Candombe · Jazz · Río de la Plata
Manu Contrera was born in Montevideo, the home of candombe, and now lives in Barcelona. His music — candombe-jazz — crosses the harmonic complexity of jazz with the groove and drums of Afro-Uruguayan candombe, layered with gospel, funk, hip-hop and rock: a Río de la Plata explosion built in Europe.
He leads the Manu Contrera Quartet — with Rey Ponce on drums, Diego Cebollero on guitar and Martín Laportilla on bass — touring venues in Barcelona (Casa Figari, Robadors 23, Librería Byron) and international projects such as Candombe DK, alongside Alan Da Silva, at the Vinterjazz festival in Copenhagen.
He has shared stage and studio with artists such as Ruben Rada, David Lebón, Julieta Rada, Ana Carla Maza and Jay Kalo, and has played in the bands of Nicolás Ibarburu (Quarktetris), Francisco Fattoruso, Claudio Taddei and Triple Nelson — alongside projects like the NDR Big Band from Hamburg, Loli Molina and Candombe DK — credentials that place him among the notable voices of contemporary instrumental fusion.
Alongside the stage, he works as a producer and beatmaker, and teaches piano, keyboards and candombe piano — in person in Barcelona and online, in Spanish and English.
His work was recognized at Uruguay's National Music Awards in the Jazz Fusion category: Quarktetris in 2020 and Milando in 2018. His career as Manuel Contrera is also documented by Uruguayan media and institutions.
“The harmony of jazz, the heart of candombe.”