Roberto Lopez Project
The Roberto López Project is a polycultural orchestra, which gathers an arsenal of rhythms and sonic colors to create a fantastic audio world. Powerful, melodic and real, the Nu Afro Latin style is defined by this adventurous mix of traditions. From Afro-Colombian and Afro-Cuban music all the way to urban Hip-hop, Boogaloo, Jazz and Electronica... all blended together in a powerful cocktail. The songs are politically engaged, socially critical, while at the same time celebrating the joy of life... this is the New Sound of Latin Music!!Few musicians can say they performed, wrote, composed, produced, arranged, engineered and mixed their album... complete control from A to Z. Colombian multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer Roberto López is unique in many ways. He has an extensive knowledge of the Afro-Colombian traditional music, the Afro-Cuban traditions as well as a mature understanding of contemporary jazz, funk and urban hip-hop. He writes and arranges in a style that draws on all these musical idioms, in an innovative but melodic way. Besides his writing and composing skills, Roberto plays tiple (traditional string instrument from Colombia), guitar, gaitas (native flutes from the Caribbean coast of Colombia), and a wealth of percussions.He has recorded, performed, and composed for several groups, including Brazilian bands Matita Perê & Quilombo (performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal '98), Armenian star Harout Zenian, Colombian pop group Doble U.C. (considered one of the pioneers of the new wave of “Rock en Español”), and for Colombian pop queen Shakira. Roberto also played and arranged for Heather McLeod's CD Graffiti Love Song and then toured throughout Canada with her. He was the founder and musical director of Grupo Azúka (salsa/latin jazz), which performed extensively in the Montreal area.Roberto has composed for award winning films, including productions such as "Open Secrets" (National Film Board of Canada), "L'argent" (ISCA), "Chronique urbaine" (Peripheria), and "A Saddle Tree" (Artefacto Films/Peripheria). His song “Oye Latino” was featured in the movie of the week “Hollywood Wives”, staring Farrah Fawcett (CBS). Moreover, he is currently involved in many projects related to original music production for films.By combining all these influences and styles of music, Roberto embraced the challenge of putting together an ensemble that could bring to life an amalgam of tradition and modernity. Working with musicians from various parts of America such as Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, and Quebec, Roberto created the Roberto López Project. From Bogotá to Cartagena (Colombia), passing by Santiago de Cuba (Cuba) and all the way up to Montreal, this project captures the essence of traditional latin rhythms in an urban and contemporary environment. Politically engaged, socially critical, and at the same time celebrating the joy of life... this is the New Sound of Latin Music!!