Edwin Colón Zayas

Thursday, November 5 at 8:00 p.m.

Edwin Colón Zayas is known internationally as the master of the cuatro (which is shaped like a small guitar with five double-coursed strings), the national instrument of Puerto Rico. He is recognized as a master of the jíbaro style – music of the peasants in small, central-island towns in Puerto Rico. Like Cuban street music, jíbaro is a roots-based sound that blends together Spanish and African musical elements, mixing in a tropical flavor.

Colón Zayas began playing cuatro at the age of five, learning from his father and passing along his skills to his brother and sister, who often join him in his group Edwin Colón y su Taller Campesino. Today, Colón Zayas is recognized as an innovative improviser on the cuatro and, in addition to 17 solo albums, he has performed on, arranged, or directed more than 250 recordings for Puerto Rican artists. His collaborations have incorporated classical music, South American and Latin popular music, and jazz. He received a Grammy nomination in 2008 for his album “Reafirmación” in the Mejor Producción Discográfica de Música Tradicional Tropical category. Even though he has performed with Latin stars such as Marc Anthony and Carlos Vives, he remains committed to the cuatro makers and musicians of the Puerto Rican inland hills. In September 2009, Colón Zayas was awarded a prestigious National Heritage Fellowship, the United State’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts.

General Admission Tickets $10
KSU Student Tickets (w/ valid ID) FREE
Available through KentStateFolkFestival.org, Spin More Records, Woodsy’s Music in Kent and The Kent Stage.