The Ecuadorian artist Helena Recalde will release her new album “A la Costa” on 13 November 2026 as a digital release via Khitara Entertainment LLC / The Orchard / Sony Music. This album was produced under the artistic direction of Julien Lourau.
Nurtured by the rhythms of the Pacific coast and Andean melodies, Helena Recalde – an Ecuadorian bassist, double bassist and singer – composes and writes music steeped in emotion, her own life experiences and the stories of her homeland. She surrounds herself with talented musicians who infuse her compositions with a vibrant energy and modernity, enriched by African rhythms. This powerful foundation is then interwoven with jazz influences and moments of improvisation, lending her music a subtle and nuanced depth. For this new project, Helena has teamed up with the renowned composer and saxophonist Julien Lourau, who serves as artistic director. His vision, his jazz background and his experience of hybrid musical styles bring a modern sound, a touch of rock, pop and contemporary influences, and an ambitious musical structure.
Line-up:
–Helena Recalde: lead vocals, bass, double bass and charango
–Muriel Gastebois: balafon, vibraphone
–Gaud: guitars (except Alfonso Pacin on ‘Candela’)
–Sebastián Quezada & Vanesa García: percussion and drums
–Aurora Alquinta & Sebastián Quezada: backing vocals
–Abou Diarra: vocals, ngoni on ‘Esmeralda’
–Anita Cachimuel: Kichwa vocals on ‘Agua’
–Julien Lourau: saxophones on ‘Tristeza’ and ‘Les Sauvages’.
Artistic and thematic intentions:
“A la Costa” is an album about migration, displacement, a quest and transformation. It draws inspiration from the journey Helena undertook as a child, travelling across Ecuador from the Sierra to the Pacific coast: a long, formative journey which, for her, symbolises the search for a promised land. This personal experience echoes the history of the Ecuadorian people, a nation long shaped by mass migration across the globe.
Together with Julien Lourau, Helena undertook a thorough musical exploration of Black and Andean music, seeking to understand their roots, their points of convergence and their interplay. This research is reflected in the album through the use of rare instruments: the African balafon, traditional Andean drums, Afro-Latin percussion and polyphonic vocals… These timbres interact with modern textures, synthesisers, contemporary grooves and sophisticated jazz composition.
Helena is also a renowned lyricist, whose lyrics for “A la Costa” convey powerful values: unity, peace, fraternity, cultural diversity, freedom and environmentalism. Her writing, both poetic and socially conscious, lends the project a human and universal dimension. The musicians accompanying her are virtuosos, capable of navigating between tradition and modernity, improvisation and composition. Thanks to the artistic direction of Julien Lourau, the album’s sound appeals to new audiences whilst maintaining a musical standard worthy of the great jazz ensembles.
