Les Gwan Jupons play vintage party music from the French, Spanish and English-speaking Caribbean . . . biguine and mazurka from Martinique and Guadeloupe, calypso from Trinidad, cumbia from Colombia, mento from Jamaica, bolero from Cuba. Les Gwan Jupons translate music from rare Caribbean recordings of the 1930s to ’60s to the context of a contemporary acoustic jazz ensemble, with instrumentation inspired by the biguine bands of Martinique dancehalls in the 1930s. The band is named in French Creole for the puffy skirts traditionally worn by women at Carnival celebrations. Co-led by bassist Lisa Mezzacappa (bass) and John Finkbeiner (guitar), Les Gwan Jupons are Cory Wright (clarinet), Rob Ewing (trombone), John Hanes (drums).

Visit the artist’s webpage at: lesgwanjupons.bandcamp.com