IIN-DEPTH BIO

 

Beny Esguerra arrived as a child to Tkaronto from Bacatá (Bogotá, Colombia) as a political refugee with his parents, who were involved in cultural work and human rights activism. This early experience of displacement, resilience, and cultural continuity continues to shape his artistic voice and commitment to social justice.

Now based in Toronto, Esguerra is a two-time JUNO-nominated multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, spoken-word artist, arts educator, and community worker. Over more than two decades, he has developed a body of work that bridges Afro-Indigenous Colombian traditions–particularly música de gaita–with Hiphop, spoken word, and contemporary production. His practice explores themes of ancestry, migration, identity, environmental justice, and collective memory, creating a distinct artistic language rooted in both tradition and urban experience.

 

His work has received national recognition, including the Ontario Arts Foundation Arts Educator Award, the Mayworks Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Labour Movement, and the North York Arts Established Artist Award. His discography includes the JUNO-nominated Northside KUISi: A New Tradition Vol. 3, as well as Eterno (2024) and Somos El Dorado (2025), alongside ongoing collaborations with artists such as Los Gaiteros de Ovejas, Gaita Loop, and Quimbaya Uhuru. These projects reflect a sustained commitment to cross-cultural exchange and artistic innovation across Canada and internationally.

 

As band leader of Beny Esguerra & New Tradition Music, he has developed a multidisciplinary approach that brings together the kuisi bunsi flute (Colombian gaita), Afro-Colombian drums, turntablism, spoken word, dance, and digital media. The project explores the relationship between tradition and modernity through original compositions that integrate ancestral instruments with contemporary forms, while adapting to a range of performance contexts and collaborative formats.

 

Esguerra’s practice is deeply rooted in community-engaged creation. As co-founder of New Tradition Music and through initiatives such as the Wheel it Studios mobile recording project, he has worked alongside youth and emerging artists in Toronto communities, including Jane–Finch, supporting access to mentorship, creative tools, and platforms for artistic expression. His work in these contexts focuses on empowerment, cultural connection, and the development of new artistic voices.

 

In addition to his artistic work, Esguerra has contributed to arts education through teaching, workshops, and curriculum development with universities, schools, and community organizations across Ontario. He is a PhD (ABD) candidate in Musicology/Ethnomusicology, specializing in Colombian traditional music and Hiphop culture.

 

Across his work, Esguerra approaches art as a tool for transformation–bridging past and present, local and global, and individual and collective experience. He continues to develop creative, educational, and collaborative projects at a sustainable pace.