Guitarist Carlos Odria has been described as a “breathtakingly talented musician with immense technical skill” (Worcester Telegram) and as a “guitar wizard” (Gamble Rogers Fest). His original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards and Latin American tunes deliver an exciting blend of international styles such as bossa nova, Afro-Peruvian festejo, rumba flamenca, and Afro-Caribbean vibes, all imbued with an improvisational approach inspired by the rich tradition of American jazz. He holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Florida State University, where he also obtained a Certificate in Music of the Americas. He studied classical and Latin American folk guitar with the acclaimed Peruvian guitarist Pepe Torres. Later on, he pursued advanced jazz studies with Richie Zellon, jazz guitar arranging with Leo Welch, and cuatro at the Jose Luis Paz Conservatory in Maracaibo, Venezuela.