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 Santillan; 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 you would be able to describe the magic hidden behind this fine ensamble 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 Santillan 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 third cd was released in 2005 by the new york label CAP records. The repertoire of the ensamble is original music by Julio Santillan, 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.
Para
describir la música de Los Changos con claridad tendríamos
que adentrarnos en varios mundos: el de la música clásica
que tiene en su formación musical el compositor y creador
del grupo Julio Santillán, el del tango y el folklore que
llevan en su sangre los miembros del grupo y por último el
mundo del jazz, tan influyente en las generaciones de compositores
actuales. Y me atrevería a decir, que, incluso quien domina
el lenguage de los tres géneros, no lograría decifrar
la magia que se esconde detras de este ensamble. Los tres estilos,
aparentemente tan distantes, encuentran en Los Changos un punto
de conexión o mejor , de partida hacia extensas posibilidades
musicales en las cuales el folklore deja de pertenercerle a un grupo
pequeño de ciudades del norte de la Argentina, el jazz deja
de ser exclusividad de los norteamericanos y lo clásico retoma
vigencia. En pocas palabras, lo que el joven guitarrista y compositor
Tucumano ha logrado es crear un sonido nuevo y único que
no respeta normas pero que a su vez, es accesible a todos los oídos.
El Boston Herlad denominó la música de Los Changos
como una "Impactante combinación de jazz y rítmos
folkloricos argentinos" y la prestigiosa revista Time Out de
New york, escribió que "Los Changos mezcla estilos
del sur con un sonido jazzístico fresco y original"
Este grupo, formado en U.S.A. en 1998, ha sido reconocido por la
crítica y audiencias de todos los orígenes como un
fenómeno único y original que resalta lo mejor de
la música tradicional argentina combinandola con elementos
del jazz y arreglada al mejor estilo de una agrupacion clásica.
Desde su formación, han participado en inumerables conciertos
y festivales en los Estados Unidos como: XIIIº International Folk
Festival (Boston); IIIº & IVº Argentina Jazz Festival (New York);
IIº,IIIº & IVº Latin Culture Week (Boston). Asi mismo han realizado
giras por Argentina en varias oportunidades. En el 2001 el trio
lanzó su primer album “Desde
el Norte” y en el 2003 Los Changos lanzó "Anit
Negra", su primer disco como septeto. Ambos discos salieron
bajo el mismo sello discográfico BigSur records. "Ñann"
el último disco de Los Changos fué lanzado en el 2005
por el sello newyorkino CAP Records.
Los Changos interpreta composiciones y arreglos de Julio A. Santillán.
Algunos de los rítmos en que Santillan se basa para sus composiciones
son: Chacarera, Zamba, Vidala, Tango, Huayno, Milonga y Candombe..
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"Santillán
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." "Passion
in music is always good; passion shaped by elegant concepts is even
better. Argentinean native Julio Santillán leading this trio's
compelling blend of classic guitar, argentinean folk and jazz, is
even better." |
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Los Changos Septet, New York City, July 16, '06 “...Each
(piece) has a color of its own and the grain becomes all the more
vibrant through the array of instruments that come into play, fleshing
out the compositions and making them throb with vitality” "A
Striking combination of jazz sensibility applied to argentinean
folk rhythms." "...a
passionate and encouraging blend of northern folk music, the vertigo
of jazz and the solid compositional techniques of a classicl ensemble." "Julio
A. Santillán has confirmed once again, the mastery, the cleverness,
not to mention all the unrefined soul thal inhabits his spirited
compositions " "Santillán
has an open style of playing. His notes are eloquent and speak intimately
to the listener." "(Nãnn
review) With its stripped-down arrangements and balanced pacing,
this can be the soundtrack to simplifying one's life." "Santillan meld styles from down south into a fresh distinctly jazz
sound."
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Los Changos Septet, New York City, march '05 |
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Musicians
that have played with Los Changos: -Tim
Mayer (clarinet
/soprano sax) |
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LOS CHANGOS t r i o
Julio A. Santillán
- guitar / guitarra
Fernando Huergo - bass / bajo
Franco Pinna - drums / bateria
Fernando Huergo has performed with Mike Stern, Danilo Perez, Dave
Weckl, David Sanchez, Dave Liebman, Claudio Roditi, Tom Harrell, Jeff
Ballard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bruce Barth and Dave Kikoski. He teaches
bass at Berklee College of Music. He has recorded more than 70 albums
and toured with many latin-jazz artists from New York and Boston.
www.fernandohuergo.com
Fernando
Huergo ha tocado con: Mike Stern, Danilo Perez, Dave Weckl,
David Sanchez, Dave Liebman, Claudio Roditi, Tom Harrell, Jeff Ballard,
Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bruce Barth y Dave Kikoski. Es profesor de bajo en
Berklee College of Music. Ha grabado más de 60 discos y ha tocado
con muchos músicos de latin-jazz de New York y Boston.
Franco
Pinna has performed and recorded with some of the best folklore
musicians in Argentina, like Lucho Hoyos, Cesar Isella, Raúl
Carnota and Leopoldo Deza. In the U.S. he has played with Pablo Ziegler,
Jeff Ballard, Bruce Barth, Oscar Stagnaro, Chris Cheek, Guillermo Klein,
Pablo Ablanedo and Claudio Ragazzi among many others. He graduated from
Berklee College of Music. He studied and developed a unique style based
on folklore percussion techniques.
www.francopinna.com
Franco Pinna
ha tocado con importantes músicos de folklore argentino como
Lucho Hoyos, César Isella, Raúl Carnota y Leopoldo Deza.
En Estados Unidos ha tocado con Pablo Ziegler, Jeff Ballard, Bruce Barth,
Oscar Stagnaro, Chris Cheek, Guillermo Klein, Pablo Ablanedo y Claudio
Ragazzi entre muchos otros. Se graduó en Berklee College of Music.
Ha estudiado y elaborado un estílo propio basado en técnicas
de percusión folklórica.
LOS CHANGOS s e p t e t
Julio A. Santillán - guitar / guitarra
Fernando Huergo- bass / bajo
Franco Pinna - drums / bateria
Marta Gómez - voice / voz
Yulia Musayelyan- flute / flauta
Evan Harlan - acordion/ acordión
Nuno Antunes - clarinet / clarinete
Marta Gómez started her musical studies at the age of 14
at the Javeriana University in Bogota. There she studied classical music
and flute for six years. Marta has recorded for radio and TV in Colombia
and in 1998 participated in the Assembly for peace. She was the lead
singer of a female vocal sextet with whom she recorded a CD and gave
several concerts. In august of 1999 Marta went to Boston to continue
her vocal studies and to further develop her musical career at the Berklee
College of Music. She released three CDs with original songs "Marta
Gómez", "Solo es Vivir" and "Cantos de Agua
Dulce".
www.martagomez.com
Marta Gómez empezó
sus estudios musicales en la Universidad Javeriana en Bogotá,
Colombia. Allí estudió música clásica y
flauta por seis años. Marta ha grabado para radio and TV en Colombia
y en 1998 participó en la Asamblea por la paz. Fué la
voz lider de un sexteto vocal con el cual grabó un CD y dió
varios conciertos. En agosto de 1999 viajó a Boston, USA, para
continuar sus estudios musicales en Berklee College of Music. Ha grabado
dos CDs con canciones propias: "Marta Gómez" y"Solo
es Vivir".
"National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts Award". She has recorded with the New England Conservatory Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (2001) and the Manhattan School of Music Opera Orchestra (2002), and performed as a soloist with TACTUS ensemble under the direction of Maestro Pierre Boulez (2005). Yulia has performed at the 2001 Montreux Jazz off-Festival in Switzerland, IAJE conventions in New York (2004) and New Orleans (2000), and the London Jazz Festival (2005). She has recorded with Marta Gomez (Chesky Records), Marta Topferova (World Village Records), Hector Martignon, Angus Martin, and The Massachusetts Flute Choir, among others. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Flute Performance and is an adjunct flute faculty member at New York University.
www.yuliamusayelyan.com
Evan
Harlan has recorded and performed internationally with several jazz
and "world music" ensembles including the Klezmer Conservatory
Band and the Mili Bermejo Group. He leads a quartet, Andromeda (original
music) and the group Excelsior (unorthodox arrangements of 20th century
composers' works). He is the recipient of a 2001 Massachusetts Cultural
Council Artist Grant in Music Composition; He has scored numerous works
for film, dance and theater. In addition he has played on the soundtracks
of Sidney Lumet's A Stranger Among Us, John Sayles' Lone Star, and Sayles'
Men With Guns. In November of 2001 he performed in the orchestra with
Luciano Pavarotti at the Fleet Center in Boston, and in February 2002
was featured in Hovanhess' Rubaiyat with the Lexington Sinfonietta.
As conductor in musical theater, he has led Shlemeil the First at the
American Repertory Theater, Fiorello at Brandeis University, and Happy
End at Boston University.
www.evanharlan.com
Evan
Harlan ha grabado y tocado internacionalmente
con varios grupos de jazz y "world music" como el Klezmer
Conservatory Band y el Mili Bermejo Group. Lidera un cuarteto, Andromeda
(música propia) y el grupo Excelsior (arreglos anortodoxos de
las obras de compositores del siglo XX). En 2001 recibió el premio
Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Grant in Music Composition; Ha
escrito numerosa música para cine, danza y teatro. Además
grabó la música de las películas: Sidney Lumet's
A Stranger Among Us, John Sayles' Lone Star, y Sayles' Men With Guns.
En noviembre de 2001 tocó con Luciano Pavarotti en el Fleet Center
en Boston, y en Febrero de 2002 participó en Hovanhess' Rubaiyat
con la Lexington Sinfonietta. Como director de música para teatro,
ha trabajado en Shlemeil the First en el American Repertory Theater,
Fiorello en Brandeis University, y Happy End en Boston University.
has participated in several master classes of such distinguished artists as Karl Leister, Walter Boykens, Guy Deplus, Paul Meyer, Alain Damiens, Hakan
Rosengreen, and Robert Macdonald. He was recently invited to teach a master class at the E.P.A.B.I. in Portugal. Mr. Antunes was a member of the clarinet faculty of
E.P.A.B.I. (1999-2003), C.N.R. Leiria (2001-2002) and C.M.M. Lisbon (2000-2002).
Mr. Antunes’ appearance in competitions has resulted in several prizes, including the R.D.P. Young Musicians Prize, the Portuguese Young Clarinetist Competition, and the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition. Nuno Antunes has performed extensively as a recitalist, chamber musician and in several professional orchestras. He participated in the Clarmeetoporto-International Clarinet Meeting of Oporto, Portugal and in the 2nd Musical Festival ofFaro, Portugal.
