Benítez & Valencia – Impossible Love Songs From Sixties Quito

2x Vinyl 12"

Benítez & Valencia were leading figures in Ecuador’s música nacional movement. Gonzalo Benítez and Luis Alberto Valencia began performing together in their mid-teens and, over a 28-year partnership, recorded more than 600 songs. Their career ended with Valencia’s death in 1970, aged 52, shortly after collapsing onstage during a performance of the yaraví “Desesperación”.

The duo’s beautifully romantic harmonies are complemented by the expressive, improvisational guitar playing of Bolívar “El Pollo” Ortiz, effectively the group’s third member. His distinctive playing is immediately apparent on the opening track, “Lamparilla”, a pasillo combining elements of the Viennese waltz with Ecuador’s indigenous yaraví tradition. Its lyrics originate from a 1918 poem by Luz Martínez. The collection also includes “Sombras”, one of the most celebrated songs in the música nacional repertoire, and “Carnaval de Guaranda”, reflecting the duo’s engagement with Ecuador’s indigenous musical heritage.

Lovingly presented in a gatefold sleeve with spot-gloss detailing and printed inner sleeves, this edition features striking photography and extensive notes. The recordings have been sourced from the original tapes, with audio preparation involving Abbey Road, D&M and Pallas, offering a beautifully presented introduction to one of Ecuador’s most important musical partnerships.