BEATrio (“Beat trio”), the all-star band featuring Béla Fleck, harpist Edmar Castañeda, and drummer Antonio Sánchez, is sharing “Western and Walnut,” the second single from its self-titled debut album, out May 16 (Béla Fleck Productions / Thirty Tigers). “This project kind of reminds me of the early days of the Flecktones, when audiences would go, ‘How is this supposed to work?’” says Fleck.

“Walnut and Western is a tune I have had for many years that’s been looking for a home, and the right band,” adds Béla. “I am positive that this is the best setting it could have, and thrilled that I waited! Antonio and Edmar knew exactly what to do.”

Listen to “Walnut and Western” and the first single, “Archipelago.” Pre-order / pre-save the album here.

BEATrio begins a US tour May 11 in Tarrytown, NY, followed by Japan, Seoul Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Telluride, and more. Tickets are on sale now.

Formed in 2024, BEATrio found its sound during a special twelve-show run at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, where the band fearlessly explored new, original music, much of it collaboratively written. “Each night felt like an adventure,” says Castañeda, “and it was special to see the audience experience the music’s evolution.” Or as Fleck puts it, “We were hanging on for dear life. Things were going right, things were going wrong — everything was happening.”

“After playing a duo concert with Edmar, it became clear that we needed to write together in order to accommodate the needs of harp and banjo,” says Fleck. “This is our first attempt — sometimes you get lucky, before you think too much about it!”

By the end of the Blue Note run, BEATrio had locked into a sort of telepathy, as well as a system for covering all the necessary musical ground. “I play the groove with my left hand with Antonio,” says Castañeda, “while at the same time I play melodies and harmonies with my right hand and with Béla — a very fun challenge that makes a unique and powerful trio.”

“Edmar has quite a bit of responsibility in this particular case,” Sánchez adds, “because he functions as the harmony and the bass.” Indeed, Castañeda sends the bottom frequencies of his harp through a proper bass rig onstage, so the low end is always present. The drummer goes on to call Castañeda “the glue between the banjo and the drums.”

About Béla Fleck

19-time Grammy winner Béla Fleck—the world’s premier banjo virtuoso and a celebrated musical adventurer—has both explored his instrument’s complex global history and unlocked the breadth of its possibilities, from his bluegrass beginnings through his otherworldly Flecktones, his duo with Chick Corea, and his reimagining of Rhapsody in Blue (2024). He has written and performed three banjo concertos and traced the African origins of the banjo with the award-winning documentary Throw Down Your Heart. His Grammy-winning album My Bluegrass Heart is named in honor of his friend and hero Chick Corea (My Spanish Heart). In 2025, Béla and Chick earned a Grammy for their final duo album, Remembrance.

About Edmar Castañeda

The renowned harpist hails from Bogotá, Colombia, and has led his own bands in addition to sharing projects with such masters as Hiromi, Paquito D’Rivera, and Grégoire Maret. Ushered into the jazz community by Paquito D’Rivera, Castañeda brings forth a brilliance that beautifully merges the jazz tradition and beyond. “His technique is the real astonishment,” describes NPR Fresh Air.

About Antonio Sánchez

Five-time Grammy winner Antonio Sánchez grew up in Mexico City and built a reputation as one of the great jazz drummers through his work with guitarist Pat Metheny. He’s also a visionary bandleader, helming progressive groups like Bad Hombre, and collaborated with Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, and other giants. His Golden Globe-nominated drum-set score for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s 2014 film Birdman earned him renown far outside the jazz world.

BEATrio Tour Dates

May 11 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
May 12 – Lebanon, NH – Lebanon Opera House
May 13 – Princeton, NJ – McCarter Theatre
May 14 – Norfolk, VA – Virginia Arts Festival
May 15 – Charlotte, NC – Carolina Theatre
May 16 – Bentonville, AR – FreshGrass
May 22–25 – Seattle, WA – Jazz Alley
May 28–30 – Tokyo, Japan – Blue Note Tokyo
June 1 – Seoul, South Korea – Seoul Jazz Festival
June 17 – Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Jazz Festival
June 19 – Boulder, CO – Chautauqua Auditorium
June 21–22 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival
July 5 – Timișoara, Romania – JAZZx
July 9–10 – London, UK – Cadogan Hall
July 12 – Rotterdam, NL – North Sea Jazz Festival
July 17 – Pori, FI – Pori Jazz Festival
July 30 – Gardiner, ME – Johnson Hall
August 1 – Skaneateles, NY – Skaneateles Festival
August 2 – Newport, RI – Newport Jazz

Tickets are on sale now. More dates to be announced!