Edmar Castañeda

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Edmar Castañeda has quite literally taken New York and the world stage by storm with the sheer force of his virtuosic command of the harp—revolutionizing the way audiences and critics alike consider an instrument commonly relegated to the “unusual category.” A master at realizing beautiful complexities of time, while skillfully drawing out lush colors and dynamic spirit, the legendary Paquito D’Rivera, Edmar’s frequent collaborator, has remarked, “Edmar is…an enormous talent, he has the versatility and the enchanting charisma of a musician who has taken his harp out of the shadow to become one of the most original musicians from the Big Apple.”

Even now, on stages across the globe, one notes how Edmar’s body seemingly engulfs his Colombian harp as he crafts almost unbelievable feats of cross-rhythms, layered with chordal nuances rivaling the most celebrated flamenco guitarist’s efforts.

In addition to his acclaimed performing career as an instrumentalist, which has included features at D’Rivera’s Carnegie Hall tribute, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, the 10th annual World Harp Congress, he has also played with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, John Scofield, Marcos Miller, John Patitucci, Chico O’Farrill ‘s Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band and Edmar Castaneda has gained recognition as a composer.

“The Colombian plays the harp like hardly anyone else on earth. His hands, seemingly powered by two different people, produce a totally unique, symphonic fullness of sound, a rapid-fire of chords, balance of melodic figures and drive, served with euphoric Latin American rhythms, and the improvisatory freedom of a trained jazz musician…captivating virtuosity, but in no way only virtuosity for its own sake.” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 

“almost a world unto himself” – The New York Times