Listening to the Sunset
Watching a sunset
in Guanacaste can conjure up images of classic Monet paintings that display a
melding of colors as the sun dips into the sea. It’s that unique time of day
between dark and light that has always been synonymous with romantic interlude.
Now, Costa Rica’s
premier label, Papaya Music, is offering a soundtrack for that distinct space
of time. The CD, titled Guanacaste al Atardecer, is a nice mix of musicians of
different ages and styles, some already on the Papaya label and some not. I
really like the fact that Nicaragua
is included in the CD package as a part of the Guanacaste peninsula, or “Gran
Nicoya”, as this entire area has shared a cultural bond for centuries. I also
appreciate the way Papaya recognizes artists who are not a part of their
recording family as a part of this presentation.
The eleven song LP
opens with a mood-setter that states the tone for the whole disc. “Concierto
Para un Coro de Lapas” combines the natural, ambient sounds of crickets, macaws
and other birds, with the unmistakable piano of Manuel Obregon, one of the
Papaya co-founders, accompanied by the trio Mandragora on guitars and flute. The
song is taken from a recording session on the Osa Peninsula
in 1990.
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| The unmistakable Clara Grun |
The second song,
“Pochote” was written and sung by twenty-five year old Nicaraguan Clara Grun,
who claims she was “born singing”. The song first appeared on her premier CD on
the tiny Moka recording label. Other Nicaraguan artists who appear on this
compilation are Perrozompopo, a popular Managua
band, with “Entre Remolinos”, one of their soft songs from their first disc, on
Papaya. Elsa Basil, also from Managua,
offers a torch song which also has Clara Grun playing piano. Popular Costa
Rican vocalist Martha Fonseca covers the bolero “Como Fue” with Malpais in a live
recording previously unreleased, and Malpais offers their live version from the
Jazz Café of a Ray Tico song, “Romance en Habana”, which does not appear on
their recent live disc. It’s a nice touch, as the LP itself is dedicated to the
memory of Ray Tico. The list also includes a tango by Mario Ulloa, who recently
released a CD on Papaya and the seldom seen Cuarteto Esporadico (including the
Gamboa brothers and Obregon, from Malpais) performing a classic bolero,
recorded live at Café do Playa last Valentine’s Day. The final track, “Sobre el
Agua” is by the San Jose
musician Fred Miranda, from the rock band Gandhi. It is from his from his solo
project, Baula Project, which centers around the plight of turtles and their
nesting spots in Guanacaste. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the
project.
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| Martha Fonseca |
Again, Papaya
spares no expense on packaging, offering a jacket that folds out twice to
display a memorable photo of a Guanacaste sunset. The CD also comes with a very
booklet in Spanish and English, as has become the norm for the label. And, once
again, Papaya has taken a chance with a new concept that works for them,
offering a rich mix of musical styles designed around a tranquil afternoon that
is pleasurable enough to keep your attention, rather than slipping into the
background or putting the listener to sleep. “Guanacaste al Atardecer” and all
Papaya CDs are available at Jaime Peligro in Tamarindo and Seventh Street Books in San Jose. Both shops will
gladly sample the music for their customers. All comments concerning this article are welcome.
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