OTHER CREATIVE WORK

Audiovisual works, collaborations, reflections and musical explorations across formats.

A selection of audiovisual works, collaborations and creative explorations reflecting different dimensions of my artistic practice — from composition and arranging to performance, dialogue and musical thought, across diverse contexts and formats.

01 - Playful Explorations

Los peces en el río

Part of a series of one-minute a cappella arrangements of traditional Spanish-language Christmas carols, exploring layered vocal textures, sophisticated harmonies and creative reinterpretations of these traditional songs.

Musical Surgery: Color Esperanza

During the pandemic, a viral version of “Color Esperanza” compiled individual vocal lines recorded without shared tempo, key or reference, creating a curious musical Frankenstein. I approached it as a creative exercise, building a piano accompaniment that brought structure, humor and coherence to the chaos.

$20,000 Samba

A humorous samba written for the 2017 Kickstarter campaign of my big band album, turning the fundraising process into a musical narrative and celebrating the moment we reached $20,000 — still $12,000 short of the final goal.

Little song for a Kickstarter campaign

A humorous song written for the Kickstarter campaign that funded my album De paso. The piece playfully turns the act of asking for support into a musical performance, ending with an intentionally ironic invitation to join the campaign and help the songs finally see the light of day.

¿Pa’qué?

During a trip along the Colombian coast, a chicken’s distinctive clucking sounded uncannily like “pa’ qué?” (“what for?”). I composed a musical accompaniment imagining the bird grappling with its own existential doubts.

Si te duele el cuello

A satirical song written during the pandemic, reflecting on our collective addiction to mobile screens and the familiar neck pain that comes with it. The piece portrays the constant, fragmented stream of content we consume daily — from cute dog photos and terrible news to cooking recipes and messages from friends, all endlessly mixed together.

02 - Musical Thought

The Story and Process Behind the Arrangement for Karol G

A look into the story and creative process behind the vocal arrangement I created for Karol G’s Mientras me curo del cora, co-produced with Linda Goldstein. Built from 32 vocal tracks recorded with my own voice, the arrangement forms the entire musical accompaniment of the piece.

Improvising with Bobby McFerrin

Beginning with a brief improvisation with the great Bobby McFerrin, the video reflects on his deep influence as one of my earliest and most important musical references, and the path that eventually led to meeting and collaborating with him.

A Songwriting Retreat with Friends: The Making of a Song and an Album

A reflection on a songwriting retreat with close collaborators at Portal Bosque, Uruguay, in October 2022, where the album Entre cinco was born from an intense shared creative laboratory. The video follows the process behind one particular song and the string arrangement I later created for it.

Where Are the Credits?

A reflection on the absence of detailed credits in streaming platforms and the implications this has for musicians, arrangers, producers and the broader musical ecosystem.

From Film Score to Song

A reflection on an unusual creative process: a film scene initially built around a well-known song led me to compose an instrumental ending that transformed its emotional meaning. When licensing issues prevented its use, I reshaped the material by altering key melodic intervals, eventually turning it into an entirely new song — composed almost in reverse.

On Creative Block

A reflection on how I approach creative block, proposing action rather than analysis as a way forward. The video concludes with an ironic song born precisely from attempting to write about not knowing what to write.

Choosing a Life in Music

In this 2013 TEDx talk, I reflect on the decision to dedicate my life to music, responding to the doubts and questions that often arise when choosing an artistic path.

03 - Artistic Encounters

“Pinhão” (feat. Paquito D’Rivera)

Big band composition and arrangement created during the pandemic, assembled from individual recordings sent by musicians across multiple countries, including the great Paquito D’Rivera. The piece takes its title from a humorous episode during a train journey through Pinhão, Portugal — a trip taken for its scenic views, during which we had to improvise ways of cleaning the outside train windows in order to see anything at all.

Bom dia — Sofia Ribeiro

“Bom dia,” a joyful and groovy song by Sofia Ribeiro, is part of the album Mar Sonoro (2016), which I produced and arranged, also performing piano on the recording. The score is available in the sheet music section of this website.

Ver Llover – Juan Andrés Ospina Big Band ft. Lucía Pulido

“Ver llover,” featuring Lucía Pulido, is part of my big band album Tramontana (2018). The arrangement draws on the currulao rhythm from Colombia’s Pacific coast and was recorded in a snowy New York with an extraordinary ensemble of musicians.

Amor de Conuco – Juana Luna

“Amor de conuco,” originally written by Juan Luis Guerra, is part of the 2016 debut EP by Argentine singer Juana Luna, which I arranged and produced. Recorded in New York with an outstanding ensemble of musicians, the EP — in which I also recorded the piano — features creative reinventions of classic Latin American songs.

Lunga – Sofia Ribeiro

“Lunga,” composed by Sofia Ribeiro, is the title track of Lunga (2019), the third album I arranged and produced for the Portuguese singer and composer — one of my closest and most consistent artistic collaborators — following Mar Sonoro (2016) and Ar (2012). I also recorded the piano parts for the project.