Cristina Pato is a musical force to be reckoned with. A master of the gaita (Galician bagpipes), her sophisticated sound skirts the boundaries of jazz, classical, folk, and world music. Pato’s high-energy quartet—which showcases the gaita alongside accordion, bass, and drums—recently released Latina, an album which expertly hones in on the rich complexities of Latin music. New York Music Daily calls her playing “wild, feral, yet virtuosic and breathtakingly fast”; be prepared for an electrifying ride, one that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about bagpipes.

Originally from the Galician region of Spain, Pato regularly tours the globe with the Silkroad Ensemble founded by Yo-Yo Ma. Also a skilled pianist and a credentialed musicologist, she earned her doctorate at Rutgers University and in 1998 was the first female gaita player to release a solo album. Showing expertise across a range of fields, this multi-talented musician is a living, breathing tribute to the wonders of her craft.