{"id":5755,"date":"2026-02-09T09:52:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T09:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theconcertwitness.com\/?p=5755"},"modified":"2026-02-11T19:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T19:02:59","slug":"beatrio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theconcertwitness.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/09\/beatrio\/","title":{"rendered":"BEATrio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

B\u00e9la Fleck | Edmar Casta\u00f1eda | Antonio S\u00e1nchez<\/strong>
Cankarjev dom, Linhart Hall \u2013 February 3, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 19 Grammys, banjo pioneer B\u00e9la Fleck lands in Ljubljana with a trio of pure virtuosity. His accomplices? Drum icon Antonio S\u00e1nchez, whose polyrhythmic genius fueled the Pat Metheny Group for 18 years, and Colombian force of nature Edmar Casta\u00f1eda, the musician who boldly planted the jazz harp flag alongside greats like Wynton Marsalis. Banjo, harp, drums\u2014prepare for a genre-shattering dialogue. Together, these three masters promise an evening of breathtaking improvisation and genre-defying dialogue, a concert that witnesses not just a performance, but the unfolding of a new chapter in acoustic music.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sold-out BEATrio concert at Cankarjev dom exceeded the capacity of the usual Cankarjevi torki club setting, prompting a move to the larger Linhart Hall. While the shift may have felt unexpected for a regular Tuesday concert, it quickly became clear why the demand was so high. As B\u00e9la Fleck (banjo), Edmar Casta\u00f1eda (harp), and Antonio S\u00e1nchez (drums) took the stage, any doubts vanished. What followed was nearly two hours of focused, collaborative music-making that affirmed BEATrio not as a novelty project, but as a fully realized band. All three musicians are virtuosos in their own right, yet the concert never leaned on individual display alone. Instead, the emphasis remained on companionship, attentive listening, and shared musical purpose. Drawing primarily from their 2025 album BEATrio, the trio demonstrated how an unconventional instrumentation can form a coherent and expressive musical language when guided by humility, mutual respect, and genuine friendship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establishing the Sound: Archipelago and Pellucidar
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The concert opened with Archipelago, the album\u2019s first track. Casta\u00f1eda\u2019s gentle harp introduction set the tone, soon joined by Fleck\u2019s banjo and S\u00e1nchez\u2019s fluid groove. It immediately became apparent that the harp carried much of the bass function, with Casta\u00f1eda seamlessly combining comping and low-end grounding. S\u00e1nchez, fully attuned to the acoustic nature of the banjo and harp, adjusted his touch and dynamics with remarkable sensitivity, flowing effortlessly around the trio\u2019s collective sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fleck\u2019s opening solo highlighted his refined command of the banjo as a melodic instrument, followed by a harp solo that surprised much of the audience. Casta\u00f1eda pushed the expressive and technical boundaries of the harp, expanding its role far beyond traditional expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strong drum fill led directly into Pellucidar. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fleck and Casta\u00f1eda navigated unison lines with ease, locking tightly into a distinctive 9\/4 riff that provided a contrasting framework for improvisation. Fleck\u2019s signature blend of single-note lines and traditional banjo arpeggios unfolded with patience and clarity, proving once again how he can build long, engaging solos despite the instrument\u2019s dynamic limitations. Casta\u00f1eda followed with a freer approach, exploring the full register, color, and texture of the harp\u2014at moments even incorporating octave effects\u2014before S\u00e1nchez delivered his first solo of the evening. His melodic conception of drumming, combined with a strong groove and impeccable time feel, underlined why he remains one of the most sought-after drummers in contemporary music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Individual Voices, Collective Identity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Before Throw Down Your Heart, Fleck offered a long solo introduction, revisiting his 2008 composition connected to his exploration of the banjo\u2019s African roots. The trio then took time to address the audience, introducing themselves and sharing insights into their collaborative process. S\u00e1nchez spoke first, presenting his composition Kaleidoscope. He remarked that while they might appear to be \u201cthe world\u2019s most unlikely band,\u201d BEATrio operates democratically, with each member contributing compositions that evolve collectively through playing. His solo drum introduction served as a reminder that he could easily sustain an entire performance alone\u2014something audiences may recall from his acclaimed solo work on Alejandro Gonz\u00e1lez I\u00f1\u00e1rritu\u2019s Birdman soundtrack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Casta\u00f1eda then introduced Whisper of Resilience, sharing a deeply personal story. After breaking his right arm in 2019, he faced the fear that he might never play again, along with uncertainty about his future as an artist and provider for his family. Out of that vulnerable period came this poignant ballad. The piece felt suspended in time, its lyrical melody and soulful performance revealing a tender, introspective side of the trio and adding emotional depth to the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rhythm, Humor, and Genre-Free Joy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On Hooligan Harbour, the trio leaned strongly into rhythm. At moments, it felt as though all three approached their instruments as percussion instruments\u2014an idea Fleck has mentioned in interviews regarding the banjo. The resulting collective improvisation created a richly textured rhythmic landscape. The band\u2019s sense of humor surfaced briefly when Fleck quoted the Star-Spangled Banner intertwined with the Imperial March from Star Wars. The audience\u2019s laughter carried a subtle edge, echoing S\u00e1nchez\u2019s earlier comments about democracy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, Walnut and Western quickly restored a lighter mood, reaffirming the trio\u2019s belief in music\u2019s power to soften difficult times. Introducing the final piece of the main set, Fleck joked about attempting to write a tango for the band. To Casta\u00f1eda it sounded like a cha-cha; to S\u00e1nchez, something else entirely; and to audiences, often a samba. The anecdote captured the essence of BEATrio\u2019s music: genre-resistant, playful, and constantly evolving. Their sound feels unfamiliar yet oddly familiar, shaped by an unusual instrumental timbre that transcends stylistic boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Encore and Reflections <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After a standing ovation, BEATrio returned for the encore with Touch and Go, the closing track from their album. With its subtle bluegrass undertones, it provided a warm and optimistic conclusion, leaving the audience wanting more. The BEATrio concert at Cankarjev dom reaffirmed the enduring importance of live performance. Through collaboration and collective creativity, Fleck, Casta\u00f1eda, and S\u00e1nchez demonstrated how music can move into new and unexplored territories while remaining emotionally accessible and deeply relevant. Perhaps this is exactly what we need right now: spaces where connection takes precedence over division, and where differences are not something to be resolved, but embraced. BEATrio\u2019s unlikely combination of instruments, backgrounds, and musical languages showed how openness, listening, and mutual respect can transform contrast into coherence\u2014making the world not only more interesting, but, in subtle and meaningful ways, a better place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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B\u00e9la Fleck | Edmar Casta\u00f1eda | Antonio S\u00e1nchezCankarjev dom, Linhart Hall \u2013 February 3, 2026 With 19 Grammys, banjo pioneer B\u00e9la Fleck lands in Ljubljana with a trio of pure virtuosity. His accomplices? Drum icon Antonio S\u00e1nchez, whose polyrhythmic genius fueled the Pat Metheny Group for 18 years, and Colombian force of nature Edmar Casta\u00f1eda, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-concerts"],"yoast_head":"\nBEATrio - The Concert Witness<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theconcertwitness.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/09\/beatrio\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BEATrio | Cankarjev dom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With 19 Grammys, banjo pioneer B\u00e9la Fleck lands in Ljubljana with a trio of pure virtuosity. 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