ABOUT
Music shaped by Cuban tradition and jazz improvisation.
About Me
Ricky Castillo is a Havana-born guitarist and composer based in New York City whose work draws from Cuban musical tradition, jazz improvisation, and contemporary Latin forms. Shaped by early immersion in Cuban popular and folkloric music and later refined through studies with jazz guitarist Pat Martino, Castillo has developed a personal language that balances rhythmic depth, melodic clarity, and expressive restraint.
His projects often explore the intersection of memory, place, and identity, weaving elements of son cubano, Latin jazz, bossa nova, and jazz standards into an intimate, modern framework. A central collaboration in his work is with vocalist Mayda Cuellar, a graduate of Havana’s National School of Arts, whose interpretive approach brings additional dimension to the ensemble’s sound. Together, they create music that reflects the cultural lineage of Havana while engaging with the creative energy of New York’s jazz community.
