In 1929, eight-year-old Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla was gifted his first bandeon (similar to an acordion). By the age of 16 he played in several tango orchestras in his native Argentina, and by 18 his love for tango drove him to Buenos Aires to pursue a career in music. Though an accomplished classical musician, no one could deny that the true Piazzolla was all about tango. At this time tango was not considered sophisticated music. Through various experimentations and an unwavering dedication, Piazzolla took the tango genre to new levels making it the evolving, sophisticated style of music it is today.
Back in 2001, three Parisians shook up the tango scene with their debut album "La Revancha Del Tango." The group, known as Gotan Project, mixes tango and electronica to create an elegant, yet funky sound. Gotan Project has played everywhere from Tel Aviv to Tokyo, also making a place for themselves in tango history. Their latest album, Lunatico (2006), furthered their experimentations while still holding on to thier tango roots.
Though Piazzolla passed on in 1992, his legacy lives on with new tango pioneers like Gotan Project. Gotan will be playing several international shows in December including Argentina's Personal Festival in Buenos Aires on the 7th. Hopefully the band will make it state-side in the coming months.
p.s. shout out to my Portuguese 101 professor who said my blog would not be complete without an entry on Piazzolla :)
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1 comment:
Piazzzolla is a legend and the fussion of his music into the contemporary world will bring a new audience to this genius.
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