Carlos Meneses

Carlos Meneses is a double bassist, composer, and bandleader from the Canary Islands. He leads Carlos Meneses’ Hip Quartet, a creative project where contemporary jazz, original composition, and artistic collaboration converge into a distinctive and evolving musical language.

Since 2020, Meneses has released five albums — Sharp Jazz (2020), Jazz a.m. (2021), Like One (2022), [collabs] (2024), and Archinautas (2025) — establishing a coherent artistic path rooted in both tradition and innovation.

His music is shaped by an open and flexible approach in which composition serves as a starting point for collective dialogue, combining structure and improvisation in a natural and expressive way. The project has been performed in trio and quartet formats since 2021, emphasizing interaction and musical interplay at its core.

The ensemble has performed more than 30 concerts across festivals, cultural circuits, venues, and theatres in the Canary Islands, steadily building a strong live presence.

The current quartet features Carlos Meneses (double bass), Daniel González (drums), Yul Ballesteros (guitar), and Kike Perdomo (saxophones), offering a renewed and dynamic interpretation of Meneses’ repertoire in live performance.

Awards

His album [collabs] (2024), featuring more than ten internationally active musicians, was awarded the Canary Islands Music Award for Best Jazz Album in 2025, marking a significant recognition of his work within the contemporary jazz scene.

Gear

Double Bass:
3/4 acoustic upright double bass fitted with Thomastik Spirocore (Light) strings
French bow (4/4)

Amplification:

• Double bass pickup

• Amplifier (Markbass or similar)

• DI output for live sound

Accessories:

• Bow (arco)

• Adjustable endpin

Optional Setup (depending on venue):

• Clip-on microphone for acoustic reinforcement

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