Puerto Candelaria

Puerto Candelaria is a cornerstone of the 'Nueva Música Colombiana' movement, formed in Medellín in 2000 under the direction of Juan Diego Valencia. Their sound identity is built on 'Kolombian Jazz,' a self-defined genre that deconstructs traditional rhythms like cumbia, porro, and vallenato through the lens of avant-garde jazz and theatrical performance.

Over two decades, they have evolved from a cult jazz ensemble into a Latin Grammy-winning powerhouse that influences a generation of alternative Colombian acts. Their cultural position is unique; they act as both preservationists of folklore and its most vocal satirists. Critically, they are lauded for their technical precision and their ability to make complex, odd-meter jazz accessible through the 'tropical' aesthetic. They sit at the center of a web connecting traditional masters to modern experimenters like Velandia y la Tigra, maintaining a reputation for one of the most energetic and choreographed live shows in Latin music.