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Jazz Articles about Edmar Castaneda
BEATrio: BEATrio
by Doug Collette
It is quite the compliment for banjoist Bela Fleck to compare the creative dynamic of his longstanding quartet, the Flecktones, to the artistry he has formulated with harpist Edmar Castaneda and percussionist Antonio Sanchez. The brilliant abstract art on the cover of the latter trio's self-titled album is an accurate reflection of the music: the camaraderie in action makes it all the more enticing to become both absorbed in and addicted to the sounds therein. The composite of ...
Continue ReadingEdward Simon: 25 Years
by Angelo Leonardi
Al pubblico del jazz non piacciono molto le compilations ma questa del pianista Edward Simon è speciale. I diciassette brani del doppio CD sono stati scelti da lui--come bilancio e riflessione personale nel 25° anno della sua attività da leader--e forniscono una variopinta retrospettiva delle sue tappe musicali. «L'idea mi è venuta l'anno scorso (2019) quando ho compito 50 anni--ha detto al Columbia Daily Tribune--La raccolta è nata da uno spirito di celebrazione e dalla consapevolezza di quante cose siano ...
Continue ReadingEdward Simon: 25 Years
by Dan McClenaghan
Pianist Edward Simon immigrated to the United States from his native Venezuela while still in his teens. He stayed, and carved out a successful career in music. His fiftieth birthday rolled around, and the artist decided it was time to take a look and listen back. In a musical journey that spans the titular 25 Years, Simon has crafted a lot of music, employing a Latin/jazz/classical approach with a seemingly effortless refinement, making sounds that are unfailingly engaging and beautiful. ...
Continue ReadingAJAZZGO Festival in Cali, Colombia
by Mark Holston
AJAZZGO Festival Cali, Colombia September 12-17, 2017 September is jazz festival month in the South American nation of Colombia. Four major cities--Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Barranquilla--and Pasto, a smaller provincial municipality--stage well-oiled multi-day events stocked with international and regional jazz talent. The five festivals work collaboratively to bring major artists to the country, allowing them to perform in more than one locale on the same tour. Yet each festival is known for its own stylistic orientation. ...
Continue ReadingEdmar Castaneda: A World Of Music
by Ian Patterson
The harp may be the least common instrument in jazz/improvised music--even the humble kazoo gets more of a run out. Dating back over 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia, the harp in its various guises is common to nearly all cultures across the continents. Throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America the harp is an important element of folk music. The harp is common in Celtic music too, though in Europe it's perhaps more usually associated with the sedate airs of mediaeval ...
Continue ReadingEdmar Castaneda: Double Portion
by Dan Bilawsky
There is probably a greater chance of winning the lottery and being struck by lightning than building a career as a successful, world-renowned jazz Colombian harpist. Fortunately, Edmar Castaneda was more interested in pursuing his vision than studying statistics and probability. The Colombian-born harp phenom, who arrived in the United States in 1994, didn't have the benefit of following in the footsteps of others when it came to finding his way through jazz on his instrument of choice. He, however, ...
Continue ReadingEdmar Castaneda: Entre Cuerdas
by Russ Musto
Although jazz aficionados have become accustomed to the regular expansion of the music's vocabulary coming from the Caribbean and South America, virtually nothing in the history of the increasingly diverse genre known as “Latin jazz" has prepared audiences for the uniquely innovative sound of Edmar Castaneda. A native of Colombia, Castaneda plays “el arpa llanera," the folk harp commonly heard in his country's indigenous music, but there is nothing common about his virtuosic command or the music he performs. Possessing ...
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