Seattle collective Reposado brewed a potent mix of Afro‑Caribbean rhythms, funk and soul, inviting Treefort revelers to dance with abandon.
One of Treefort’s greatest pleasures is stumbling upon a band you’ve never heard and leaving obsessed. Such was the case with Reposado, a bilingual collective from Seattle led by Jean‑Paul Builes. Their self‑described “TequilaFunk” pulled in curious onlookers at the Basque Center and Tropico FM showcase, then kept them there with irresistible grooves.
Builes and his bandmates draw inspiration from the music of Caribbean and West African nations as well as the multicultural neighborhoods of Queens, New York. They channel the fiery protest music of Fela Kuti and the kinetic salsa of the Fania All‑Stars while also nodding to soul icons like Curtis Mayfield and James Brown. On their website they describe their mission as using music to connect and transcend cultures, and their sets do just that.
Reposado’s Treefort performance began with a conga line weaving through the crowd. Horns blared over syncopated percussion, and soon Builes was leading call‑and‑response chants in Spanish and English. During one number, the band broke into a cumbia groove that had the entire Basque Center bouncing. Later, a funky breakdown gave way to a soaring guitar solo reminiscent of Santana. The energy was contagious; by the end of their set, the audience was drenched in sweat and chanting for one more song.
Reposado’s ability to seamlessly blend Afrobeat, salsa, funk and soul speaks to Treefort’s dedication to global sounds. In a festival filled with discovery, their TequilaFunk felt like a revelation and a celebration rolled into one. Boise may be far from the tropics, but for an hour, the Basque Center felt like the world’s most joyous dance floor.
