Buyepongo

Biography

Five person Afro-Latin fusion group Buyepongo (Los Angeles, CA) absorbs hip-hop, punk, funk, and jazz sounds into a delirious tropical blend of styles from across the Latin American diaspora.  Heavily influenced by a 2010 backpacking trip through Belize and Guatemala—and the Afro-Caribbean sounds of the region’s Garifuna culture—lead vocalist and percussionist Edgar “Meshlee” Modesto returned to Los Angeles to reinvent the sound of his high school band.  Joined by Edgar’s brother, bassist Randy Modesto, guitarist and accordion player Jorge “Yuka” Vallejo, saxophone and flautist Angel Hernandez, and percussionist Larry Harvey, Buyepongo has performed with acts such as Ozomatli, Booker T, The Beatnuts, and Sharon Jones.  They’ve shared their dizzyingly energetic and instantly infectious rhythms on countless stages, including Grand Park and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and have played Levitt Pavillion’s Summer Music Series and Hollywood Forever’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration.  Yuka writes and sings his original compositions for the group, including the songs “Por tu Amor” and “Pegao,” played to heavy “Tumbao” rhythms.  Buyepongo’s full-length record Todo Mundo was featured alongside albums by artists such as Sia, Frank Ocean, and Kendrick Lamar as one of the top 10 L.A. albums of 2016 by L.A. Weekly.  The band is passionate about the power of storytelling and education to build community.  Its members often volunteer to teach students, organize neighborhood dance socials, and play at various fundraising events such as Relief for Haiti, LA Art Walk, and Earth Day LA.