Edmar Castaneda started dancing at the age of seven. The harp is at the center of Colombian music and Castaneda learned to play at the age of thirteen. When he moved to the United States the young musician began playing jazz.

You don’t necessarily think of a harp when you think of jazz, but Castenada will make you think again. He is now an internationally acclaimed modern jazz harpist, combining jazz with traditional Columbian music. He is able to transform his harp into different instruments creating the sound of a bass player, guitar, hand drum or piano. And he has performed with jazz legends including Paquito D’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis and John Scofield.

He tours regularly as band leader of the Edmar Castaneda Trio and is currently working on his new cd. Listen to the interview and performance here.