Edmar Castaneda Trio

• Edmar Castaneda_Columbia (harp)
• Shlomo Cohen_USA (saxophone)
• Rodrigo Villalon_Chile (drums)

Colombian harpist, band leader, and composer Edmar Castaneda was born 1978 in Colombia, Bogota, where he started playing the Colombian harp at the age of 13.

He has a unique style of playing harp. Combining Latin jazz with traditional Colombian music, Edmar has carved a firm place in the international jazz scene. A jazz harpist of imposing talent, he transforms the harp into a lead instrument to phenomenal effect. Producing cross-rhythms like a drummer, smashing chordal flourishes like a flamenco guitarist, and collating bebop and Colombian music, he is practically a world unto himself. His style is fascinatingly percussive and he plucks dynamic basslines almost invisibly while picking out melodies with his right hand. Now in his late 20s, Edmar moved to the United States in 1994 and was quickly recognized for his unmatched style and sound.

He has performed with Paquito D’Rivera, John Scofield, Wynton Marsalis, JLCO, John Patitucci, Pablo Zinger, Ed Simon, Trio De Paz, Guiovani Hidalgo, Lila Downs, Janis Siegel, Chico O’farrill, Afro-cuban jazz big band, DJango Reinhardt NY festival, The United Nation Orchestra, among other renowned musicians.

He also tours regularly as the leader of the Edmar Castaneda Trio, together with trombone and drums. His playing is striking for its rhythmic complexities, driving basslines and sheer musical force.