ReCycling Harpists

Flipping through a New York Times that was lying around in the coffee house on Friday I saw a photograph of Columbian Latin Jazz Harpist Edmar Castaneda in the middle of what looked like a really intense performance. I ripped the picture out. Mine, all mine. It's been a while since anything fun has hit the harp scene so I had to check this guy out on the YouTube. And things went from there to the astroblab in no time flat.

In watching a couple of performances of Castaneda on YouTube I sort of wondered if he was an Aries. I'm not good at figuring out people's signs but his playing seems very Marsian. Fast, sharp, daring. And it's just plain awesome. Somebody evidently forgot to tell this guy that it's impossible to play Jazz on a harp, let alone a harp without pedals which can't control the half notes. It's totally unbelievable what he's doing.

I sort of wondered if Castaneda were the same sign as a French harpist who was born a little less than 100 years before him, Carlos Salzedo. Salzedo was probably the greatest innovator in harp who ever lived. He composed completely original music and invented new techniques and colors. He worked with Russian Dancer Nijinsky on trying to understand how to use the body to perform. He was Toscanni's first harpist. Harp has never been confused with piano music since he composed for it. He even designed an Art Deco style harp to advance it out of its Baroque stylings and into modern times.

If the birth date which is listed on Wikipedia is correct Castaneda has a remarkably similar chart with Salzedo.

Edmar Castaneda
b. Mar. 31, 1978 Bogota, Columbia

Sun 11 Aries; Moon Capricorn?; NN 6 Libra

Carlos Salzedo
b. Apr. 6, 1885 11:30am Arcachon, France (time from Astrotheme, don't know how they got it)

Sun 17 Aries: Moon 5 Capricorn; ASC 28 Cancer; MC 9 Aries ; NN 5 Libra

So, both Harpists are Aries Suns. Yay. Love it when that happens (I only write about the times that my guesses are right, of course). In addition to same Sun sign, these men share same Moon, Venus and Nodal Axis. Castaneda was born on Salzedo's Nodal Return within two degrees. And, of course, the Libra North Node disposits to Venus, ruler of beauty, art and music (and women and we don't want to go there because I know enough gossip about Salzedo to know that it's not worth it).

Castaneda has an opposition of Sun to Pluto widely crossing over his Nodal Axis, perhaps squared by his Moon. Salzedo had a conjunction of Sun-Venus-Mars opposing Uranus crossing over his Nodal Axis, and squaring his Moon.

Both have Capricorn Moons (Castaneda's is at 11 Capricorn in his noontime chart so there is a possibility that he has Sagittarius Moon).

Both men were also born on a Mercury Return although in different signs. (end of Aries, beginning of Taurus).

Both also have Venus in Aries. Salzedo's Venus is conjunct his Mars (to which it disposits) and is conjunct his South Node and his Sun and squaring his Moon. On the opposite end, his North Node is conjunct his Uranus which explains his originality. Castaneda's Venus is conjunct his Mercury and Chiron. It squares his Mars 27 Cancer, so both men share the Venus-Mars aspect.

Since Mars is the energy I picked up on here I think it's interesting that both men have Sun and Venus and South Node dispositing to this energy. Castaneda's Mars would even be conjunct Salzedo's Ascendant if the Astrotheme Cancer Rising chart is correct.

Another interesting comparison are their Jupiters and Saturns. Castaneda's Saturn in Gemini is conjunct Salzedo's Jupiter in Gemini. And Castaneda's Jupiter in Leo is conjunct Salzedo's Saturn in Leo. Gemini represents Mental agility and manual dexterity among other things, important for a harpist. Leo represents Performance and Romance and Drama. Both of these combined in a chart might potentially hook a person up in to the same type of social groups which are described by their placements.

Like the Jazz musicians, Neptune's not really strong in these charts which is totally unexpected for the instrument known for its glissandos and ruffles. The conjunction of Jupiter to Saturn in Leo that they share makes aspects to both men's Neptunes, although in different signs. Castaneda's Neptune is at 19 Sagittarius trining Saturn 25 Leo. Salzedo's Neptune is at 22 Taurus squaring his Jupiter 27 Leo.

(Of course, what really interests me is that I used to play harp and also have Nodal Axis at the same spot, and a Capricorn Moon. Oh well, the talent doesn't hit every pass of the Nodal Axis...)

So, here's a listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAN8y-pcVH0