“Pedro José Pastrana is a Puerto Rican composer with a cuatro in his hands and a world of music in his head.” — the Frisc, San Francisco
A music creator re-thinking the concept of Puerto Rican music, Pedro crosses over invisible frontiers with an (extra)ordinary approach to music. He fuses the earthy quality of folk music with forward-looking compositions and live performances, reflecting the mixed identities of his heritage and influences.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Pedro José Pastrana grew up in the "jíbaro" music tradition. In high school, he discovered Jazz and from that moment on has been fascinated with improvisation as an artistic form of expression. His music has been reviewed and playlisted by LatinJazzNet, KCSM Jazz, Puerto Rico Jazz, PRPop and by the SF Chronicle as part of his work with John Santos and the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. As a sideman, Pedro has
redefined the versatility of the Puerto Rican Cuatro in Latin Jazz by performing and recording with artists like John Santos, Jerry Medina, Juango Gutierrez, Orestes Vilató, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and The Oakland Symphony, among others.
His 2022 debut album, "Crónicas de la Pierna Inquieta", selected by prpop.org among the top 20 best recordings of that year, consisting of eight original tracks, serving as snapshots of self-discovery, inspired by coming-of-age experiences. This work combines incisive, cuatro-generated groove-based songwriting with the sounds of Puerto Rico as the color palette.
Personnel:
Pedro Jose Pastrana — cuatro, vocals
Jose Roberto Hernandez — guitar, vocals
Julio Perez — percussion
Live audience / LivestreamTo request a seat, use our web form or email
If seats are available, we will email you a written invitation with the concert address
Seating capacity is limited, so advance notice is highly recommended
For Livestream info, refer to the 'Events' page of our website listed above
Suggested donation: $20 per person
We strongly encourage donations to be made online at the time of reservation
We accept any and all donations, whatever the amount:
online: credit cards, Apple Pay, Paypal or Venmo
in-person: cash, check
mail: check
No one will be turned away for lack of funds
