“Fleck is surely the finest banjo player on the planet” – Guardian
Just in case you aren’t familiar with Béla Fleck, there are many who say he’s the premiere banjo player in the world. Others claim that Fleck has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo. His remarkable career has taken him all over the musical map in a wide range of solo projects and collaborations.
An eighteen-time Grammy winner, Fleck has the virtuosic, jazz-to-classical ingenuity of an iconic instrumentalist and composer with bluegrass roots. Also, he writes concertos for full symphony orchestra, exploring the banjo’s African roots. Then, he collaborates with Indian musical royalty Zakir Hussain and Rakesh Churasia with Edgar Meyer.
Edmar Castañeda was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category “Best Latin Jazz Album” with his album Family. Castañeda’s performance can be heard in Disney’s 2021 film, Encanto, which features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Castañeda acts on the soundtrack and serves as a music consultant on Encanto.
Colombian-born Castañeda has become the preeminent jazz harp virtuoso since his 1994 arrival in the U.S. Here, he beautifully merges the jazz tradition with a diverse set of styles and genres. Castañeda has appeared with Wynton Marsalis, Bela Fleck, John Scofield, Rickie Lee Jones, Hiromi, and Paco de Lucia.
Born in Mexico City, four-time Grammy winner Antonio Sánchez began playing the drums at age five. Then, he performed professionally in his early teens in Mexico’s rock, jazz and Latin scenes.
Sánchez has become one of the most sought-after drummers on the international jazz scene. He is one of Pat Metheny’s most notable collaborators, over eighteen years and nine albums. He also has recorded and performed with Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Michael Brecker, Charlie Haden and Toots Thielemans.
Recommended for fans of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Chick Corea, Marcus Miller and Chris Thile.
LEARN MORE:
https://www.belafleck.com/
https://www.edmarcastaneda.com/
https://www.antoniosanchez.net/
📸: Shervin Lainez
