Bio
Eric Kurimski is currently regarded as one of the preeminent voices in contemporary Afro-Peruvian guitar, and his music has been termed “a groundbreaking fusion of jazz and Afro-Peruvian forms” by the Boston Globe. His unique sound has made its mark on some of the world’s biggest stages, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, South by Southwest, and WOMEX.
Born in upstate New York, Kurimski received his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Purchase in 2000, where he studied under the tutelage of renowned jazz guitarist Steve Khan. He could have hardly imagined the turn his life would take a mere two years later, when a friend casually loaned him an album that afforded him the opportunity to hear Afro-Peruvian music for the very first time. He was immediately taken by the depth and mastery of Peru’s guitar tradition and enamored by the raw emotional power of vocalists such as Eva Ayllón and Manuel Donayre—artists who, unbeknownst to him at the time, would eventually become his peers.
With no hesitation, Kurimski went directly to the source, becoming first a student and subsequently the protégé and close friend of celebrated Afro-Peruvian guitarist Carlos Hayre. He began making frequent trips to Lima, where he quickly became immersed in the city’s musical community, performing at prestigious events including the Festival Internacional de Guitarra APJ and Festival de Música Ensambles Británico. He also became a mainstay at the Festival Internacional del Cajón, appearing in three different years. Through his frequent performances in Peru, he earned his place among leading artists of the Afro-Peruvian style, sharing the stage with such figures as Juan Medrano Cotito, Marco Campos, Manuel Donayre, and Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón.
Kurimski later earned his master’s degree in music from Queens College, splitting his time between studying with jazz greats Antonio Hart and Michael Mossman and exploring a variety of Latin American styles with acclaimed Venezuelan guitarist Aquiles Báez. When Kurimski released his debut album, Réplica, in 2008, it was chosen as Album of the Year by Latin Jazz Corner and lauded as a “brilliant co-mingling of traditions” by Guitar Player Magazine. By 2014, Kurimski was touring with Eva Ayllón, the reigning queen of Afro-Peruvian song, with whom he recorded Mujeres con Cajones, an album nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best Folk Album.
A versatile guitarist equally at home in musical settings ranging from the most delicate to the most explosive, Kurimski has been the choice of a diverse array of vocalists and ensembles. His recording credits include collaborations with Lara Bello, two albums with Sofia Rei, and an appearance on Sonia De Los Santos’ ¡Alegría!, which also received a Latin Grammy nomination in 2019. His rhythmic guitar style and distinctive improvisational voice have been featured in a wide variety of New York-based groups, including the Afro-Colombian ensemble Rebolú and Afro-Peruvian group Festejation. His tours with Spanish vocalist Sara Van have even taken him back to Lima for an appearance at the city’s Gran Teatro Nacional.
As a bandleader, Kurimski continued his exploration of musical traditions from across the Americas with his 2021 release La Molina. The recording brought together an extraordinary group of musicians from Peru, Colombia, and New York, creating musical encounters between Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Colombian, jazz, and contemporary Latin American traditions. The album features Afro-Peruvian singer Charo Goyeneche alongside Sofia Rei, Juan Medrano Cotito with a New York rhythm section, and the Afro-Colombian marimba of maestro Diego Obregón accompanying Eva Ayllón. Throughout these intercultural dialogues, Kurimski’s guitar serves as a unifying voice, weaving together distinct traditions while maintaining their individual character.
Kurimski is also the co-founder, guitarist, composer, and bandleader of Moneco, a New York-based ensemble dedicated to exploring and reimagining the psychedelic cumbia traditions of Peru. Founded with drummer Yayo Serka, Moneco draws inspiration from the electrified sounds of Peruvian groups such as Los Destellos and Juaneco y su Combo while incorporating elements of rock, improvisation, Afro-Peruvian music, and the diverse musical environment of New York City. The group has developed its own sound—often described as “Cumbia Chichadelica”—through original compositions and contemporary interpretations of the classic chicha and cumbia repertoire.
After returning to active performance in recent years, Moneco has entered a new creative period marked by frequent New York appearances, festival performances, and the development of new original music. The group has appeared at venues and cultural events including Barbès, Terraza 7, Nublu, The Queensboro, the Bronx Documentary Center’s Latin American Foto Festival, and the Perú Fusion Festival.
In 2026, Moneco expanded its recorded catalog with the release of “El Diablo,” further developing the group’s psychedelic cumbia sound through Kurimski’s distinctive electric guitar approach. The band followed with “No Podrán,” a collaboration with Guatemalan musician and filmmaker Domingo Lemus. Conceived as a protest song responding to the contemporary political climate, “No Podrán” connects Moneco’s psychedelic and Latin American musical language with a broader message of resistance, cultural identity, and resilience.
Through Moneco and his work as a solo artist and collaborator, Kurimski continues to build connections among the musical traditions of Peru, Latin America, and New York. Whether interpreting the Afro-Peruvian guitar tradition, exploring psychedelic cumbia, improvising within a jazz setting, or creating new cross-cultural collaborations, his work is grounded in a deep respect for tradition coupled with a commitment to finding new ways for those traditions to speak in the present.