The internationally acclaimed Argentine pianist and composer Pablo Ziegler, hailed as the worlds leading proponent of the nuevo tango, joins an elite musical fraternity with the simultaneous release of jazz and classical recordings on August 11th. A classically trained pianist and a veteran of the vibrant jazz scene in his native Buenos Aires, Ziegler is taking South America's most sultry and passionate music into new territory. Jon Pareles, writing in The New York Times, calls Ziegler one of "... an handful of composers still following through on the possibilities of the new tango" and Mark Swed, writing in The Los Angeles Times called the pianist "... the reigning New Tango master." With the joint Summer 1998 release of Asfalto - Street Tango with his Quintet for New Tango on RCA Victor Jazz, and of Tango Romance - Music of Buenos Aires with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on RCA Victor Red Seal, Ziegler joins a small group of contemporary artists that includes trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and pianist Marcus Roberts who are recording both classical and jazz projects today. And while the sensuality and pathos of the tango has seduced classical artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Daniel Barenboim, Gidon Kremer and the Kronos Quartet and the jazz artists Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan and Al Di Meola, Ziegler is the only artist currently involved with tango projects in both genres.

Asfalto (Spanish for asphalt and slang in Argentina for "street smarts") features 13 inspired performances of six Zielger originals as well as arrangements by the pianist of several classics by Astor Piazzolla, the legendary Argentine composer and bandoneon (accordion) virtuoso who was Ziegler's mentor and with whom the pianist toured internationally for a decade. Piazzolla is credite with launching the nuevo tango movement in the face of intense criticism from the traditional tango establishment during the 1950s. Ziegler and the other members of his Quintet for New Tango - Héctor Del Curto (bandoneon), Oscar Guinta (bass), Horacio López (drums) and Quiqui Sinesi (guitar) - as well as special guest Antonio Agri (violin) are as adept at traditional and contemporary tango forms as they are performing jazz and world music. By using percussion and improvisational elements on Asfalto, Ziegler enriches the nuevo tango legacy and further explores the common ground between tango and jazz. The recording is a quintessential example of the nuevo tango style the pianist created which removes the music's traditional emphasis on the violin and focuses instead on the piano, guitar and bandoneon.

Ziegler contrasts the raw, elemental presentation of the tango featured on Asfalto with a lush, orchestral setting on Tango Romance. A chance encounter during the summer of 1997 in Buenos Aires sparked the idea of a musical collaboration between the pianist and Orpheus, the celebrated, New York-based chamber orchestra which performs without a conductor. Tango Romance features new arrangements or adaptations written especially for the recording by Ziegler of his own music, works by Piazzolla and two classics from the late 1930s by Juan Carlos Cobián. Tango Romance was produced by Ziegler and Ettore Stratta who also produced Los Tangueros, Zieglers critically acclaimed collaboration with classical pianist Emanuel Ax featuring two-piano arrangements by Ziegler of 12 Piazzolla tangos which was released by Sony Classical in January 1996.

Born in Buenos Aires in September 2, 1944 Ziegler began his performing career as a classical pianist and began playing jazz as a teenager in the early 1960s. The popularity of his jazz trio Pablo Ziegler Terceto led to his being invited in 1978 to join Astor Piazzolla's New Tango Quintet, remaining with the ensemble for the next ten years and appearing at jazz festivals all over the world. He has also collaborated with jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton, the Italian singer Milva and other internationally renowned artists. In addition to leading the Quintet for New Tango, Ziegler is also active composing music for film, theatre and television.  

February 1999

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