GUAYABO NOSTALGICO (NOSTALGIC HANGOVER) is the search, re-acquaintance and celebration of our cultural heritage. It is inspired by the courage of the Colombian people who "suffer and struggle to exist" within and out of the country. This is our contribution to that struggle.  (Joe Cumbe)

The word CUMBELEY is derived from the name to the African dance CUMBE of Guinea. It traveled to Colombia, South America with slavery where it fused with indigenous and European elements to form the Cumbia, one of the best known musical forms of Colombia. ELEY represents L.A. or the city of Los Angeles where the band is based

Cumbeley was formed by the love we as members feel towards our culture and traditional Colombian music. We are interested in preserving and contributing to the national songbook from our bicultural perspective. Finally, we want to  contribute to the effort of rescuing a national identity lost to a yellow press that consistently associates being Colombian with drug trafficking and violence.

Guayabo Nostalgico is a fusion of various musical elements from Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico. At the root of this fusion is the cumbia to which other Colombian rhythms are added such as vallenato from the northern coast, guasca from the interior and carrilera from the Andean region. We can also appreciate other rhythms like the Cuban guajira (“raices”), Son (“Soy Colombiano, No Marihuano”) and son montuno (“Fe, Esperanza y Paz”) and Puerto Rican plena (“El Exilao”).

The concept of the album was inspired by the peace demonstrations exhibited by the Colombian people in October of 2000. Colombia is a country under the spell of legacy of silence institutionalized by a culture of violence that spans three generations and begun in 1928. People have learned to be silent, not complain and pretend that everything is ok., for fear of retaliation that can come from many sides. This is evident in the music that is exported from the country.

Never in the history of this nation had the common man demanded a peaceful solution to the civil war and violence without politicizing the issue. People had become fed up, reached rock bottom and concluded that in order to make things change they had to take the initiative.

Lyrically this works attempts to reflect the reality of the country as seen from the perspective of those living abroad and who still have their souls tied to its existence. Because living abroad and changing nationality does not preclude the common man from being ostracized by those with pre-conceived notions as to what it is to be Colombian.

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