Polyrhythms' Nathaniel Lawrence Memorial Concert at Rivermont Collegiate -- February 25.
Sunday, February 25, 4:30 p.m.
Rivermont Collegiate, 1821 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf IA
Held in honor of the Polyrhythms founder who directed the organization from 2005 until his unexpected passing last August, the Nathaniel Lawrence Memorial Concert featuring the Polyrhythms Trio will take the stage at Bettendorf's Rivermont Collegiate on February 25, the commemorative event's special guests incluyding Billy Branch, Semenya McCord, and Hal Reed, followed by a headliner performance featuring the Edmar Castañeda Quartet.
Upon arriving in the United States in 1994, Colombian-born harp player Edmar Castañeda has made a name for himself as the preeminent jazz harp virtuoso. Castañeda brings forth a brilliance that beautifully merges the jazz tradition with a diverse set of styles and genres while bringing unbridled attention to a somewhat unfamiliar instrument: the harp. Singlehandedly, Castañeda has cemented the harp’s place in jazz with innovative technique and heartfelt creativity from a wealth of formidable collaborations with music titans such as Sting, Wynton Marsalis, Bela Fleck, John Scofield, Ricki Lee Jones, Hiromi, Pedrito Martinez, Marcus Miller, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ivan Lins, The Yellowjackets, Paco De Lucia, and Paquito D’Rivera.
In the same breath as the Yo-Yo Ma’s of the world, Castañeda fearlessly stuns audiences, musicians, and critics alike with his incredible talents as a player and composer. NPR’s Fresh Air raved, "His technique is the real astonishment. Castañeda juggles lead, rhythm and bass lines, using a variety of hard and soft string attacks to keep those voices distinct – all without giving up the groove. His amazing technique ... raises the bar for every harpist.” The New York Times, meanwhile, noted that the artist "engage[s] modern jazz in ways that honor ... cultural origins, and [he has] the capacity to astonish by virtue of [his] fingerstyle technique.”
Castañeda released his latest studio album Viento Sur, featuring his World Ensemble, last May, following up his other seven albums (Cuarto de Colores; Entre Cuerdas; Double Portion; Live at the Jazz Standard; Live In Montreal; Harp vs. Harp, Family) with the recording a nine-person ensemble of acclaimed global musicians from Switzerland, Brazil, Cuba, Israel, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and the United States.
The Nathaniel Lawrence Memorial Concert will take place on February 25, with Rivermont Collegiate's doors opening at 4 p.m. A half-hour later, the Polyrhythms Trio featuring Corey Kendrick on piano, Ronald Wilson on bass, and Manuel Lopez III on drums will perform alongside guest jazz artists Billy Branch, Semenya McCord, and Hal Reed. And with Andrea Tierra on vocals, Yotam Ben on harmonica, and Pablo Bencid on drums, the Edmar Castañeda Quartet will take the stage with the bandleader on harp. Admission is $20, with children K-12 and college students (ID required) admitted free, and more information is available by visiting Polyrhythms.org.
