Folklore Urbano fuses the Afro-Colombian rhythms of Colombia with complex jazz harmonies and form. The result is both groove-oriented and intellectually stimulating. The sound is fresh and features a stellar jazz horn section, a jazz rhythm section, and Colombian folkloric drums.
Ensemble leader, Pablo Mayor, composer, arranger and pianist, was born in Palmira, Colombia, and holds both a B.A. and an M.A. in Jazz Arranging from the University of North Texas. While Professor of Jazz at Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, in 1998, Mr. Mayor began his personal investigation of the native music of Colombia. Although it will be a lifelong process of discovery, Mr. Mayor has taken his current knowledge of Colombian folklore and combined it with an extensive knowledge of jazz harmonies. Since moving to NYC in 1999, in addition to his Colombian project, Mr. Mayor has been working as both pianist and arranger for Orquesta Broadway and has been an active pianist in the Afro-Cuban scene. He is also an active arranger for Drop 6 Media. Inc., a publishing company based in Denton, TX. Since 1999, he has been professor of Latin piano at the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts, and is teaching jazz arranging and directing a jazz ensemble at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory in Flushing.
In addition to Pablo Mayor, other members of the ensemble includes:
Rob Wilkerson, soprano sax -- Rafi Malkiel, euphonium (bombardino) -- Chris Karlic, baritone sax -- Chris Michael, drum set -- Dave Hertzberg, bass -- Ian Betancourt, Colombian percussion -- Sebastian Cruz, tiple & Colombian percussion -- Sergio Borrero, Colombian percussion -- Anna Povich de Mayor, flute
The exact date of this concert is not known, but it occurred in the marked year around this time.