Julio A. Santillán - guitar / compositions / voice Mauro Satalino - percussion Nuno Antunes - clarinet
To describe the music of the Julio Santillán Trio, you would have to learn different languages: the language of classical music that had a strong impact in the development of the composer; 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-improvisers. But that not even understanding these worlds you would be able to describe the magic hidden behind this fine ensemble of musicians. Those three styles, so different from each other, find in Julio Santillán Trio a point of connection, a door to unlimited musical possibilities.
The Boston Herald described Julio's music as "A striking combination of jazz sensibility applied to argentinean folk rhythms."; and Time Out New York magazine wrote "Santillán meld styles from down south into a fresh distinctly jazz sound."
The trio (guitar-voice, clarinet and percussion), is Julio's new project, a continuation of Los Changos, the band that he led for almost 10 years. The repertoire of the ensemble is original music based on south american rhythms like chacarera, zamba, tango, vidala, milonga, huayno and candombe.
Julio A. Santillán is a New York-based composer and guitarist originally from Tucumán, Argentina. His compositions combine elements from his home land folk music, jazz improvisation and classical music. He received the prestigious "Meet the Composer/Van Lier Fellowship Award" in 2004, the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, and the Arif Mardin Award. He has recorded four CDs with his own compositions: Desde el Norte (2001), Anit Negra (2003), Ñann (2005) and El Bosque de la Memoria (2007).
