Fiesta de Corazon is a musical party for your heart. It is named to evoke the celebratory and heartfelt spirit that's so inherent in Latin American and Caribbean cultures. Made in Australia and in Colombia, this collection of 10 original tracks encapsulates over a decade of musical evolution. Drawing from the Afro-Colombian traditions of Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the album infuses these rich cultural roots with contemporary urban sounds like funk, dub, and electronica.

The album features over 30 artists from 4 continents, including Jorge Leiva (La Descarga, Miss Colombia), Kathleen Gonzalez (Tunjos y Cantaros Ethnologic Dance Company), Lauren Mullarvey (The Coch.ls Channel, Chet Faker), and Mat Robb (Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Darwin Music Festival) and features collaborations with musicians including with icon of Australian Sudanese music, Ajak Kwai, Melbourne-based South Sudanese hip-hop artist Malesh P, and William Martinez from Bejuco.

The album was mixed by acclaimed Colombian producer Diego Gomez (Llorona Records, Discos Pacifico), known For his extensive work with Afro-Colombian artists from the Caribbean and the Pacific, and collaborations with international artists Adrian Sherwood, Mad Professor, and Channel One Sound System. The album's stunning cover art, has been crafted by Colombian artist Dora Moreno Zuniga, reflecting the Festive colours and traditions of Cartagena. We hope you enjoy this heartfelt musical fiesta.

About La Descarga

La Descarga band is an iconic Latin-Australian music band where Colombian tropical roots music mixes with contemporary Aussie stamps. Born in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, as a tribute to the Folkloric rhythms of the coasts of Colombia and as a preserver of its cultural heritage, it has evolved For over a decade through diverse musical and cultural collaborations, into a Forerunner of Latin-Aussie-tropical music.

La Descarga has been influenced deeply by the street carnival cultures of Latin America with their upbeat music, colours and dance, mixing the old and the new grooves and moves of Australian, Colombian and world tropical culture.

Originally performing traditional drums, marimba, gaita Flutes, with cantadores y cantadoras (traditional singers) and folkloric dancers, its traditional sound has merged, throughout collaborations with Australian musicians, with psychedelia, electronica and dub. La Descarga has released several singles including 'Alla en el Rio', 'Chande Gozoso', and 'A Demoler' and is proud to release its debut album Fiesta de Corazon.

Band Members

Jorge Leiva: Vocals, percussion and synths. Kathleen Gonzalez: Vocals and percussion. Oscar Vargas: Vocals and drums. Camila Gonzalez: Vocals and bass. Mat Robb: Guitar and tiple. Lauren Mullarvey: Clarinet, flute, bass clarinet and sax. Andres Carreno: Gaitas. Maria Paula Espinoza: Percussion. Dairana Moreno: Gaitas. Anthony Tropea: Trumpet. Tom Panckridge: Trombone and sousaphone.

Guest Artists

Brass: Danni Anderson "Dandelion Jackson": Tenor sax. Jay Scarlett: Trombone. Ed Farrar: Trumpet. Adam Arnold: Sousaphone and bass trombone. Nathaniel Sametz: Trombone. Will Larsen: Flute, tenor and alto sax. Jose Triana: Sax and clarinet. Vocals: Ajak Kwai and Malesh P in Ten Mucho Cuidado. William Jair Martinez Riascos and Joan Andres Micolta Ospina in Acercate, Corre and Pajaros. Luna Leiva-Escobar in Yuca Cassava. Accordion: Deyber Meza Bass: Henry Peiia in Ten Mucho Cuidado and Yuca Cassava. Didgeridoo: Sean Candy in Ensoiiaci6n. Marimba: Johan Camilo Estacio Marquinez in Corre and Henry Peiia in Ten Mucho Cuidado and Corre. Percussion: Felipe Paz, Eduardo Venegas and Steven Carrier in Eliminala, Yuca Cassava, Ten Mucho Cuidado and Corre. Piano: Joseph Bonilla in Pajaros. Tres: Oscar Poncell in Pajaros.

Production

Produced by Jorge Leiva, Claudia Escobar Vega, Luna Leiva-Escobar, La Descarga's Pozible campaign supporters and the Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative, supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria.

Arrangements by Jorge Leiva, Oscar Vargas, Lauren Mullarvey, Camila Gonzalez, Claudia Escobar Vega, Andres Carreno and Mat Robb.

Recorded by Benjamin Beracasa. Eliminala recorded by Luis Avella. Overdubs recorded by Benjamin Beracasa, Oscar Poncell, Oscar Jimenez, Mat Robb and Juan Carlos Mindinero Satizabal. Recorded at: Bakehouse Studios, Kindred Studios, Harmonic Whale, Vibrating Planet, RMIT Studios, SAE Studios and Discos Pacifico. Mixed by Diego Gomez at Llorona Records. Eliminala mixed by Oscar Vargas. Mastered by Romain Boonen. Cover art by Dora Moreno Zuniga. Photographs by Sebastian Barahona and Cesar Miranda Bautista. Special thanks to our families, friends, fans, all our Pozible campaign supporters, Bejuco, Leiva-Cock family, Escobar-Vega family and all the people that have been part of this musical adventure that is La Descarga. Love to you all! Graciasl

La Descarga acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which this album was created, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the Indigenous communities of Colombia.

Fiesta de Corazon is a musical party for your heart. It is named to evoke the celebratory and heartfelt spirit that's so inherent in Latin American and Caribbean cultures. Made in Australia and in Colombia, this collection of 10 original tracks encapsulates over a decade of musical evolution. Drawing from the Afro-Colombian traditions of Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts, the album infuses these rich cultural roots with contemporary urban sounds like funk, dub, and electronica.

The album features over 30 artists from 4 continents, including Jorge Leiva (La Descarga, Miss Colombia), Kathleen Gonzalez (Tunjos y Cantaros Ethnologic Dance Company), Lauren Mullarvey (The Coch.ls Channel, Chet Faker), and Mat Robb (Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Darwin Music Festival) and features collaborations with musicians including with icon of Australian Sudanese music, Ajak Kwai, Melbourne-based South Sudanese hip-hop artist Malesh P, and William Martinez from Bejuco.

The album was mixed by acclaimed Colombian producer Diego Gomez (Llorona Records, Discos Pacifico), known For his extensive work with Afro-Colombian artists from the Caribbean and the Pacific, and collaborations with international artists Adrian... more credits releases November 5, 2024

Band Members

Jorge Leiva: Vocals, percussion and synths. Kathleen Gonzalez: Vocals and percussion. Oscar Vargas: Vocals and drums. Camila Gonzalez: Vocals and bass. Mat Robb: Guitar and tiple. Lauren Mullarvey: Clarinet, flute, bass clarinet and sax. Andres Carreño: Gaitas. Maria Paula Espinoza: Percussion. Dairana Moreno: Gaitas. Anthony Tropea: Trumpet. Tom Panckridge: Trombone and sousaphone.

Guest Artists

Brass: Danni Anderson "Dandelion Jackson": Tenor sax. Jay Scarlett: Trombone. Ed Farrar: Trumpet. Adam Arnold: Sousaphone and bass trombone. Nathaniel Sametz: Trombone. Will Larsen: Flute, tenor and alto sax. Jose Triana: Sax and clarinet. Vocals: Ajak Kwai and Malesh P in Ten Mucho Cuidado. William Jair Martinez Riascos and Joan Andres Micolta Ospina in Acercate, Corre and Pájaros. Luna Leiva-Escobar in Yuca Cassava. Accordion: Deyber Meza Bass: Henry Peña in Ten Mucho Cuidado and Yuca Cassava. Didgeridoo: Sean Candy in Ensoñación. Marimba: Johan Camilo Estacio Marquinez in Corre and Henry Peña in Ten Mucho Cuidado and Corre. Percussion: Felipe Paz, Eduardo Venegas and Steven Carrier in Eliminala, Yuca Cassava, Ten Mucho Cuidado and Corre. Piano: Joseph Bonilla in Pájaros. Tres: Oscar Poncell in Pájaros.

Production

Produced by Jorge Leiva, Claudia Escobar Vega, Luna Leiva-Escobar, La Descarga's Pozible campaign supporters and the Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative, supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria.

Arrangements by Jorge Leiva, Oscar Vargas, Lauren Mullarvey, Camila Gonzalez, Claudia Escobar Vega, Andres Carreño and Mat Robb.

Recorded by Benjamin Beracasa. Eliminala recorded by Luis Avella. Overdubs recorded by Benjamin Beracasa, Oscar Poncell, Oscar Jimenez, Mat Robb and Juan Carlos Mindinero Satizabal. Recorded at: Bakehouse Studios, Kindred Studios, Harmonic Whale, Vibrating Planet, RMIT Studios, SAE Studios and Discos Pacífico. Mixed by Diego Gomez at Llorona Records. Eliminala mixed by Oscar Vargas. Mastered by Romain Boonen. Cover art by Dora Moreno Zuniga. Photographs by Sebastian Barahona and Cesar Miranda Bautista. Special thanks to our families, friends, fans, all our Pozible campaign supporters, Bejuco, Leiva-Cock family, Escobar-Vega family and all the people that have been part of this musical adventure that is La Descarga. Love to you all! Graciasl

La Descarga acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which this album was created, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the Indigenous communities of Colombia.