Amilcar Soto Rodriguez

Guitarist, composer and arranger is a new key figure in Afro-Peruvian, Latín Jazz and World music. Born in Surquillo-Lima in 1969 but quickly moved to Villa El Salvador, he grew up in a family of musicians and started playing guitar and charango when he was just a child. Relocated to Italy at the age of 25, he enrolled in Music Conservatory of Padova, graduating in jazz guitar.
He skilfully combines traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms and sounds with the sumptuous harmonies of classical music and with the innovative twist of jazz and its improvisations. Inspired by such composers as <a href="spotify:artist:4rUyBlggM5tZUH5QZn9ZuO" data-name="Silvio Rodríguez">Silvio Rodríguez</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4vOfKh5wz7lTcdqB3EwsC5" data-name="Pablo Milanés">Pablo Milanés</a>, his songs deal with social issues. Fundamentals are the collaborations; first of all <a href="spotify:artist:1DiaZsjdOzFCdk7Dw9KIs0" data-name="Susana Baca">Susana Baca</a> was the performer of the first single Mujeres de Arena. He collaborated with the italian percussionist Leo di Angilla, in the single Recuerdos de Villa. The album <a href="spotify:album:3ckFSnmIQQyhgcnGuRIWDc" data-name="Mujeres de Arena y Otras Historias">Mujeres de Arena y Otras Historias</a> still counts on the impressive interpretations of <a href="spotify:artist:1DiaZsjdOzFCdk7Dw9KIs0" data-name="Susana Baca">Susana Baca</a> and boasts the participation of the <a href="spotify:artist:7kOmn7bXQfCMkPzq3ATXa4" data-name="I Solisti Veneti">I Solisti Veneti</a> Orchestra directed by Giuliano Carella. Other great musicians such as <a href="spotify:artist:2NJxK7kYDaTSh8fIWy5cxB" data-name="Alfonso Deidda">Alfonso Deidda</a>, Francesco Angiuli, <a href="spotify:artist:2spXBSuWcNeXqaq1GxKz25" data-name="Javier Girotto">Javier Girotto</a>, Hernan Luciano Fassa, Josè Antonio Molina, Alberto Lincetto and Irene Ermolli intertwined the variegated jazz harmonies with the rhythms of the Afro-Peruvian tradition, such as the landò, the festejo and the Panalivio. The collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:18ls2998IPYkzvQVEgEDdW" data-name="Lalo Izquierdo">Lalo Izquierdo</a>, co-founder of <a href="spotify:artist:5PsVU8lua3ri94gDn7zUIY" data-name="Perú Negro">Perú Negro</a>, has been crucial as well.