It was only upon seeing the thumbnail of a recently uploaded music video on Youtube “Luna Creciente”, that I recognized the two men. There are just some faces you don’t forget. During my recent stay in Ecuador, I visited Casa Museo Guayasamín (HIGHLY recommend) in barrio Bellavista with family one morning. We quickly joined the very small tour group that had already kicked things off in the dignified, yet welcoming, main entrance & living area of the final home of one of Latin America’s most renowned visual artists & painters of the 20th Century. Naturally, we briefly scanned the others & within moments I couldn’t help but smile to myself as my attention quickly went to two individuals in particular. Perhaps it was their towering height over the rest of us, or their slightly animated (& quite impressive) but distinct mustache & long hair combos, or their undeniably handsome facial features complemented by impeccably harmonious ensembles composed of a perfectly curated mix of precious silver metals, gemstones, leatherwear, & tattoos. Something about their beings felt intentional. Throughout the tour, amidst listening to stories about the man often regarded as one of Ecuador’s national heroes, & while ensuring my abuelita kept pace with the rest of the group, I couldn’t help but let my attention drift back every so often to the two men. As I could feel the house tour begin to come to a close, I admittedly decided to see if I could sneak in a photo of the duo to send to one of my girl friends - after all, one of them in particular was just her type (man bun & body art included). Eventually guests said their goodbyes & I reunited with my family in the bookshop treating myself to a bar of artisanal chocolate before we went out to explore the rest of the grounds & finish off our visit with the deeply meditative Capilla del Hombre (also not to be missed). By the time I was on my return flight from Quito a week later, I had long forgotten my nameless friends. That is of course, until the other day. Alejandro & Estevan Gutiérrez, the Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers who form the instrumental band known as Hermanos Gutiérrez truly have a unique in-person presence that I still can’t quite put words to. But at least now it just makes sense. Their music, which I have not stopped listening to since my recent discovery, feels as if it arrived in my life at a time where I have been deeply craving & embracing a more relaxed & reflective rhythm - one that is not heavy with the noise & almost frenetic pace we are so often asked to readily accept in today’s world. Sure, it might have spurred a bit more in-the-moment excitement to have actually known who they were the day our paths briefly crossed (needless to say they were visiting Quito on tour- one stop of many in Latin America before continuing on to the US & Europe), there’s a much larger part of me that is actually rather grateful I didn’t. I’m a big believer after all that like most things in life, even the music & art we engage & grow with, arrives in our lives exactly how & when it’s supposed to.
Oh…& that friend I sent the pictures to? She’s moved on to bald guys these days.
Hermanos Gutiérrez faves:
8 Años (2017) - their first studio album
“Esperanza” music video with beautiful animation
El Bueno y El Malo (2022) - performed on NPR Tiny Desk concert
Sonido Cósmico (2024) - favorite song “Cumbia Lunar”
“Luna Creciente” music video with Natalia Lafourcade
