Laura Robles Marcuello

Laura Robles Marcuello, born in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in 1981 and raised in Lima, Peru, is one of the most important cajón players on the international scene. Renowned for her virtuosity, her radical rhythmic approach, and her deep research into Afro-Peruvian traditions, she has become a unique voice in contemporary jazz, improvisation and experimental music.

Based in Berlin since 2012, Robles has performed at major festivals and venues across the world, including CTM Festival (Germany), Unsound Festival (Poland, and Unsound Adelaide in Australia), Le Guess Who? (Netherlands), Nuits Sonores (France), B-Side Festival (Switzerland) and Lost Music Festival (Italy). Her international touring includes performances in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Portugal, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Ghana, Australia, among many others.

As an educator, Robles has given masterclasses, lectures and specialised rhythmic workshops at prestigious institutions worldwide. These include Berklee College of Music Valencia, Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig, Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart, DePaul University in Chicago, Indiana University, and various universities and conservatories throughout Latin America and Europe. Her teaching focuses on Afro-Peruvian rhythm, cajón technique (acoustic and electroacoustic) and contemporary rhythmic concepts.

Her internationally acclaimed project Agua Dulce brought renewed global attention to the Afro-Peruvian cajón. The album was selected by The Guardian as “Global Album of the Month,” praising how Robles “channels the raw power of the cajón,” and was listed among the best releases of the year. Robles also leads her groundbreaking solo project ANTI-GROOVE, an advanced rhythmic exploration in which she transforms traditional patterns through morphing, displacement, micro-variation and structural improvisation. ANTI-GROOVE functions both as a rhythmic laboratory and an artistic manifesto, questioning the idea of a “correct groove” and offering an approach where rhythm becomes a constantly shifting architecture.

Throughout her career, Robles has collaborated with an impressive range of artists across jazz, contemporary and experimental music. She has performed with the WDR Big Band under the direction of Maria Schneider, and has worked with ensembles such as the Berlin Art Orchestra, Lauer Large, Resident Music Collective (Humboldt Forum), Ensemble Neue Musik Zürich, Pablo Held, Niels Klein, Malcolm Braff, Steffen Schorn, Robert Luccatio, Susana Baca, La Gran Resbaloza, Rodrigo Bauza, Dulcian Ensamble Berlin, and the long-standing creative project Perfektomat. Her versatility allows her to move fluidly between orchestral settings, improvisation, electronic music and interdisciplinary performance.

https://lauraroblesmusic.com/en