JUAN ANDRÉS OSPINA BIG BAND

Original big band compositions by Juan Andrés Ospina, performed through evolving large ensembles assembled and led by the composer in different musical contexts.

Juan Andrés Ospina Big Band is a compositional project centered on original music written by Ospina for large jazz orchestra. Rather than a fixed ensemble, the project takes shape through different formations assembled for each performance, bringing together musicians from diverse scenes and countries to interpret a repertoire that moves between orchestral writing, improvisation and rhythmic exploration.

Ospina’s big band music has been performed by artists and ensembles such as Paquito D’Rivera, Edmar Castañeda, Lucía Pulido and the WDR Big Band, among many others. The album Tramontana represents a central milestone within this body of work, while additional compositions continue to be presented internationally through new large-ensemble collaborations and performances.

Press

“Tramontana features a solid, propulsive coherence — a blend of fire and heart driven by international rhythms and flair.”

— Dr. Judith Schlesinger, All About Jazz (USA)

“Juan Andrés Ospina enriches music in incalculable ways (…) melodies impossible to resist falling in love with.”

— Raul Da Gama, World Music Report (USA)

“Tramontana creates such a unique palette of sounds and feelings that it feels like discovering a new frontier in jazz.”

— Marc Phillips, The Vinyl Anachronist (USA)

“This isn’t slam-bang big band writing (…) I’ve not heard anything like it.”

— Michael Ullman, Arts Fuse (USA)

“One of the most interesting orchestral jazz records in recent months.”

— Thierry Giard, Culture Jazz (France)