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Hi, I’m Juan Sebastián Monsalve, born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1973. I am a composer, musician, producer, and educator whose work blends traditional Colombian folk music with jazz, world music, and contemporary genres. As the leader of Curupira, I helped shape the Nueva Música Colombiana movement, redefining traditional Colombian sounds and making them resonate on the global stage. Since forming Curupira in 2000, my ensemble has released seven albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured the world, earning recognition as one of the most innovative acts in Latin American and world music. In 2022 I expanded my musical vision with Balsa de Fuego, a project blending Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts with the improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, Balsa de Fuego continues my exploration of musical synthesis, weaving Colombia’s roots with contemporary global sounds. The group’s debut album, set for release in 2025, is expected to push boundaries further and expand my artistic reach.…Hi, I’m Juan Sebastián Monsalve, born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1973. I am a composer, musician, producer, and educator whose work blends traditional Colombian folk music with jazz, world music, and contemporary genres. As the leader of Curupira, I helped shape the Nueva Música Colombiana movement, redefining traditional Colombian sounds and making them resonate on the global stage. Since forming Curupira in 2000, my ensemble has released seven albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured the world, earning recognition as one of the most innovative acts in Latin American and world music. In 2022 I expanded my musical vision with Balsa de Fuego, a project blending Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts with the improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, Balsa de Fuego continues my exploration of musical synthesis, weaving Colombia’s roots with contemporary global sounds. The group’s debut album, set for release in 2025, is expected to push boundaries further and expand my artistic reach.

Juan Sebastián Monsalve

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Hi, I’m Juan Sebastián Monsalve, born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1973. I am a composer, musician, producer, and educator whose work blends traditional Colombian folk music with jazz, world music, and contemporary genres. As the leader of Curupira, I helped shape the Nueva Música Colombiana movement, redefining traditional Colombian sounds and making them resonate on the global stage. Since forming Curupira in 2000, my ensemble has released seven albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured the world, earning recognition as one of the most innovative acts in Latin American and world music. In 2022 I expanded my musical vision with Balsa de Fuego, a project blending Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts with the improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, Balsa de Fuego continues my exploration of musical synthesis, weaving Colombia’s roots with contemporary global sounds. The group’s debut album, set for release in 2025, is expected to push boundaries further and expand my artistic reach.…Hi, I’m Juan Sebastián Monsalve, born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1973. I am a composer, musician, producer, and educator whose work blends traditional Colombian folk music with jazz, world music, and contemporary genres. As the leader of Curupira, I helped shape the Nueva Música Colombiana movement, redefining traditional Colombian sounds and making them resonate on the global stage. Since forming Curupira in 2000, my ensemble has released seven albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured the world, earning recognition as one of the most innovative acts in Latin American and world music. In 2022 I expanded my musical vision with Balsa de Fuego, a project blending Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts with the improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, Balsa de Fuego continues my exploration of musical synthesis, weaving Colombia’s roots with contemporary global sounds. The group’s debut album, set for release in 2025, is expected to push boundaries further and expand my artistic reach.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Juan Sebastián Monsalve, born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1973. I am a composer, musician, producer, and educator whose work blends traditional Colombian folk music with jazz, world music, and contemporary genres. As the leader of Curupira, I helped shape the Nueva Música Colombiana movement, redefining traditional Colombian sounds and making them resonate on the global stage. Since forming Curupira in 2000, my ensemble has released seven albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured the world, earning recognition as one of the most innovative acts in Latin American and world music.

In 2022 I expanded my musical vision with Balsa de Fuego, a project blending Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts with the improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, Balsa de Fuego continues my exploration of musical synthesis, weaving Colombia’s roots with contemporary global sounds. The group’s debut album, set for release in 2025, is expected to push boundaries further and expand my artistic reach.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Language

Spanish; Castilian

Fluent

English

Advanced

Work Experience

Music Composition Professor at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2021

Professor of music composition and related courses; teaching, research and creative activities in Bogotá, Colombia.

Leader, Composer, and Bassist at Curupira

January 1, 1998 - December 31, 2020

Led the ensemble blending traditional Colombian rhythms (cumbia, currulao, and joropo) with jazz and contemporary world music. Under my leadership, Curupira released seven influential albums, performed at major international festivals, and toured globally, helping redefine the sound of Nueva Música Colombiana.

Leader, Composer, and Bassist at Balsa de Fuego

January 1, 2022 - Present

Founder and leader of Balsa de Fuego, a project that blends Afro-Indigenous vocal and drum traditions from Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific coasts with improvisational and harmonic elements of modern jazz. Based in New York City, the group continues to explore musical synthesis, with a debut album set for 2025.