Finally, to be regarded with anticipation, there is an unmanned set of vibes.Ĭastaneda - born in Bogota in 1978 - is humble, and his story impressive. That box, by the way, is the South American cajon, energized by slapping. There's a lone trombonist and, sitting on a box with a hole in it, surrounded by drums and toys, a quick-handed percussionist.

Looking in, they see an intense young man on his feet, his body wrapped around his Colombian harp - slightly smaller than the classical harp. And tonight, the superb acoustic music of Edmar Castaneda and his trio fill the hall and beyond, mesmerizing the people in the seats and the picnickers on the hill. For the big concerts, the Tanglewood Jazz Festival throws open the back doors to listeners on the lawn. Ozawa Hall is a lofty, beautiful barn in the Berkshires - or maybe a riff on a country church - with natural wood and great acoustics.

'Entre Cuerdas' (Among Strings), Castaneda

'Cuarto de Colores' (Room of Colors), Castaneda So I went to college playing the trumpet, and it was great, because I learned all the jazz improvisation, and I just passed it to the harp.' 'Then I came, and in high school here, they have bands. 'My father always wanted me to be a trumpet player,' Castaneda says. He's created a personal style that blends elements of both kinds of music. He started playing in restaurants and toting his harp to jam sessions. There, he discovered jazz - Charlie Parker, Chick Corea. When Castaneda was 16, though, he moved with his family to New York. 'I go into it,' he says, 'and I just - my fingers go, you know?' It's much lighter than the harp played in symphony orchestras, and it plays a key role in Colombian country music, where songs can become elaborate boasts or cutting contests.Ĭastaneda says he fell in love with the instrument as a boy in Bogota - and that, save for a few weeks of lessons, he is self-taught. Edmar Castaneda typically uses his left hand to strum a bass line and his right hand to strum a melody or improvise.Įdmar Castaneda plays a traditional instrument of the cowboys who work the plains of Colombia: the harp.

Jazz harp players