Estrella Acosta

Estrella Acosta

Musicians | Instrument: Vocals | Location: Amsterdam

Acosta has a warm voice and a sunny and relaxed stage presence. She masters the vocal aspects of both latin and jazz music.

—JazzPodium.nl

Updated: October 20, 2023

Born: January 20

Cuban born vocalist Estrella Acosta is an acclaimed and versatile singer-songwriter. Though she never stopped singing the folk songs of her motherland, she is equally at home embracing various Brazilian and jazz idioms. With her warm earthy voice she creates an energetic yet intimate and personal style, rooted in the sounds of her native Cuba.

She has left a travel footprint that truly makes her a citizen of the world. After completing a degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, she set out to pursue her musical dreams in a journey that took her to Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, New York City and, finally, Amsterdam, where she now resides.

Estrella has recorded six albums and a single for the label eStar which have won international acclaim. Her debut album of original music was 'Navegando de la Habana a Rio' (1996), followed by 'Alma Guajira - Cuban Country Songs' (2003), nominated for an Edison (Dutch Grammy). Her third and fourth albums featuring her Latin jazz quintet were 'Esquina 25' (2013) and 'Mujeres de Luna - Songs by Cuban Women Composers' (2017), with special guests Orlando 'Maraca' Valle and Horacio 'El Negro' Hernández. In August 2020 she released 'Noche Cubana', a return to her traditional Cuban roots featuring Carlitos Irarragorri on tres.

'Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women’ (2023), her new album, features songs by female songwriters from the countryside of Cuba as well as her own compositions. This album was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY® 2023.

Estrella has been a featured artist in several more albums. She was invited to bandoneon-player Carel Kraayenhof's project ‘Memorias de Cuba’, which included a CD recording for Universal Records and live concerts at a.o. Amsterdam's Concertgebouw with the Metropole Orchestra.
In 2015 she sang with an all star cast in a bilingual children's album produced by Ben Gundersheimer (a.k.a. Mister G) called 'Los Animales', which won a Latin GRAMMY.

Her festival appearances include the North Sea Jazz Festival, Curaçao Jazz Festival, Madison World Music Festival, World Music Chicago, Sunfest and the Small Music Festival in Canada.

Estrella has performed with many great musicians, including Toninho Horta, Craig Handy, Edy Martinez, Ernestine Stoop, Leo Amuedo, and Jovino Santos Neto. In the Netherlands, she fronts ’Esquina 25’, a band of top international musicians who have participated throughout the years in her various projects.

Awards

Estrella's new album Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women has been nominated for a Latin GRAMMY® 2023.

Estrella Acosta has participated in the album 'Los Animales' by Mister G, which won a Latin Grammy in 2015. She was also nominated for a Dutch 'Edison' award for her album 'Alma Guajira'.


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All About Jazz Articles

1
Album Review

Estrella Acosta: Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women

Read "Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright


Cuban singer-songwriter Estrella Acosta invites us into her journey this way: “The smell of mangos and guavas brings back memories of my childhood and reminds me of the sound of Cuban country music playing on the radio. When it was time to leave my motherland, I took with me stories, poems, photos, and all the beautiful memories and love that I could pack in my heart. Now I pay tribute to the rich musical heritage of Cuban country music, and ...

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Articles Across the Web

...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.

1

Recording

Cuban Vocalist Estrella Acosta Releases New Album 'Tierra'

Cuban Vocalist Estrella Acosta Releases New Album 'Tierra'

Source: Estrella Acosta

Estrella Acosta, the acclaimed Cuban vocalist, has unveiled her latest album titled Tierra. This vibrant and festive album shines a spotlight on the female songwriters of the Cuban countryside, including Acosta's own captivating compositions. Drawing inspiration from the rich musical heritage of her motherland, 'Tierra' features songs that are deeply rooted in the music of the Cuban countryside. Estrella also provides her personal vision of this tradition, presenting three compositions that reflect her own experiences with music and poetry, including ...

11

Recording

Vocalist Estrella Acosta Releases "Mujeres De Luna" Songs By Cuban Women Composers

Vocalist Estrella Acosta  Releases "Mujeres De Luna" Songs By Cuban Women Composers

Source: Estrella Acosta

A tribute to the great female composers of Cuba... now available online worldwide Cuban vocalist Estrella Acosta went on a search in the rich and beautiful musical history of her motherland. There she discovered innovative and rarely heard music composed by women during the last century. In this collection of beautiful songs, she highlights the important role played by women composers in Cuba’s music of the past 100 years. Featured are works by the likes of Marta Valdés, Maria Teresa ...

2

Recording

New Release By Estrella Acosta: Esquina 25

New Release By Estrella Acosta:  Esquina 25

Source: Estrella Acosta

Cuban vocalist Estrella Acosta just released her third album on the eStar label, named Esquina 25. Joined by internationally acclaimed musicians like Leonardo Amuedo, Carlos Irarragorri and Gerardo Rosales she creates an energetic, yet intimate and personal style, rooted in the sounds of her native Cuba. “I enjoyed every note of the cd... very fresh arrangements and your voice fits them perfectly. I loved the work of the tresero, as well as the bassist, the guitarist, the tenor player and the ...

Performance / Tour

Estrella & Esquina 25 @ Jazzpodium De Tor In Enschede, The Netherlands

Estrella & Esquina 25 @ Jazzpodium De Tor In Enschede, The Netherlands

Source: Estrella Acosta

Estrella & Esquina 25: Marc Bischoff - piano, Efraim Trujillo - sax/ flute, Jose Luis Lopretti- bass, Enrique Firpi - drums, Estrella Acosta - vocals Cuban vocalist Estrella Acosta & Esquina 25 5tet present a musical program that mixes Caribbean and South American rhythms with adventurous improvisations. Surprising arrangements from the Afro-Cuban classics are interwoven with original material, inspired by traditional and jazz influences. Esquina 25 refers to an intersection in the neighborhood of Vedado in Habana, Cuba where arts ...

About the new album Tierra:  "Ms. Acosta is a natural mezzo with a compassionate, golden timbre. Moreover, she can convey a range of mature emotions using admirably restrained embellishments, and with affectionate communication of the poetry. I love the airy shaping of melodic contours in both, Ay Amor and Amor de Millones. The delightful whimsy of her interplay with the saxophone of Efraim Trujillo and the piano of the incomparable Marc Bischoff also adds to the marvellous aesthetic of this music. The supple bass playing of Samuel Ruiz throughout, and the masterful rhythmic colours of Enrique Firpi make this music so memorable that you will want to return to it frequently, always to derive immense pleasure from the music and to elevate the spirits with every spin of the recording."   - Raul da Gama, Latin Jazz Network

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Contact

Management and booking

Please contact us at  [email protected] .

Mi Tierra Es Así

From: Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women
By Estrella Acosta