Biography

Colombian pianist and composer Ricardo Gallo has published eleven albums as a leader. Among his main projects is the quartet he leads since 2005 with some of the best musicians from Bogotá’s scene: drummer Jorge Sepúlveda, bassist Juan Manuel Toro, and percussionist Juan David Castaño, developing repertoire and an improvisational approach that integrates an avant-garde and free language with rhythmic and melodic elements from folkloric musical traditions. In New York he leads since 2007 the group Tierra de Nadie, with trombonist Ray Anderson, saxophonist Dan Blake, bassist Mark Helias, and percussionists Pheeroan akLaff and Satoshi Takeishi. With this project he released the album The Great Fine Line in 2010 on Clean Feed Records. Two notable duos are his long-lasting project with guitarist Alejandro Flórez, publishing in 2009 the album Meleyolamente as a debut for Festina Lente Discos. With singer Juanita Delgado they published Canciones internas y de otras partes in 2016. Gallo has participated in projects led by Ray Anderson, Peter Evans (Live in Lisbon), Santiago Botero (MULA, El Ombligo), Edson Velandia (Bin Ban, Aputoi), Pedro Ojeda (Romperayo), among others. He has performed his own music in Peru, Puerto Rico, Canada, Kenya, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Germany, Chile, Argentina, U.S.A. and Colombia. Gallo has received commissions from Colombia Symphony Orchestra and Big Band Bogotá.