Pedro José Pastrana

The show was wonderful. Pedro is a very talented player who is a joy to watch, as his face reflects his enjoyment for the wonderful music he plays. I grew up in Puerto Rico and have seen many talented 'cuatro' players, so it was easy to recognize not only his dominion of the instrument but how he has incorporated traditional uses of the instrument into his vocabulary. He had a guest singer -- Christelle Durandy -- an incredibly talented vocalist with a gorgeous repertoire. I understand they rehearsed once for this show. Pedro's talent in accompanying a very powerful vocalist shows his attention to how to use the 'cuatro' to gently sing along in between the verses, dancing with the main vocalist. It was truly lovely. And Pedro's solos are unforgettable. He has very good phrasing and amazing volume control. If you have heard classic Cuban songs (such as in the Buena Vista albums), you will recognize the sound and the role of the cuban 'tres' guitar, which is very similar to the Puerto Rican 'cuatro' guitar. Check out what this young Puerto Rican artist is doing, fusing these traditional sounds with jazz, blues, and other world influences.