​Béla Fleck Forms Dazzling New Trio with Harpist Edmar Castañeda and Drummer Antonio Sánchez

​Béla Fleck Forms Dazzling New Trio with Harpist Edmar Castañeda and Drummer Antonio Sánchez

Banjo, harp, and drums may sound like an unlikely combination — until you hear this band.
Grammy-winning banjo innovator Béla Fleck has teamed up with Colombian harp virtuoso Edmar Castañeda and acclaimed drummer Antonio Sánchez (best known for his Birdman film score and work with Pat Metheny) to form a boundary-pushing new trio. What began as a series of informal jam sessions quickly evolved into a dynamic, improvisation-driven ensemble with an electrifying rapport.

Fleck, known for expanding the banjo’s reach into jazz, classical, bluegrass, and world music, sees echoes of his groundbreaking Flecktones in the group’s chemistry: “It reminds me of those early Flecktones days, when people asked, ‘How is this supposed to work?’”

The trio first tested their sound live at the Big Ears Festival, followed by a weeklong residency at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York. The performances, marked by bold compositions and spontaneous interplay, earned raves and set the stage for their upcoming recordings.

Castañeda’s harp covers both bass and harmony, run through a full rig, while Sánchez brings his signature rhythmic precision and fire. Together, they defy expectations and redefine what a small jazz ensemble can sound like.
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The group’s debut recordings — captured after honing the material on stage — are set for release soon. Fleck calls the project “a thrilling new chapter,” and hints at an upcoming festival tour.
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Tracklist:
Archipelago
Pellucidar
Kaleidoscopes
Countryside
Cloak and Dagger
Whispers of Resilience
coda
Walnut and Western
Three is Not a Crowd
Hooligan Harbor
Touch and Go