CUATRO MINIMAL is an ensemble of various sound textures with a unique musical identity rooted in traditions from Mexico and Asia. In addition, there are sequences of images, drawings and paintings created live and displayed on a big screen by an overhead projector. Its members are creative musicians from Mexico, Korea and Japan, well versed in oral rituals, contemporary music, free improvisation and experimental artistic practices.

Born in 2011 in the rice fields of Nanto, Japan, CUATRO MINIMAL was founded by singer-songwriter Juan Pablo Villa, ( from Mexico City’s contemporary music scene), traditional percussion master Chang Jaehyo from Korea, and Sakaki Mango, an African thumb-piano and gottan player (a local string instrument from the Kagoshima region), who is considered to be one of the leading “world-musicians” in Japan.  Visual artist Arturo “Pío” López, also from Mexico City, joined the ensemble in 2015, drawing live monochrome images on a simple overhead projector with ink and sand. Also joined in 2015 is guest guitarist Misha Marks.

With several tours in Asia and Mexico, including the 2014 recording of their first album “La Cola Del Dragón” (the dragon’s tail), CUATRO MINIMAL is a highly innovative concept, a kaleidoscope of musical possibilities built by cables and effects, a deep and expressive landscape of sounds where the traditional roots come free and wide, intimately and universally human.

This event is made possible thanks to the support of the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (FONCA) and the Japan Foundation