Apúntamelo by JAZZ ROCK CASTELLA

Recorded in 1977 and long considered lost, this release captures a crucial, and largely undocumented, moment in Costa Rica’s musical history.

Jazz Rock Castella was formed in 1974 by students of the Conservatorio Castella, a public arts-focused institution that became a breeding ground for some of the country’s most influential musicians. Without knowing that the term jazz fusion was already circulating internationally, the group instinctively forged its own blend of jazz, rock, and Latin American rhythms, making them true pioneers of the genre in Costa Rica.

Apúntamelo was recorded at INDICA Studios in 1977 and pressed in a modest run of just 300 copies, financed by the group’s own school and distributed among friends and classmates. Decades later, these sessions reveal a band operating far ahead of its time: adventurous arrangements, strong compositional voices, and an unmistakable collective chemistry.

This release also includes “Silencio,” an unreleased track from those original sessions, available here for the first time.

Jazz Rock Castella played a key role in shaping Costa Rica’s jazz scene, performing on major stages such as the National Theatre, and in 1978 traveling to Havana to perform before an audience of 50,000 at the XI World Festival of Youth and Students, sharing the bill with legendary acts from across Latin America and beyond. That journey, filled with late-night jam sessions and unforgettable encounters, marked a defining chapter in the band’s story.

Tropicalistmo Records proudly presents this archival release as its first catalog entry, honoring a foundational chapter of Costa Rican music and bringing a lost sound back to life, now pressed on vinyl, where it belongs.

From Costa Rica to the world.

Jazz Rock Castella is a pioneering Costa Rican jazz rock group formed in 1974 by students of the Conservatorio Castella.

Blending jazz, rock, and Latin American rhythms at a time when fusion was barely defined, the band played a key role in shaping the country’s modern jazz scene. Their music captures a bold, exploratory spirit that positioned them far ahead of their time.