Mekatelyu - The Little Band that Could

The Little Band That Could

      In 2001, Mekatelyu made their debut in their Caribbean hometown of Limon. They joined the ranks of literally hundreds of Costa Rican reggae bands. Six years later, on the eve of the release of Sensi, their third CD, Mekatelyu stands out as probably the most popular, and certainly the most recognizable reggae group in the country. The group has matured as a band in the studio, as is evident in the lush production, with layers of tightly orchestrated keyboards, vocal harmonies and horn section. A fan can hear the progression of this maturity with each new release. Sensi also has a lot more songs sung in Spanish than its predecessors, in an apparent attempt to reach back to the band’s collective heritage, and as lead singer/songwriter Johnnyman seems to be reaching out to more Latin Americans.

Johnnyman testifying

      But the band has retained their trademark musical riffs throughout this maturation, still sounding fresh and upbeat, with that unmistakable voice of Johnnyman. It is nice to see a contemporary band retain its originality, its identity and all its band members as it rises in popularity, a true curio in the modern music scene.

      The CD itself feels like a training ground in the School of Tempo Changes, as the band playfully skips from one beat to another during a number of their songs. Standouts among the eleven songs include Subele (Join Us) and Clamando Justica (Pray for Justice), with its catchy bass run and horn riffs. Johnnyman’s ramblings appear frequently throughout the disc. It’s all fun and danceable, yet very serious. Even the title song straddles this fence. Johnnyman told me that the song was a call for people to use sensibility in dealing with each other and the planet. But it is all tongue in cheek as well, because the song is also about the effects of sensimillon, or high grade pot.

      Curiously, the band is called Johnnyman & Mekatelyu on the new disc. The artwork on the jacket is nice, using the colors of the Jamaican flag to water paint over two photos of Johnny and one of the rest of the band. But the separation there seems a bit odd. And tickets for a recent Mekatelyu festival were available at Burger King. One can only hope that these are coincidences and not indicative of a new trend for the band.

      In Tamarindo, Mekatelyu CDs are available exclusively at Jaime Peligro, Tamarindo’s oldest book store. All commetns concerning this article are gladly welcome.