It's no exaggeration to say that this Philadelphia Colombian Band has redefined modern Colombian music. This brilliant 12-piece ensemble harnesses the danceable swing of traditional Colombian folkloric rhythms while seducing the listener with the subtleties of jazz orchestration and harmony. The band's lineup cooks with two vocalists; a rhythm section comprised of some of New York City's finest exponents of traditional Colombian music; a stunning horn section of flute, trumpet, alto/soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, and euphonium; as well as drum set, bass, and piano.

Philadelphia Colombian Band leader

The driving force of this Philadelphia Colombian Band is an innovative bandleader, arranger, composer and pianist along with his wife the band's flutist (who also helps in managing the group). Back in Colombia, he was a professor of music at Bogota's Universidad Javeriana, where he began an intensive "personal investigation" of his country's native music. After extensive studies in jazz arranging at the University of North Texas, he went on to arrange and produce for musicians in New York, Dallas, Colombia and Mexico, as well as for live theatre in New York. He already recorded three albums.

Of the this Philadelphia Colombian Band's second CD, Live Music Report's Joyce Corbett writes, "a fabulous CD, beautiful, exuberant and complex. It combines different styles of music from the various regions of Colombia---the Andes, the eastern plains, the Caribbean coast and the Pacific coast---with jazz and other influences to create an intoxicating new sound. It is sophisticated but loses nothing of the honesty of emotion, the tenderness or the sheer joy of the folk styles. It is bold, modern and open to the world."

Philadelphia Colombian Band performances

This Philadelphia Colombian Band has been featured at the Festival Internacional de Arte de Cali (Colombia), the Chicago World Music Festival, Sunfest (London, Ontario), the Finger Lakes Grass Roots Fest, New Jersey's Sounds of the City, Central Park's Harlem Meer Festival, the Brooklyn Museums's Target First Saturdays (NYC), Performance Planet-La Guardia Performing Arts Center (NYC), the Music for Peace Festival (Stony Brook University), Global Rhythms-Kingsborough Community College (NYC), and at such venues as SOB's (NYC), the Jazz Standard (NYC), Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors La Casita (NYC), Toronto's Lula Lounge, Philadelphia's World Cafe Live, Montreal's Club Ballatou, Chicago's Hothouse, Ottawa's Zaphod Beeblebrox, among many others.

The organization is also actively involved with the education of Colombian music, through such educational outreach programs as the 92nd St. Y's Musical Introducation Series and a Colombian music residency through Turtle Bay Music School.

The leader of this Philadelphia Colombian Band is not only intent on showcasing the music of the band, but also on promoting Colombian music on the world stage.