TRIBUTANGO
In 2013 Emilio Solla was appointed Music Director of a new tango series at the prestigious Zinc Bar in NYC. Without hesitation he brought together two great tango Maestros and Latin Grammy winners: bandoneon player Raul Jaurena and bassist Pablo Aslan. Later on, violin virtuoso Nick Danielson joined the band. This gave him the opportunity to go deeper into the tradition of his homeland’s music.
After three years of playing together every week, the quartet went into the studio to record “Tributango,” where Solla contributed arrangements of old tango standards (including a piece by Astor Piazzolla) and some of his own compositions written specially for this project in classic-tango style. Tango for dancing is at the core of the trio’s music. The album Tributango was released in 2016 and got raving reviews in the traditional tango circuit. Some of the tunes and arrangements are now featured in different tango shows around the world.
PABLO ASLAN
Argentine-born Pablo Aslan is in demand for his skills as a producer and bassist, and for his knowledge of traditional and contemporary tango. His most recent album as a leader is Piazzolla in Brooklyn, a tribute to the late Nuevo Tango master. His previous CD, Tango Grill (Zoho Music), was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tango Album and a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album. Currently he is a member of the Glass House Orchestra, a multinational ensemble that performs in Europe and North America, and the Astoria Tango Orchestra. He plays regularly with small ensembles in the New York City area, including a three year ongoing residence at Zinc Bar with Grammy nominee Emilio Solla. Aslan recorded Tango Jazz: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center (Paquito Records 2010) with Cuban maestro Paquito D’Rivera and toured Europe the following year as music director of D’Rivera’s Tango Jazz Septet. He has performed and recorded with Yo-Yo Ma, Shakira, Lalo Schifrin, Osvaldo Golijov, Pablo Ziegler, Frank London, the New World Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, among many others. An active researcher and educator, he served as the Artistic Director of the Reed Tango Music Institute in 2013-14 and is currently Featured Artist at the Indiana University Tangueros Conference.
SAMI MERDINIAN
Argentinian violinist Sami Merdinian has received worldwide recognition for his outstanding performances as a soloist and chamber musician. Sami has appeared with the Montevideo Philharmonic, the Argentinian National Symphony, The Charlemagne Orchestre, The Gagneung Philharmonic in South Korea, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, South Carolina Philharmonic, the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Midland and Duluth Symphonies.
Sami is a member of award-winning string quintet Sybarite5, performing recently at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, and touring throughout United States, Canada, Asia and South America. Sybarite5’s album “Outliers” debuted at #1 in the Billboard Classical Music chart.
Highly sought-after as tango violinist, Mr. Merdinian has performed and recorded with some of the most prominent artists of the genre and has received a Grammy Nomination for “Masters of the Bandoneon” for Best Tango Album. Mr. Merdinian’s discography includes recordings for Universal Records, Canary Classics, CAG Records, Bright Shiny Things and Green Parrot Records.
Mr. Merdinian has been a prize winner in several international competitions including a Gold Medal in the XII International Young Solo Instrumentalists Competition in Argentina, and the New Talent Competition in Slovakia. He has also received the Rising Star Award by Tiffany & Co., was named Outstanding Artist of the Year by the Argentinian Press, and has been featured on WQXR in New York, “Spiegenzall” live from the Concertgebouw, Argentinian Classical National Station, America’s NPR, South Korean’s KBS and the BBC.
Mr. Merdinian is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the New Docta Festival in Argentina. He has led masterclasses around the USA, South America and Asia and given lectures about music and entrepreneurship in universities such as Penn State, Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory and The New School. In addition, Mr. Merdinian is also the producer and co-host of Down the Pit Podcast.
RODOLFO ZANETTI
A native of Argentina, Rodolfo Zanetti plays the bandoneon, a type of concertina particularly popular in that country and an essential instrument in most tango ensembles. Dedicated to playing tango from an early age, he joined the Mancifesta Orchestra and Tango & Punto before co-founding the Quintet Bandó, with which he made well received tours to Washington, Chicago and New York.
Under the auspices of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, in 2003 Zanetti directed Maria de Buenos Aires, the masterpiece of Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer. He performed as bandoneon soloist with the Choir of the National University of Cuyo (U.N.C. – Mendoza) and with the Coro de Jóvenes de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. In 2009 he founded El Despunte Tango Club, a traditional tango trío. In 2013 he performed as soloist in the very international wine event of Mendoza, the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia.
In the United States, Zanetti has performed as soloist with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lisner Auditorium of George Washington University, the Embassy of Argentina, the Organization of American States and other notable venues. In New York he performed as soloist at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall.
In 2017 he won the First Prize as a bandoneonist at the “Che Bandoneón International Competition” awarded by the Argentine Tango Society at the Stowe Music Tango Festival in Vermont, USA.
In 2018 he participated as a bandoneon player in the album “Vigor Tanguero” by Pedro Giraudo, which has obtanied the Latin Grammy to the best Tango Album.
In 2020 he was a soloist in the recording of the album “Tango of the Americas” which is currently nominated for the best tango album by the Latin Grammy Awards.
Rodolfo Zanetti studied with Jorge Puebla and Hilario Alberto Iribarne on bandoneon, continuing his studies in piano with masters Monica Rizzo and Roberto Urbay at the Faculty of Arts of the National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
RODOLFO ZANETTI
A native of Argentina, Rodolfo Zanetti plays the bandoneon, a type of concertina particularly popular in that country and an essential instrument in most tango ensembles. Dedicated to playing tango from an early age, he joined the Mancifesta Orchestra and Tango & Punto before co-founding the Quintet Bandó, with which he made well received tours to Washington, Chicago and New York.
Under the auspices of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, in 2003 Zanetti directed Maria de Buenos Aires, the masterpiece of Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer. He performed as bandoneon soloist with the Choir of the National University of Cuyo (U.N.C. – Mendoza) and with the Coro de Jóvenes de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. In 2009 he founded El Despunte Tango Club, a traditional tango trío. In 2013 he performed as soloist in the very international wine event of Mendoza, the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia.
In the United States, Zanetti has performed as soloist with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lisner Auditorium of George Washington University, the Embassy of Argentina, the Organization of American States and other notable venues. In New York he performed as soloist at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall.
In 2017 he won the First Prize as a bandoneonist at the “Che Bandoneón International Competition” awarded by the Argentine Tango Society at the Stowe Music Tango Festival in Vermont, USA.
In 2018 he participated as a bandoneon player in the album “Vigor Tanguero” by Pedro Giraudo, which has obtanied the Latin Grammy to the best Tango Album.
In 2020 he was a soloist in the recording of the album “Tango of the Americas” which is currently nominated for the best tango album by the Latin Grammy Awards.
Rodolfo Zanetti studied with Jorge Puebla and Hilario Alberto Iribarne on bandoneon, continuing his studies in piano with masters Monica Rizzo and Roberto Urbay at the Faculty of Arts of the National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
PABLO ASLAN
Argentine-born Pablo Aslan is in demand for his skills as a producer and bassist, and for his knowledge of traditional and contemporary tango. His most recent album as a leader is Piazzolla in Brooklyn, a tribute to the late Nuevo Tango master. His previous CD, Tango Grill (Zoho Music), was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tango Album and a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album. Currently he is a member of the Glass House Orchestra, a multinational ensemble that performs in Europe and North America, and the Astoria Tango Orchestra. He plays regularly with small ensembles in the New York City area, including a three year ongoing residence at Zinc Bar with Grammy nominee Emilio Solla. Aslan recorded Tango Jazz: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center (Paquito Records 2010) with Cuban maestro Paquito D’Rivera and toured Europe the following year as music director of D’Rivera’s Tango Jazz Septet. He has performed and recorded with Yo-Yo Ma, Shakira, Lalo Schifrin, Osvaldo Golijov, Pablo Ziegler, Frank London, the New World Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, among many others. An active researcher and educator, he served as the Artistic Director of the Reed Tango Music Institute in 2013-14 and is currently Featured Artist at the Indiana University Tangueros Conference.
NICK DANIELSON
Argentinian violinist Sami Merdinian has received worldwide recognition for his outstanding performances as a soloist and chamber musician. Sami has appeared with the Montevideo Philharmonic, the Argentinian National Symphony, The Charlemagne Orchestre, The Gagneung Philharmonic in South Korea, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, South Carolina Philharmonic, the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Midland and Duluth Symphonies.
Sami is a member of award-winning string quintet Sybarite5, performing recently at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, and touring throughout United States, Canada, Asia and South America. Sybarite5’s album “Outliers” debuted at #1 in the Billboard Classical Music chart.
Highly sought-after as tango violinist, Mr. Merdinian has performed and recorded with some of the most prominent artists of the genre and has received a Grammy Nomination for “Masters of the Bandoneon” for Best Tango Album. Mr. Merdinian’s discography includes recordings for Universal Records, Canary Classics, CAG Records, Bright Shiny Things and Green Parrot Records.
Mr. Merdinian has been a prize winner in several international competitions including a Gold Medal in the XII International Young Solo Instrumentalists Competition in Argentina, and the New Talent Competition in Slovakia. He has also received the Rising Star Award by Tiffany & Co., was named Outstanding Artist of the Year by the Argentinian Press, and has been featured on WQXR in New York, “Spiegenzall” live from the Concertgebouw, Argentinian Classical National Station, America’s NPR, South Korean’s KBS and the BBC.
Mr. Merdinian is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the New Docta Festival in Argentina. He has led masterclasses around the USA, South America and Asia and given lectures about music and entrepreneurship in universities such as Penn State, Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory and The New School. In addition, Mr. Merdinian is also the producer and co-host of Down the Pit Podcast.