Monday, August 2, 2010

Libertango - Hamilton de Holanda & Edmar Castaneda

Libertango provides the theme and the chordal structure for today's featured video but the music is provided by Hamilton de Holanda on mandolin and Edmar Castaned on harp. These two gentleman take their instruments (and Libertango) to worlds never before visited.

De Holanda was born in Rio de Janeiro and started playing the mandolin at the age of five. By the age of six he was playing on television with his father and brothers. Today a master of many instruments, he primarily plays a ten string mandolin built expressly for him by luthier, Vergilio Lima. De Holanda has recorded roughly a dozen albums including his latest, Brasilianos 2 and toured around the world.

Castaneda is in an earlier stage of his career. He is a native of Columbia and plays a Columbian harp but is currently a resident of New York City where is a very active member of the jazz community performing with greats like Wynton Marsalis and Paquito D'Rivera. He was also born into a musical family and fell naturally to the harp which is frequently found in Columbian folkloric music. Castaneda has two albums including his newest, Entre Cuerdas. The rhythmic complexity of his playing is incredible.

The two joined only briefly for a tour of Brazil in 2010 and, to the best of my knowledge, have not recorded together. You can see more of their joint work on 3raimperioserrano's Youtube Channel. If the Libertango is a bit too frenetic for you, I suggest you try their version of Manhã de Carnaval. Their sound is unique - I hope they find time to perform together again.

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