"Voices From Latin America," at Carnegie Hall will see Colombian jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda hit the stage on Monday, Nov. 26 as he plays hits from his recent albums.
Born in the capital of Colombia, Bogota the jazz harpist got his start form his father Pavelid Castaneda a harp player, composer, singer and teacher.
The junior Castaneda performs his own compositions using the music from his native Colombia as well as sounds from Venezuela particularly the musical styling of joropo.
The in demand harpist has his own band called the Edmar Castaneda Trio which comprises of Castaneda himself, David Silliman on drums and percussion and Marshall Gilkes on trombone.
Castaneda is regularly on tour and does so with another band he is a part of called the Andrea Tierra Quartet with Tierra on vocals, Sam Sadigursky on flute/saxophone and clarinet and David Silliman on percussion and drums.
The Colombian has numerous albums the last of which is entitled "Double Portion," released in 2012.
Edmar has drawn praise from numerous circles for his unique sound and utilization of a difficult instrument to play in the harp.
The New York Times wrote. "A jazz harpist of imposing talent," while Time Out once said. "He nearly becomes a one man band, plucking bass lines almost invisibly while picking out melodies."
"The phenomenal Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda, whose technically astounding approach to the instrument normally associated with classical music has been registering with the scenesters over the past year," Bill Milkowski of Jazz Times said. "Covering independent, heavily grooving bass lines with his left hand while chording and also running counterpoint melodies and dazzling triplet figures with his right hand (a kind of Charlie Hunter or Joe Passian approach to the harp)."
Edmar Castaneda
