Carlomagno Araya is back home in Costa Rica, where he directs the award-winning CCCN Jazz Orchestra at the Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano, teaches at the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and runs his own recording studio. In 2019 he received Costa Rica’s Premio Nacional de Música for musical direction, and Forbes named him one of Central America’s 25 most creative people.
He earned all three of his degrees in jazz studies at Frost — a bachelor’s in 2001, a master’s in 2008 and a doctorate in 2022 — and his drumming can be heard on GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning albums, with artists including Rubén Blades, Paquito D’Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Chayanne. His 2024 album with flutist José Valentino, Claude Bolling Goes Latin, a Latin-jazz reimagining of Bolling’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio that he produced and arranged, was nominated for Best Instrumental Album at the Latin GRAMMYs.
Currently one of the busiest players on the South Florida music scene, Carlomagno has performed on two multiple-Grammy nominated albums, winning “best world music album” with Ruben Blades’ “MUNDO,” (SONY) and “best tropical contemporary album” with Roberta Perera’s “SENSUAL” (HEADS UP).
Carlomagno’s versatility has afforded him the opportunity to hold impressively diverse touring, performing and recording credits, working with huge names in the industry such as Ruben Blades, Ilan Chester, Engelbert Humperdinck, Chayanne, Claudia Acuna, Tania Libertad, Nestor Torres, Hernan Gamboa, Paquito D‘Rivera,Alon Yavnai, Roberto Perera, Willy Chirino, Daniela Mercury, Alejandra Guzman, Alejandro Lerner, Armando Manzanero, Bebu Silveti, Rudy Perez, Bob Mintzer and Leon Gieco, among others.
Touring the world, he has performed in some of the most prestigious venues, theatres, and festivals, such as Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater, Olympia Theater (Paris), Hollywood Bowl, Universal Amphitheater, Montreux Jazz Fest, JVC Jazz Fest, Hamburg Jazz Fest, Monterey Jazz Fest, and Puerto Rico Heinekin Jazz Fest. He is currently endorsed by DW drums and hardware, VIC-FIRTH drumsticks, ISTANBUL AGOP cymbals and REMO drumheads.
Brought to the U.S. on a full performance scholarship granted by the University of Miami’s prestigious jazz program, Carlomagno moved to Miami in the fall of 1994. His formal musical training includes attending the Berklee College of Music summer program in 1990 and 1991, as well as completing his bachelor’s degree at U of M in 1994.
