FOLKLORE URBANO-THE ORCHESTRA
The powerhouse orchestra of Colombian pianist, composer, and Folklore Urbano NYC artistic director Pablo Mayor records its latest production “El Barrio Project-SALSA. It’s the Folklore Urbano Orchestra in its newest “Salsa” format, featuring Parisian/Beninese singer Laurent Hounsavi, vocalists Newyoricans Jainardo Batista and Deborah Resto, with Puerto Rican/Cuban percussionist Oreste Abrantes, Rubén Rodríguez on bass, and members of NYC’s elite jazz and Latin instrumentalists
“Black is Beautiful” is the first single of the new Folklore Urbano Orchestra album
Watch on YouTube
Pablo Mayor redefined Colombian music with his first three albums, seamlessly fusing the danceable swing of traditional Colombian rhythms with the lush subtleties of contemporary jazz harmonies and unique arrangements. His powerhouse orchestra has toured extensively, performing throughout Canada, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Colombia, and has featured renowned jazz and traditional Colombian vocalists like Sofía Rei and Ronald Polo and a host of NYC’s elite Colombian folkloric and jazz artists.
Pablo Mayor’s latest production, “El Barrio Project-SALSA” crosses cultural boundaries, taking his renowned band into the heart of NYC’s barrios (ethnic neighborhoods), the first collaboration with songwriter and Co-Executive Director Nick Chavarria.
Pablo’s first highly-acclaimed CD’s, Aviso, Baile/Dance, and Corazón, have been broadcast throughout the World.
“…The twelve-member collective known as Folklore Urbano swings like a fine-tuned big band as it takes the roots of Colombian rhythms on a rollercoaster ride of sophisticated arrangements and liberating jazzy applications…Mayor…creates compelling music, full of textural complexity…” Rudy Mangual, Latin Beat Magazine,
“…Folklore Urbano’s 12 members perform material that is authentic and refreshing, due in no small part to Mayor’s amazing way of synthesizing jazz with Colombian folkloric music, taking Latin music to an entirely new dimension” Vicky Sola, Latin Beat Magazine
“…Their CD Baile/Dance ranked among the top ten albums of 2005” World Music Central
“…Their first CD Aviso, featuring Andy Gonzales on bass, nominated as one of the top ten Latin music albums of 2003” Vicky Sola, Latin Beat Mag.