TAUMBU..THE MAN

If it wasn't for Taumbu, Buyepongo would not exist if you ask me. Taumbu, the name that would always come up in our conversations. Taumbu, is a musical reference for us ( and what I mean by "us", is the ones who played and learned from him) to this very day. And even though I only played with him a handful of times, the influence on us , as well as other musicians in the LA area are undeniable. He taught my friends, which my friends taught me and now I teach to my peeps. 

We used to escape to Leimert Park as much as we could. Sunday Drumming, Thursday night Jazz at the world stage and Project Blowed that was the thing. I remember  we used to drum in the park (Vista Verde) late nights, figuring what we were going to do with our sound. One day the homies mentioned they been meeting up with a guy from Leimert park that had taken them under his wing. Over time they would meet up with him more and more, and I noticed they started sounding better and better. 

One day I decided to join them to see what this guy all about. As soon as I arrived and heard the slaps on the skin and saw the confident look in his eyes, I knew he was the man! His tone was clear and style was clean. Crisp and on point. So, I casually walked up to the circle, and nodded  to the homies. I picked up a campana and banged away. Right away Taumbu looked me with them eyes that say " Who the F*#% you think you are!" But I kept going. I was trying to show him I knew what up !  So He slammed on the quinto and stopped the music, got up, and took the campana from my hand. He  told me I needed to bounce. He told me I needed to get out the circle. My homies were looking at me like " Damn.. you F't up!" . Which I did, but I hung around (outside the circle of course)  trying to absorb as much as possible, since I knew I didn't make a good impression on him and probably wouldn't get invited back. 

Just listening to him play, speak and break down everything he was doing, was worth me staying. I also wanted to apologize to him. So at the end of the session I went up to him put my hand out and said " I apologize for interrupting your circle sir. I disrespected you when I should respect my elders. I apologize" and thats exactly what I told him. He smirked a little, then laughed out loud and shook my hand! He then said"  Man you got some big meaty hands. You should be able to get a good sound out them drums." which I didnt..at the time... But from that moment on I have been working towards that sound. Rest in peace Maestro Taumbu. 

                                              Hal "Taumbu" Ector 8/11/1944 to 8/15/2015

                        Buyepongo holding the beat down for Taumbu at the Caracol Market Place March 2006. 

Maestros is a tribute to all the musicians that influenced our sound and growth as a band. Artists from James Brown, Mulatu Astatke, Andres Landero, Hector Lavoe. Billy Holliday to Nina SImone. Maestros is a tribute to the City of Los Angeles and the musical movement that lives here. Maestros is a tribute to the past present and future of Cumbia that Buyepongo is proud to be part of. 

The Collaboration
We are proud to say that we worked with a great variety of people to make this project a reality. Soul Fiesta Records is dedicated to the introduction, and re-creation of obscure soul, funk, Latin, Afro, northern, sweet-soul and boogie vinyl records. When Richard Herrera Martinez presented us with the opportunity to work with Soul Fiesta we knew what we had to do. 

Artos of Westology.LA Produced and engineered the recording for Maestros. He worked countless hours with buyepongo to find the best method of recording, so we could capture the essence of a modern day cumbia on vinyl. 

Anthony Cruz aka xlsrebelsx Recored our B Side - Multatu Para ti. He opened up his studio in Long Beach where we recorded 3 tracks in one 6 hour session. Then worked along side Solido and Edgar Meshlee Modesto to create the tropical version of Mulatu by Mulatu Astatke . 

Kalli Arte is a family collective of artists that represent the true spirit of community and art. Alfonso Aceves is an amazing artists and has been working with Buyepongo since the beginning. He designed the cover art for Maestro as well as the Buyepongo EP in 2012. The cover art for Maestros is nothing short of amazing. the 2 Color hand silk screened alone makes this record a collectors edition

Nos Fuimos Pa' Belize

"We Went to Belize"

       One of the missions we(Buyepongo) as musician/artist have, is to preserve the tradition of "up" beat tropical dance music. But always with its unique "Buye" feel. If you chilled with us before you know we love Punta music. A relatively new beat to me, since i really didn't get in to this musical beat till about 5 or 6 years ago, Yet its drum patterns and combinations have brought my techniques and musical visions to a whole new level. Punta comes out of the Central American Caribbean region with its strong points in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. The first time I heard Punta, I can say it made laugh a little. Only punta song I knew or heard of was Sopa De Caracol By Banda Blanca (I would hear at quinceañeras as a kid).

It reminded me of Los Bukis mixed with a Caribbean Steel Drum band with a real cheesy 80's Yamaha keyboard sound. The kind of keyboard you get for your  5th birthday. But like all music I always hunt to hear the raw beat. And sure enough I got exposed to some of the heaviest and rhythmic music I have ever heard. Listening bands great pioneering bands like Banda Blanca, Kazzabe, Garifuna Kids, Los Silver Star, Los Rolands  and help from my friend Roberto Navarro  I was able to learn a lot of fundamental sounds and techniques to Punta. Learning that Punta music was a genre created by the Garifuna People who are descendants of Carib, Arawak and West African people, I was intrigued to learn more about this culture and so we saved up and bought a ticket out to Belize. We backpacked thru out Belize from Orange Walk to San Ignacio To Hopkins Beach.

We traveled to Belize in time for Carnival and The Belizean Independence day. We jammed out with Titti Man Flores and stayed at a drum school in Hopkins Beach. We enjoyed this beautiful country and its people. Durning Carnaval you can hear Punta Played in every corner.Hundreds of Dance schools displaying their Garifuna pride and Navarro and Meshlee there to absorb all the love. From its infectious drum patterns and horn lines to its embedded 1-2 clave (ta ta, ta ta, ta ta) Punta music hold a big part in Buyepongos heart(drum). To be able to go to another country that you have never been to and back pack and hitch hike your way around, its  a life changing experience. Wiki travel advices people to stay away from the inner city and to stay in the resorts. Wed did the opposite and stayed in the in town with the people to absorb the culture and the life. 

Its Been awhile since our last post..finally getting things rolling. What better way to reignite the Buyepongo blog than by announcing our release of Maestros Cumbia House Mix by Jose Marquez. In anticipation of our upcoming release of Maestros on 7" due out January 2015 on Soul Fiesta records, we are releasing a series of Remixes of Maestros by some of our favorite DJ's and Producers. This is the first of the series and its Fiyah!!! Jose Marquez is a one of the Worlds leading Afro House DJ's and has been touring the world and making it dance!! We going world wide with this one!!! Vive la Cumbia!! Maestros Cumbia House Mix will be out on the world wide web on October 30th 2014.