A few years ago in New York City, a group of Argentinean musicians started a movement to create a new sound in jazz incorporating tango from Buenos Aires and folkloric music from the countryside of Argentina. This concept began with pre-eminent tango composer Astor Piazzola and later it was developed by new generations of Argentinean composers and performers all over the world.
LOS CHANGOS SEPTET
To describe the music of Los Changos, you would have to learn different languages: the language of classical music that had a strong impact in the development of composer Julio Santillán; the language of Tango and folkloric music of his native Argentina and the language of jazz, that is evident in the new generations of composers. But I would dare to say, that not even understanding these worlds would you be able to describe the magic hidden behind this fine ensemble of musicians. Those three styles, so different from each other, find in "Los Changos" a point of connection, a door to unlimited musical possibilities. Los Changos's was formed by guitarist/composer Julio Santillán and drummer Franco Pinna when they both attended Berklee College of music in 1998. Bassist Fernando Huergo, a Berklee faculty, joined them later and the group started recording and performing in and outside the US. They have participated in many concerts and festivals in the East coast including: XIII International Folk Festival (Boston, MA); III & IV Argentina Jazz Festival (New York, NY); II,III & IV Latin Culture Week (Boston, MA). The group has toured Argentina in many opportunities. In 2001 the trio released their first CD called "Desde el Norte" (BigSur Records). In 2003 Los Changos added voice, flute, clarinet and accordion and released "Anit Negra" (BigSur Records), their first CD as a septet. Ñann, their last CD was released in 2005 by the New York label CAP records. The repertoire of the ensemble is original music by Julio Santillán, who received the prestigious "Meet the Composer/Van Lier Fellowship Award" in 2004, the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, the Arif Mardin Award and the ASCAPlus Award.
Santillan and company have found a way to weave together startling tapestries of color that splash both surprise and warm feelings everywhere as they move a cultural fusion into the future."
—Boston Herald
featuring:
- Julio A. Santillán - Guitar/Compositions
- Franco Pinna - Drums
- Fernando Huergo - Bass
- Marta Gomez - Voice
- Yulia Musayelyan - Flute
- Nuno Antunes - Clarinet
- Evan Harlan - Accordion
www.juliosantillan.com
www.yuliamusayelyan.com
JULIO A. SANTILLÁN
Julio A. Santillán is a composer and guitarist from Tucumán, Argentina. He has studied classical guitar and composition at Instituto Superior de Música (Argentina) and then graduated Summa Cum Laude with a dual major in Jazz and Classical Composition from Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA). He received the 2004 Meet the Composer/Van Lier Fellowship, the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, the Arif Mardin Award, Ascaplus Award, the Contemporary Writing and Production Achievement Award and the BEST Scholarship (Berklee). He has recorded over thirty CDs and performed with many musicians from Argentina, Boston and New York including César Isella, Oscar Stagnaro, Livingston Taylor, Raúl Carnota and Sandra Mihanovich. As an arranger he has worked with artists from all over the world. Since 1998 Julio leads "Los Changos" (trio & septet), a group that performs his own compositions. Currently he is a faculty member at Manhattan College.
The exact date of this concert is not known, but it occurred in the marked year around this time.