the 1950s and '60s, a period that many say was "the absolute highlight of his career" while the title "Guepa Je!" is Colombian slang and "often used in cumbia to express joy or to celebrate," as in 'yeah,' 'let's go' or ‘groovy'. Besides the brilliant cover artwork, this release is a veritable party starter, one to get the dancefloor juices flowing and ‘la gente’ on their feet. And as the summer season in this hemisphere slowly comes to a close, we rejoice in the chance to add these infectiously upbeat rare grooves to our very own bag just in case we get a bout of the winter blues. Let’s dance!
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