Anamaría Oramas brings modern Colombian jazz to South Korea

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 OCTOBER 2026 —

Colombian Jazz Innovator Anamaría Oramas Brings Indigenous Sounds to Korea’s Jazz Scene, Marking First East Asian Tour

Her appearances at the Jarasum Jazz Festival (Oct. 9–11) in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and at Seoul venues Jazz Club Janus, Subriot, and Morene Sukha mark the first time her music, which blends the gaita (a cactus-bamboo wind instrument) with modern jazz arrangements, will be heard in the region.

Oramas’s arrival in Korea underscores a broader global shift in jazz, where artists are increasingly drawing from non-Western traditions to redefine the genre. Her performances coincide with her 10th-anniversary world tour, which also includes stops in Canada and Mexico, and follow the release of her 2023 album Ramas Lejanas—a project that deepened her exploration of Colombia’s wind-ensemble heritage.

Jazz purists and festival organizers in Asia see her as a rare opportunity to experience a jazz idiom rooted in indigenous Colombian rhythms, rather than the more ubiquitous tango or bossa nova influences.

The 23rd edition of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, one of South Korea’s most prestigious jazz events since its 2004 inception, has historically featured international acts but rarely those from Latin America. Oramas’s inclusion signals a growing appetite among Korean audiences for cross-cultural jazz fusions, particularly those that incorporate unconventional instruments.

Her setlist will include works from Muntu (2019), her debut album that introduced the gauta—a hybrid of the gaita and transverse flute—into Colombian jazz, as well as new compositions developed for her Korean performances.

Oramas’s musical journey began in Bogotá, where she was encouraged by her parents to pursue classical training before discovering her affinity for wind instruments. A late audition for violin instead led her to the flute, an instrument she has performed with since childhood. "Since I was a child, I have had a special connection with wind instruments," she told The Korea Times.

"I played my flute in front of many people—my family, my friends—and it was easy for me to develop confidence performing." Her artistic evolution took a distinct turn when she encountered the gaita, a traditional instrument from Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region, carved from cactus or bamboo and fitted with a beeswax-and-charcoal mouthpiece.

Unlike the flute, the gaita’s raw, earthy tones provided a stark contrast to Western jazz harmonies, allowing Oramas to craft a sound she describes as "a reflection of Colombia’s internal diaspora."

Her 2023 album Ramas Lejanas ("Distant Branches") further solidified her reputation as a pioneer of Colombian jazz innovation, earning her acclaim as "one of the most important voices of the new generation of jazz in Colombia." The record draws from the wind-ensemble traditions of her homeland, featuring a quartet that includes guitarist Santiago Sandoval, drummer Kike Narváez, and bassist David Cuervo—musicians she has collaborated with for a decade.

"The musicians who play with me are very important for the sound of this project," she said. "I am the composer of the music I perform, but my partners enrich the music with their own sound." For her Korean performances, Oramas will incorporate local musicians, allowing for spontaneous improvisations that align with jazz’s improvisational ethos. "When we are playing on the stage, we allow ourselves to be free," she explained.

"This makes each concert different—a new experience to behold."

While Oramas’s tour is primarily a cultural exchange, her presence in Korea could have indirect economic ripple effects for the local jazz and arts scene. The Jarasum Festival, which attracts thousands of attendees annually, has historically drawn international artists as a draw for tourism, particularly from Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. Her performances may inspire Korean jazz ensembles to explore Latin American folk instruments, while also positioning South Korea as a hub for experimental jazz.

Domestically, the tour aligns with Malaysia’s own growing interest in cross-cultural music festivals, such as the Kuala Lumpur Jazz Festival, which has featured artists blending Malay gamelan, Indian classical, and Western jazz in recent years. However, Oramas’s use of the gaita—a handcrafted instrument with no direct equivalent in Southeast Asian traditions—presents a unique case study in how indigenous instruments can be integrated into global jazz without losing their cultural essence.

Looking ahead, Oramas’s Korean performances will serve as a benchmark for how non-Western jazz artists can gain traction in East Asian markets. Her collaboration with local musicians during the tour suggests potential for future exchanges, possibly leading to joint projects between Colombian and Korean artists.

As she prepares to conclude her anniversary tour in Mexico, industry observers will watch whether her Korean debut sparks demand for similar acts in the region, particularly those who merge traditional folk sounds with jazz. For now, her appearances in Seoul and Gapyeong offer a rare glimpse into Colombia’s musical soul—a fusion of African, European, and indigenous influences that Oramas has spent a decade refining.

Related: Anamaría Oramas