A place where culture is valued and promoted through production.
Samples Media is created by MusicCAZO LLC. We make music with traditional musicians and composers from many traditions, so every sound carries the culture it comes from.
High-quality music, built around your vision.
At Samples Media, we deliver high-quality media solutions for a wide range of needs, with the expertise to bring your vision to life. From single tracks for licensing to fully custom music for your projects, every piece is shaped by real musicians and real traditions.
Our mission
To provide high-end music media services that resonate with audiences and drive meaningful engagement.
Built by a musician who works across traditions.
Nicolás Castañeda, co-founder of MusicCAZO LLC, is a Colombian harpist and composer. He plays the Llanera harp and writes for multicultural world music ensembles.
His work comes from a simple belief: collaboration across traditions should never ask anyone to give up their own musical identity. That belief shapes how Samples Media works with brands, agencies and filmmakers today.
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The aim is to find ways to write music so that no performer has to leave their cultural frame or artistic identity behind, with shared ownership of the result.
From Nicolás’s research findings, paraphrased.
The research behind the sound.
Nicolás’s artistic research, Beyond Tradition: An Intercultural Music Notation Proposal, explored how musicians from different traditions can compose and perform together while keeping their identity.
It included fieldwork across regions of Colombia in 2023, studying the notations used in traditional music there. It also compared notation systems and composition methods as tools for intercultural communication. The results came together in the concert “Beyond Tradition” at the Helsinki Music Centre on December 14, 2023.
A multiplicity of collaborations.
The “Beyond Tradition” ensemble brought together musicians from ten backgrounds and traditions, with Nicolás as researcher, composer and Llanera harpist.
What this means for Samples Media.
The principles behind every project.
Collaboration with traditional musicians
We work with traditional musicians and composers from other traditions, not just samples of them.
Culture as a source, not a style
Cultural influences guide the sonic direction because they carry meaning, not because they add flavor.
Shared ownership
Artists keep their identity and share in the creative result.
Culture valued and promoted
Each production helps bring the traditions behind it to new audiences.
Why choose us?
Three reasons brands, agencies and filmmakers work with Samples Media.
Let’s collaborate.
We believe in the power of collaboration and we’re eager to work with you on your next project. Reach out today at info@samplesmedia.com for a consultation, or hear the directions we explore first.
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